Share Sounds from Thought for the Week related to Politics - UK

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

Will Johnny go marching home, after this awful set of mid-term elections for the Conservatives? He has the intelligence needed to steer this country forward, as he's shown with both Brexit and the Covid-19 vaccine strategy. However, he has a major handicap: he not only lacks a firm foundation in Conservative values, but he's also prone to falling foul of the cult of personality. As he can't seem to get to grips with this handicap, the Conservative Parliamentary Party should take steps to build a new leadership to move it forwards, closely aligned to its core values. Background music: 'Johnny comes marching home' by Cooper Cannell