Share Sounds. presented by Gavin Oldham related to Politics - UK

UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt sets out his Budget for growth. This is the unabridged recording, direct from the House of Commons on 15th March 2023.

“Give your grace abundantly to our European Union Leaders, that they may lead with wisdom and insight”, prayed Archbishop John Sentamu in early 2019. But it only became possible to knock sense into Brexit negotiations with the EU once Boris, armed with his very direct slogan ‘Get Brexit Done’ and with his impressive parliamentary majority following the December 2019 general election, took the EU bull by the horns. We all knew then it couldn't be the end of the story and, sure enough, we now have the Windsor Framework: but let's give credit where credit's due. Background music: 'When Johnny Comes Marching Home' - Cooper Cannell

Just as Nicola Sturgeon steps out of Scottish politics and Rishi Sunak struggles with the Brexit Protocol for Northern Ireland, my attention was drawn to some world-leading legislation passed by the Welsh Government in 2015: 'The Well-being of Future Generations Act'. Recognising the degree to which modern society impacts the future so much more than any of the generations which have preceded us, this Act is of constitutional significance — requiring public bodies to think about the long-term impact of their decisions, to work better with people, communities and each other, and to prevent persistent problems such as poverty, health inequalities and climate change. No wonder that it is attracting interest from countries across the world, offering a huge opportunity to make a long-lasting, positive change for future generations. Background music: Celtic Impulse by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The huge take-up of ChatGPT over recent weeks has brought the challenge of Artificial Intelligence into sharp relief. As the Chief Executive of its creator, OpenAI, said in one of his blogs, 'Artificial Intelligence will bring unimaginable wealth but, unless something changes, most of us will get none of it. We need a radical solution'. Conventional wisdom sees Universal Basic Income as the way through this dilemma, but this will only bring us more state intermediation and human subservience. We can put forward a better solution, by enabling all to share in the wealth that technology brings and to play their part in its future governance. Background music: 'Digital Solitude' by Silent Partner

New Year resolutions are in the air, and both Sunak and Starmer set out theirs in speeches on 4th and 5th January respectively. Much of the media reporting was drowned out by Harry's book and associated interviews, and headline objectives such as halving inflation and restoring growth were somewhat 'motherhood and apple pie'. But dig deeper (there are links to the full texts in the webpage commentary) and there are some gems to be found, although they still merit some close scrutiny. However George Bush's 1988 quote seems to encapsulate their performance: 'What's wrong with being a boring kind of guy?' Background music: 'Resolution' by Wayne Jones

Far from digging the UK out of the mess that seventy years of socialist welfare have got it into, our new Conservative government seems intent on burying us still deeper. Of course fiscal responsibility must come first, but why perpetuate the myth that everyone, including the wealthy, must receive equal free rations: even if it significantly reduces the amount of public resources available for those most in need? At least the NHS in Scotland has heard the message, even if politicians across the board don't understand (or is it just electoral bribery?). What we really need is a strategy for individual freedom within an egalitarian society — we're a long way from this at present. Background music: 'Freedom?' by Dan Lebowitz

As Rishi Sunak steps into the lead role in British politics, we look at the educational choices which have paved the way for him, and discuss how the search for a more egalitarian form of capitalism can reconcile opportunity for all with individual freedom. The degree to which parents take responsibility for that education, as Rishi's parents did for him, is critical — and that poses a significant question for the huge numbers of young people who are not enjoying a traditional family upbringing. Background Music: 'Everything Has a Beginning' by Joel Cummins

Janice Turner's strikingly clear article in Saturday's Times (13/8/22) sets out why young people from low income households have such a struggle finding stability and economic security, after years of student debt, soaring house prices, and a much higher risk of split parents. In 2010 David Willetts' book 'The Pinch' was published, setting out the huge generational divide at that time: but over the past 12 years, the position has deteriorated significantly. Will Liz Truss call for change? Background music: 'Land of My Fathers' by The 126ers Links via https://www.shareradio.co.uk/thinkingaloud/newsletters/comment-wc-2022-08-15/

Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak are both understandably focused on the UK economy, challenged by massive public debt and soaring inflation, but who will tackle the 'elephant in the room' of the gargantuan health and social care budget, which has resulted from seventy years addiction to socialist universality? We update our proposal first made in June 2018, since when the cost per adult of health and social care has doubled. Background music: 'Addicted' by VYEN

People come in all shapes and sizes, and there are many people who have that strange combination of seemingly boundless energy and inherent unpredictability which are found in Mr Johnson. People who are more measured and reliable find them intensely frustrating, but there should still be a place for unconventional people, albeit not as prime minister. In this episode we find other examples in history of unconventional individuals who were also not accepted by many of the people with whom they worked, and we look not so much at weighing their offences but counting their merits in asking how the undoubtable strengths of someone like Boris can work for the benefit of all. Background music: 'Enable the Tiger' by JAde Wii