Podcasts related to Economics - UK

Today we’re joined by the IEA’s Research Director Dr Jamie Whyte, and Catherine McBride, Senior Economist in the IEA’s International Trade and Competition Unit, who analyse the future of Britain’s financial services post-Brexit. Interviewed by the IEA’s Digital Officer Madeline Grant, the pair discuss to what extent Brexit will actually effect the vibrancy of Britain’s financial services, and what opportunities lie outside of European Union for the finance industries. Catherine and Jamie give particular focus to the fear-mongering, perpetuated by certain camps, around the future of financial services, arguing that the EU’s regulatory fixations have held the City of London back for years, and made it significantly harder for genuine competitors to enter the market.

Dividend investing isn’t just for retired people who need an income from their share portfolio – it can also be a rewarding strategy for younger investors who can reinvest their dividends. Ed Bowsher finds out more from Adam Laird of Lyxor, Oliver Smith of IG Smart Portfolios, and Laura Suter of the Telegraph.

We live in a time of considerable intolerance towards free speech – on campus – and, increasingly, in broader society as well. But just how widespread is the situation – and how did we get here? On this week’s podcast, we were joined by Claire Fox, Director of the Academy of Ideas, and Kristian Niemietz, the IEA’s Head of Health and Welfare. They examined so-called “Generation Snowflake” – a term often used to describe a perceived millennial distrust in free expression. They discussed how common these views actually are amongst the young, how seriously we should take them, and who else may be to blame for this culture of intolerance.

What has Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of England, got to do with long-forgotten television soap Eldorado? Find out in the latest This is Money podcast, in which editor Simon Lambert and consumer affairs editor Lee Boyce discuss the inflation figures out this week and whether they have increased the likelihood of a base rate rise. Meanwhile, house prices in London saw their first annual fall in price since 2009 and sellers across the UK are having to accept far less than their asking price. Are values in the capital about to fall even faster? And lastly, one for the gardening enthusiasts – how much of a drain on energy is the patio heater?

In the second episode of our new programme, Peter Urwin is joined by Professor Lisa Webley, Chair in Legal Education and Research at the University of Birmingham's Law School, to explore the increasing lack of diversity as one progresses up the ladder of the legal career. Lisa describes the situation in various branches of the profession and sets out the findings from her research, which provide insight into why many women and BAME lawyers do not make it to the top. What actions can government, employers and professional bodies take to improve the situation?

British Gas have revealed this week that more than four million households face a 5.5 per cent bill increase from the end of May thanks to changes to its standard variable tariff. Hot on its heels, EDF Energy announced it will be hiking the cost of energy bills by 1.4 per cent for 1.3 million customers. In this week’s podcast, Rachel Rickard Straus and Lee Boyce say it is time for people to fight back and switch. On the energy theme, we talk about our campaign to stop power firms using bullying tactics in order to force households into getting a smart meter – and why it is better to wait until the end of the year. We take a look at some of the methods to make your home more energy efficient, including insulation and wood burning stoves.

Good news. Chances are you just got a tax cut. Well an income tax cut at least, problem is your council tax is likely to be rising and if you are an investor the Government is after more of your dividends, or if you’re a landlord it wants your rental income. So who are the winners and losers of the new tax year that rolled round on 6 April? And what are the candidates for dumbest bits of Britain’s tax code. In this week’s podcast, Simon Lambert, Rachel Rickard Straus and George Frost take a look at who is getting the biggest tax cut and who is being hit.

The deadline for large companies to report their gender pay gaps has now passed. We are left with a huge influx of data, most of which fails to give us any meaningful comparison between men and women in like-for-like circumstances. What is the best way to calculate a gender pay gap? Today we’re joined by the IEA’s former Head of Tech, now policy analyst at the CATO Institute, Diego Zuluaga to analyse the case of ride-sharing app Uber, and what its data can teach us about the gender pay gap. Interviewed by the IEA’s Digital Officer Madeline Grant, the pair look at the issue of the gender pay gap more broadly: where does it originate, what does it mean for women, and has public policy been successful throughout the world in addressing pay gaps?

Universal basic income is now one of the most fashionable concepts in progressive politics. With automation increasing and wages stagnating, the theory is that giving everyone a set amount of money each year will liberate them to do what they want with their lives – and keep them out of poverty. But some people think universal basic income is an utopian impossibility. Others think it’s dangerous. So there’s a proposal for another solution: universal basic services. Instead of giving people money, why not guarantee all of the public services they need to live a full life? Ayeisha Thomas-Smith explores the two ideas with Barb Jacobson, Co-ordinator of Basic Income UK, and Anna Coote, New Economics Foundation Principal Fellow.

Building up a pension was once relatively simple, for each year you worked for a company it promised to pay you some money in retirement. The death of the final salary scheme put paid to that and now most people must invest into a pension instead - with their work helping out. But while it is tempting to put off a pension and think you have more pressing financial matters to deal with, that's a mistake. The earlier you start and the more you pay in, the greater your chance of having a richer retirement. On this week's podcast, Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost talk pensions.