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Political commentator Mike Indian analyses the General Election result, astonishing for its massive majority on a tiny vote share and the way it exposed the oddities of the UK election system, particularly with Reform getting more votes than the Libdems but just a fraction of their seats. With Sir Kier Starmer probably only having a brief honeymoon period, Mike hopes they will underpromise and overdeliver. With Starmer at the NATO summit, will Labour deliver the promised defence increase in this dangerous period? He explains why Joe Biden should step aside and looks at the future for the Tories, currently facing electoral irrelevance.

Cineworld plans to close 25% of its cinemas and James Cameron-Wilson says box office is down 26%, though Inside Out 2 is riding high with £40.1m, making it the biggest hit of 2024. Prequel A Quiet Place: Day One is #2 but, while accomplished and watchable, it doesn't have the coiled tension of the first two films. Despite loving films of Yorgos Lanthimos like The Favourite and Poor Things, James was not enamoued of Kinds of Kindness, an anthology movie with Emma Stone which is weird without being wonderful and a case of the emperor's new clothes, with no narrative cohesion. 40 years on, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, out on Netflix, creaks in all the wrong places with Eddie Murphy looking the same but with his manic energy diminished. So by the numbers, it's not worth your time.

Steve Caplin explains how Elon Musk will be destroying the International Space Station. There's a flying car that's a cross between a go-kart and a helicopter, while another helicopter gives tours without a pilot. Renault cars will soon score your driving performance while Bill Gates is investing in a company that will make butter from air. Chinese scientists have grown human brain cells that can control robots. Text to speech can now bring to audio life stars from the past with uncanny reality. There's a new way of trying to prevent rhino poaching by making horns radioactive. And there are some impressive crowdfunded smart binoculars.

If alcohol is a need, a compulsion, then it easily turns into an addiction. That can turn into arguments, embarrassment and inappropriate behaviour. But if it's a choice, it's possible to build a more healthy relationship with alcohol. Adam Cox invites you to explore regression to a point when you were without alcohol, and move towards it being that matter of choice, not necessity.

Adam Cox is joined by Stephen Muers, the CEO of Better Society Capital. Following the fallout of the UK general election, the two discuss the recent speech given by Rachel Reeves about new housing. Stephen also tells Adam more about Better Society and what they do. https://bettersocietycapital.com/

The market may be overvalued, but some stocks are underpriced. Tim Beyers and Mary Long talk about whether we’re in an AI bubble, lofty tech valuations, and what an unchecked Sam Altman might mean for the rest of us. Then, 17 minutes in, Sanmeet Deo and Ricky Mulvey discuss energy drinks as investments, and whether Monster or Celsius deserves the title of top dog. Companies discussed: CRWD, PANW, MSFT, MNST, CELH. Host - Mary Long; Guests - Tim Beyers, Ricky Mulvey, Sanmeet Deo

Reagan knew how to budget. Jefferson knew how to party. Megan Gorman is the author of the upcoming book, “All the Presidents' Money: How the Men Who Governed America Governed Their Money.” Gorman is also the founding partner of Chequers Financial Management. Robert Brokamp caught up with Gorman for a conversation about what FDR, a “bit of a trust fund kid,” did if he needed money, how Ronald Reagan’s humble beginnings impacted his finances, and why a Great Depression president was a great investor. Host - Robert Brokamp; Guest - Megan Gorman

Do you feel financially confident? When it comes to budgeting, saving, investing, and building your pension, are you clueless, comfortable, or cracking on? A piece of research this week by Moneybox claimed that being financially confident could add £67,000 to your lifetime wealth – on average those with confidence were worth £145,000 on average, compared to £78,000 for the unconfident. But what does being financially confident actually mean and how can you get there? Georgie Frost, Tanya Jefferies and Simon Lambert look at how to boost your financial confidence and whether the tips to do so could work. Plus, a week into a new government and with a planned pensions review looming, the team look at what Labour could mean for our retirement savings. Meanwhile, investors seem to be cheering Labour taking charge and this week investment giant BlackRock flagged Britain’s ‘relative political stability’ and cheap stock market, so does that mean good future returns? Investing a large sum was on the mind of a reader who asked This is Money an unusual question: I’m inheriting £10 million, should I set up an investment trust? So, what is the answer to that? And finally, a new report has revealed Britain’s best places for customer service – did your favourite make the list?