EMQs: The truth about government war gaming

EMQs: The truth about government war gaming

Political Currency · 2026-10-12
42:59

Money saving expert Martin Lewis sends in a question for Ed Balls and George Osborne this week, all about the tiny fixes. He tasks the pair with contributing to his new Small Ideas Initiative, proposing their own solutions to the most annoying problems in Britain. Ed goes for football tickets, while George hits on driving tests.

They then turn to a former FT colleague of Ed’s, who asks whether the biggest decisions a chancellor makes happens between budgets. They weigh up the case for and against this, hitting on some of the biggest economic moments in recent decades.


A fan from Instagram then asks if Andy Burnham has failed the Makerfield test, with George feeling his constituents wouldn’t be taken by PR or rejoining the EU. Fellow podcaster Abbie Bennington then asks them about wine and Brexit, off the back of George appearing on her show.


Finally, they reveal their experience with war gaming. How much does the government prepare for the worst? Does it work in the end? Ed reveals one instance that left the government much more prepared for the financial crisis than they otherwise would have been…

Make sure to listen to George’s appearance on Vintage Politics here:


👉 https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/george-osborne-candid-conversations-on-brexit-ai-the/id1881977789?i=1000793761417


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Credits:

Production: Sam Burton

Producer: Caillin McDaid

Video Editor: Louis Norris & Sam Gruet

Executive Producer: Henrietta Harrison


Political Currency is a Persephonica Production and is part of the Acast Creator Network.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Political Currency

Ed Balls and George Osborne take us behind closed doors into the rooms where decisions are made. Having battled it out across the despatch box, the former Chancellor and shadow chancellor now meet in the studio to discuss the decisions that affect the nation’s pockets. Our frenemies have the knowledge and experience to explain how good politics follows the economics - and expose how the powerful become powerless when faced with market forces and political currents they can’t control. Join us every Thursday.


Send your messages or voice notes to [email protected]


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Political Currency is a Persephonica production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • No. of episodes: 324
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