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Most of us believe in personal freedom within a fairer society, but that combination isn't currently on offer from any of the political parties seeking your vote. It is, however possible — but you need to start young. Reducing the voting age to 16 might help a bit, but a more egalitarian way forward for capitalism calls for starter capital accounts and incentivised learning for disadvantaged young people. Then, you need to do something about wealth concentration brought about by the tech giants. Background music: 'Freedom' by Dan Lebowitz

Tools have accompanied us since the dawn of humanity, but few are as exciting and fearsome as Artificial Intelligence. That's why the Pope chose to talk to G7 leaders last Friday about this swiftly developing technology with his plea that politicians need to ensure that it benefits every human being. Artificial Intelligence is just one of the long-term concerns included in our pre-General Election survey, asking your opinion on issues not included in party manifestos: these include linking inheritance levies directly to inter-generational rebalancing, transforming the UK's welfare system, and reforming the 'second chamber' to enable proper long-term review of legislation. Please take part! Visit https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/FU34N0/ Background music: 'The New Order' by Aaron Kenny

It’s manifesto week and Labour, the Conservatives and the Lib Dems have laid out their vision for the country – along with the Green Party, Reform and others. The economy, tax and people’s finances are a cornerstone of the all the manifestos, but what are the main parties proposing and what could it mean for you? Georgie Frost, Angharad Carrick and Simon Lambert take a deep dive into the manifestos to see what’s there. If the country votes for a change and we do get the widely predicted Labour government, what will it mean for your money – and does talking about growth mean there’s an actual plan to deliver it? After 14 years in charge, were the Tories bold enough in their manifesto to derail Labour’s run at power? And do the Lib Dems have the policies that could shake things up, including a plan to substantially overhaul capital gains tax? Plus, what did Reform say? All this and more go under the microscope, along with a look at what has really happened to our taxes in a decade-and-a-half under the Conservatives. And finally, away from the election, how much did the most desirable new King Charles £5 note go for at a special auction this week?

Not my platitudes — but we do indeed need bold reforms, vision, groundbreaking solutions and to lead the edge of change. Our key concerns and calls for action are in this commentary, but they're not in the party manifestos: for example, the call to break the cycle of deprivation first made 50 years ago — we're still waiting. Euphemisms abound as the parties converge towards the central ground in the quest for your votes, but they draw together many different perspectives. Test them on issues such as a more egalitarian form of capitalism, smaller government, inter-generational rebalancing and a longer-term perspective — see where they stand as individuals. Background music: 'Hidden Agenda' by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1200102.

The Prime Minister put an end to all the speculation this week by giving us the date for the general election: July 4. That comes as the latest inflation reading was 2.3%, a little above forecasts making a base rate cut next month now unlikely. Simon Lambert, Georgie Frost and Lee Boyce delve into the economic state of affairs and what the upcoming election could mean for your money, when it comes to tax, pensions, property and everything in-between. Nationwide Building Society posted pre-tax profits of £1.77bn this week and as a result, it is dishing out another year of 'Fairer Share' loyalty payouts of £100 — will you qualify? And not only that, it is now offering £200 to switchers and an exclusive 5.5% loyalty savings rate. How does early retirement sound to you? It seems it appeals to a lot of us because searches on Google for 'retire early' have increased threefold in the last decade. But how much would you be willing to sacrifice to achieve it? At the extreme end, we have the FIRE movement, advocating saving 70% of your income. Special guest, former This is Money editor Andrew Oxlade, had had enough — he explains why. Lastly, This is Money has a new regular series called Modern Treasures with valuation expert Dan Hatfield — Lee reveals all about the first one, all about first edition books, and gives details on how to get YOUR items valued for free.

Individual achievement is recognised in many walks of life, and that recognition spurs people on to achieve even greater things. With education, good exam results and university entrance are celebrated, but this doesn't do much for those who find it difficult to get started in the first place. That's why The Share Foundation's introduction of incentivised learning is so important for young people in care, achieving an attitudinal transformation as they progress through the six-step Stepladder course. We need acceptance of incentivised learning to break the cycle of deprivation. Background music: 'Everything Has a Beginning' by Joel Cummins

England delivered a withering verdict on its ruling Conservative Party last week, but the motley spread of replacement parties plus low turnout revealed a population thoroughly disenchanted by politics. Democracy is calling for a fresh perspective, based on reason and logic. We need to draw inspiration from people like Thomas Jefferson who said, 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all are created equal, that they are endowed with certain unalienable rights, and that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.' Background music: 'Freedom' by Dan Lebowitz

The debate on 19th March 2024 was hosted by Sir Jeremy Quin MP to call for the need to simplify family access to Child Trust Funds for disabled young people, and a number of MPs contributed to the debate, including Danny Kruger and Ed Davy. The audio record is provided by Parliament Live, and is an unabridged recording of proceedings, without additional comment. Listeners may notice an adjournment for voting in the House of Commons.

Rachel Reeves points to a sea change in economic policy, 'As we did at the end of the 1970s, we stand at an inflection point': but there's no indication, apart from a tiny hint of criticism for an 'inflexible welfare state', of moving away from the socialist dogma which is ruining health services in the United Kingdom. Meanwhile the Conservatives' fear of losing electoral support among the elderly leaves them incapable of introducing mandatory health insurance for wealthy old folk which the NHS can draw down as it's used. It's a confrontation where no strategy exists that allows any party to achieve victory — the only way through is to look for a consensus. Background music: 'People Watching' by Sir Cubworth

Jeremy Hunt's focus on young working people, by making a further significant reduction in employees' NI, is welcome; but his overall strategy is cloaked in disguise. As Michael Gove made clear in February, young people need direct economic encouragement: for example, the omission of any mention of unclaimed adult-owned CTFs indicates more of a studied indifference from HM Treasury. Background music: 'Hidden Agenda' by Kevin MacLeod - http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1200102