314. Why do the tech bros really want more regulation?

More from The Rest Is Money

1. 

   27 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 1 min

   317. Why the UK must not drop climate leadership

   How to win the net-zero argument with voters again? Why the transition will make us richer? Are the Paris warming targets irredeemably lost? How has China led the way?Robert discusses with world-leading climate economist Lord [Nicholas] Stern why so many voters have downgraded climate concerns, and what can be done about it. Nick's book is published by Open Access and is free to read and download from the LSE Press website in a variety of accessible formats, including from third parties including JSTOR, Project MUSE, and in physical format from bookshop retailers. The Rest is Money is…

2. 

   24 Sep 2026 · 47 min

   316. Why the world’s economic glue is becoming unstuck

   Given the militaristic ambitions of Russia, China and America, how close are we to a catastrophic trade shock? Even without such a shock, do we face years of higher inflation because of the new frictions and costs in global supply chains? And why is the British government the last government to end the tax break exploited by SHEIN and Temu? Robert discusses the hidden and important vulnerabilities of globalisation’s complex trade networks with Ed Conway, Sky News’s Economics Editor and author of an important new book, Trade World The Rest is Money is brought to you by Octopus Energy,…

3. 

   20 Sep 2026 · 1 hr

   315. Why we should all care about Japan’s rising rates

   Is Trump’s handling of America’s 40 trillion debt burden about to start a global financial crisis? Why is US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent selling Euros to buy Japanese Yen? And why are Western leaders worrying about Japanese interest rates going up? As credit conditions in the US drive up borrowing costs across the world, Robert and Steph talk to hedge fund boss Patrick Boyle about what’s going on and how Burnham and Healey can safeguard public finances and protect us from economic fallout. Plus, did Trump really suggest military intervention as a way to control interest rates? The Rest…

4. 

   E313 · 13 Sep 2026 · 35 min

   313. Ruth Curtice: middle earners need to be taxed more

   How much of a buffer does the chancellor have now? What taxes might we need to put up? How does the tax burden on UK workers compare to other countries? Why might middle earners need to pay more? Ruth Curtice from the Resolution Foundation is back to tell us about what the Rachel Reeves tax rises did to the UK tax wedge and where this leaves John Healey now. The Rest is Money is brought to you by Octopus Energy, Britain’s smart energy pioneer. Email:…

5. 

   E312 · 9 Sep 2026 · 42 min

   312. What's missing from Healey's growth plan?

   The chancellor says we're turning a corner, but into what? He wants ministers to take more risks, so what does that mean? Why was their nothing that directly addresses the UK’s vulnerability to a debt crisis? The North is getting a new fund for businesses to scale up - will it make a difference? And what can we learn from microchipping cats? Robert and Steph dissect the Chancellor's first big speech announcing plans to remove barriers for investment, cutting red tape, tackling risk aversion and getting PuFins to invest more in the private sector. The Rest is Money is brought to you by…

6. 

   6 Sep 2026 · 41 min

   311. Why is the US debt crisis a big problem for Burnham?

   Are we at risk of a global financial crisis? What’s driving it? And why is the UK being punished more than other countries? Is reforming the pensions triple lock part of the answer? It’s been a wild time on the bond markets, with UK gilts yields at record highs. Robert and Steph explain why global inflation, the state of government borrowing and US tech firms turning to the debt markets for AI build out, is a big deal for the UK. Plus they discuss what it means for the chancellor ahead of the Budget on the 28th October. The Rest is Money is brought to you by Octopus Energy, Britain’s smart…

7. 

   E320 · 7 Oct 2026 · 57 min

   320. Can Britain lead the world in driverless cars?

   Is Wayve the start-up that could at last be a British global AI giant? Why does its boss Alex Kendall think the UK is the best place to grow a tech business? How soon will most of us be riding in driverless taxis and cars? Robert talks to the founder and chief executive of Wayve, the driverless car developer, about why most of the company’s finance comes from abroad, whether government understands business risk, and why his kind of “world” AI model poses less risks to us than Anthropic’s large language models. The Rest is Money is brought to you by Octopus Energy, Britain’s smart energy…

8. 

   E319 · 4 Oct 2026 · 37 min

   319. How to fill the Chancellor’s hole, with Dan Neidle

   Is a Smorgasbord of tax rises the best way to raise money? Should the capital gains tax rate be aligned with income tax? What about increased taxes on banks? Dan Neidle is back to tell Robert and Steph what he’d do in the upcoming Budget. Plus, how Reeves was punished by the ONS’s crazy estimates of how much holiday we take The Rest is Money is brought to you by Octopus Energy, Britain’s smart energy pioneer. Email:…

9. 

   1 Oct 2026 · 35 min

   318. What’s the cost of Andy Burnham's big plans?

   Why was Burnham’s speech such an important economic and political reset? Is his promise of an NHS model for social care all it seems? Burnham has raised the possibility of rejoining the EU, but would European leaders welcome us back? Robert has been in Liverpool at Labour Conference. He and Steph break down the big moments from Andy Burnham's speech, and ask whether, behind the bold ambitions, the PM has a credible growth plan. The Rest is Money is brought to you by Octopus Energy, Britain’s smart energy pioneer. Email:…

10. 

    2 Sep 2026 · 46 min

    310. Gordon Brown: ‘I’d tell Trump he’s unpopular’

    Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown says fixing broken communities is an economic emergency, but how do we do it? Burnham’s fiscal devolution? Could social impact bonds work? How do we extract more tax from the super wealthy? What about the shattered world order—can that be mended? What would he say to Trump now if he were PM? And as the man who gave independence to the Bank of England, does he think it’s still fit for purpose? Gordon Brown talks to Steph and Robert about his new book, The Future Starts With Us, looking at what needs to happen to rebuild our broken communities and fractured…

Every episode of The Rest Is Money →