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Simon Rose

The Bigger Picture: A-levels, Inflation & Who Is Governing Britain?

Simon Rose
Original Broadcast:

The Bigger Picture

The Bigger Picture: A-levels, Inflation & Who Is Governing Britain?
As the first proper A-level results arrive since 2019, political commentator Mike Indian explains how education must be the answer to solving the UK's productivity puzzle. In the wake of the latest rise in inflation, he says that targeted support and state intervention will be needed to get things back onto an even keel. And with the Tory leadership contest continuing, he asks where the big, transformative ideas are and wonders if an absent Boris Johnson is simply abrogating responsibility.
Guest:

Mike Indian


Published:
Simon Rose

The Bigger Picture: Curing Basketcase Britain, The Commonwealth Games & Immigration Thriving Post-Brexit

Simon Rose
Original Broadcast:

The Bigger Picture

The Bigger Picture: Curing Basketcase Britain, The Commonwealth Games & Immigration Thriving Post-Brexit
Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University explains why bold market reform is needed to solve the problems of "basketcase Britain", before it is too late. He reflects on the success of the Commonwealth Games, held in Birmingham, particularly the spectacular opening and closing ceremonies and considers where the future of the Games – and the Commonwealth – might lie. And he shows how immigration is thriving in the wake of Brexit though points out that infrastructure planning must be tackled seriously and quickly.
Guest:

Professor Tim Evans


Published:
Simon Rose

The Bigger Picture: The death of Queen Elizabeth and an overview of the new Truss government

Simon Rose
Original Broadcast:

The Bigger Picture

The Bigger Picture: The death of Queen Elizabeth and an overview of the new Truss government
Political commentator Mike Indian looks at the aftermath of the death of Queen Elizabeth and the reaction of the political world and considers how the new Prime Minister coped. He assesses the new Truss appointments, good and perhaps not so good. Although it was somewhat overshadowed by the breaking news, he looks at the PM's energy plan and, briefly, considers what recent advances by Ukraine's troops might mean for Russia and Ukraine.
Guest:

Mike Indian


Published:
Simon Rose

The Bigger Picture: Gorbachev RIP, Saudi's diplomatic moment & the West's vortex of doom

Simon Rose
Original Broadcast:

The Bigger Picture

The Bigger Picture: Gorbachev RIP, Saudi's diplomatic moment & the West's vortex of doom
Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University pays tribute to Mikhail Gorbachev, explaining his great historic importance. He discusses how Saudi Arabia is seizing the diplomatic opportunity presented by the energy crisis. And he looks at the economic woes of the free world which could lead to an economic meltdown, arguing that the UK's new Prime Minister will have to be very radical not to play into Putin's hands.
Guest:

Professor Tim Evans


Published:
Simon Rose

The Bigger Picture: Is Liz Truss an Existential Threat to the Conservative Party & Is Andrew Bailey the Right Man for the Job?

Simon Rose
Original Broadcast:

The Bigger Picture

The Bigger Picture: Is Liz Truss an Existential Threat to the Conservative Party & Is Andrew Bailey the Right Man for the Job?
Political commentator Mike indian looks at what is effectively Liz Truss's 30 days in office, which have seen a rout of Prime Ministerial authority. Failing to carry her party's MPs or markets with her, has she plunged a dagger into the heart of the Tory coalition and is there an existential threat to the Conservative party? Mike also looks at the relationship of government and the Treasury to the Bank of England, where Andrew Bailey is a technocrat, much less politically astute than Mark Carney. And he wonders why, having got the energy market intervention right, Liz Truss was so unwilling to process with an awareness campaign to reduce energy.
Guest:

Mike Indian


Published:
Simon Rose

The Bigger Picture: Liz Truss's first month as PM, Europe and China & Is Keir Starmer ready for government?

Simon Rose
Original Broadcast:

The Bigger Picture

The Bigger Picture: Liz Truss's first month as PM, Europe and China & Is Keir Starmer ready for government?
Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University assesses Liz Truss's first month in office and wonders if the era of the Magic Money Tree is coming to an end. He believes that the Bank of England, which has not performed well since the Financial Crisis, deserves greater scrutiny or it is in danger of sidelining itself. He considers how Europe is pivoting away from China and worries that China may become yet more authoritarian. And, while Labour is riding high in the polls, he believes Keir Starmer has a lot of work to do to make Middle England comfortable with him.
Guest:

Professor Tim Evans


Published:
Simon Rose

The Bigger Picture: The mini-budget and the market response & the Labour Party conference

Simon Rose
Original Broadcast:

The Bigger Picture

The Bigger Picture: The mini-budget and the market response & the Labour Party conference
Political commentator Mike Indian discusses with Simon Rose the Chancellor's mini-budget and the market turmoil it caused, as well as criticism from the International Monetary Fund. Arguing that previous dashes for growth didn't end well, he asks if there really is a correlation between the tax burden and growth and whether the level of regulation in the UK really is too high? He also looks at the Labour Party conference, understanding the confidence but pointing out that Keir Starmer is still missing a narrative of excitement.
Guest:

Mike Indian


Published:
Simon Rose

The Bigger Picture: The PM's Energy Speech

Simon Rose
Original Broadcast:

The Bigger Picture

The Bigger Picture: The PM's Energy Speech
The sad news of the Queen's death cut right across the House of Commons debate on Energy, and wholly understandably eclipsed reporting on this important subject. The Government's strategy is based on a set of significantly new principles, particularly on energy supply, and we therefore thought it appropriate to bring you Liz Truss's opening speech, complete with points of order, setting out the way forward.

Published:
Simon Rose

The Bigger Picture: Qualifications in a complex economy, Brexit in danger & Ukraine six months on

Simon Rose
Original Broadcast:

The Bigger Picture

The Bigger Picture: Qualifications in a complex economy, Brexit in danger & Ukraine six months on
Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University looks at the importance of qualifications in an increasingly complex economy, so different from that of students' parents' generation and earlier. He discusses why relatively little advantage has so far been taken of the UK leaving the EU and remarks that big changes often come out of a time of crisis. And, six months on, he looks Ukraine and how Russia has lost ground since mid-March, wiping out its military's high reputation with the conflict coming more to resemble WW1's trench warfare.
Guest:

Professor Tim Evans


Published:
Simon Rose

The Bigger Picture: What can we expect of the PM, Energy and Russia & Reflections on the late Queen.

Simon Rose
Original Broadcast:

The Bigger Picture

The Bigger Picture: What can we expect of the PM, Energy and Russia & Reflections on the late Queen.
Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University discusses what we might expect from Liz Truss as Prime Minister. He points out how long it has been since the Government (or Opposition) had a clear strategy. He also wonders where the Russian economy is heading now that Europe appears to be weaning itself off the country's energy. And he reflects on the late Queen and her funeral, surprising himself with the realisation that her death appears to have taught many of us something about ourselves.
Guest:

Professor Tim Evans


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