Podcasts

Will this election really prove to be about Brexit? That issue was predicted to define the vote, but while each party’s Brexit stance will be at the forefront of people’s minds there are many other factors that now seem to be heavily influencing how the 12 December general election is shaping up. One of the biggest is the battle over the economy and our personal finances. There’s a sizeable difference between Labour’s tax and spending plans and those of the Tories. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats propose their own sizeable tax and spending rises but at less than half the Labour increase. So what do all these promises and plans mean for you? On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce dig into the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat manifestos to find out. What is the chance of any of their plans working? Will the tax rises pull in the money expected – and can the spending be used wisely? And what of the other things Britain needs to achieve? Is more housebuilding compatible with combatting climate change, protecting the environment and looking after the countryside – and what have beavers got to do with it?

Will Rhind, founder and CEO of GraniteShares, joins Adam Cox to talk about how ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) and ETPs (Exchange Traded Products) can give investors opportunities for diversification, growth and protection against uncertainty – normally only accessible to sophisticated investors or hedge funds.

Saving, spending, planning — you've got money questions and we've got answers. Every week host Alison Southwick and personal finance expert Robert Brokamp challenge the conventional wisdom on life's biggest financial issues to reveal what you really need to know to make smart money moves. In this week's show, the team answers November's questions about the wash-sale rule, Finnish tax law (yes, seriously), evaluating ETFs, and more.

Labour's election manifesto has been revealed and it involves a huge £82.9 billion spending spree – to be funded by a similar tax rise. It outlined a 45p income tax rate above £80,000 and to leave no one in any doubt about its intentions opted to call its new 50p level above £125,000 the Super-Rich Rate. On this podcast, Simon Lambert, Georgie Frost and Lee Boyce run through the main financial points of Labour's manifesto, with a look at all the parties' plans due at a later date after the Tory manifesto lands. The team also discuss the Conservative's bid to fend off an NHS winter crisis caused by pension taper rules that are forcing older doctors to avoid doing work so that they do not get hit with big tax bills.

Want to keep up with the latest earnings updates from the States? Well join Chris Hill and the Motley Fool Radio Show team here on Share Radio, direct from Washington DC, for news, views and analysis of the US stocks that matter. In this week's show: Target hits a new all-time high on earnings; Macy’s and Kohl’s tumble; Lowe’s rises; Home Depot slips; Nordstrom surprises; And Schwab and TD Ameritrade may be teaming up. Analysts Andy Cross, Ron Gross, and Jason Moser tackle these stories, weigh in on the latest from Intuit, and dig into Tim Hortons’ holiday menu. They also share why they’re keeping an eye on Dave & Buster’s, PayPal, and Box. Plus, corporate governance expert and film critic Nell Minow talks WeWork and New Coke, Disney streaming, and must-see movies.

Simon Rose is joined by political commentator and author of The Groucho Tendency blog, Mike Indian, to discuss how UK politics has got to where it is today. In this episode, Simon and Mike discuss the history and role of Select Committees.

Colin D Ellis harboured ambitions to be an architect before working in banking, sales and IT. Since then, he’s worked with companies all over the world including Red Bull, Thomson Reuters and Australia’s government to help them transform their cultures. He’s an expert in boosting happiness at work and tackling harassment and bullying, in order to improve productivity and employee experience. He’s a music lover and claims Y2K (the Millenium Bug!) was prevented by people like him working on IT systems – a tongue-in-cheek claim you’ll hear, amongst other conversation, in this edition of Track Record.

Vicky Sayers is joined by film critic and broadcaster, James Cameron-Wilson, to discuss some of the most influential romantic films to have hit the silver screen. Plus, what would James Cameron’s Titanic have been like if Matthew McConaughey and Gwyneth Paltrow had had the starring roles? In this episode: Gone With the Wind (1939), Casablanca (1942), Brief Encounter (1945), A Matter of Life and Death (1946), An Affair to Remember (1957), Un homme et une femme (1966), Love Story (1970), Pretty Woman (1990), Jerry Maguire (1996), Titanic (1997).

It’s one of the most important inventions of the 20th century. But unlike the phone, the car, computers and indoor plumbing, the weekend is still stuck in the 1930s. As productivity increased, the promise of shorter working hours always seemed just out of reach. But now, there’s a campaign to make the 4-day week a reality within our lifetimes. Obviously many people would love to work less. But what would it mean for the economy? And what would it take to make it a reality? Ayeisha Thomas-Smith is joined by Alfie Stirling, Head of Economics and Aidan Harper, Researcher at the New Economics Foundation.

Saving, spending, planning — you've got money questions and we've got answers. Every week host Alison Southwick and personal finance expert Robert Brokamp challenge the conventional wisdom on life's biggest financial issues to reveal what you really need to know to make smart money moves. In this week's show we’re joined by Motley Fool Analyst Ben Ra to discuss how China’s history influences its mindset on capitalism and business.