The Standard

Nurses paid ‘a pittance’. Staff leaving the NHS ‘in their droves’. Many moving to Australia for better pay and conditions. How will the government respond to the Royal College of Nursing’s first ever ballot for strike action? Our Health Reporter Daniel Keane explains what has led to this ballot, and how the Prime Minister might respond. And practising Nursing Associate Maxine Wade explains why wages don’t stack up for nurses, and how badly the health service is struggling. In this episode:Are we facing a staffing crisis in the NHS?Staff moving to Australia for better pay and conditionsHow nurses wages compare with supermarket workersPatients will be looked after properly during any potential strikesWill the government respond to this call for strike action?Follow us on Twitter #TheLeaderPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Halifax has raised interest on its average mortgage deals to almost 6% as Liz Truss admitted the UK faces ‘tough times’. So how bad could things get? And are we looking at a serious mortgage crisis? Our Business Editor Jonathan Prynn examines how the latest mortgage rate increase will impact the market, and how high rates could get over the next year. In this episode:Reaction to Halifax mortgage rates increaseAre there any signs of the housing market slowing down?London’s housing market vs the rest of the countryWill we see a drop in first-time buyers?Are we on the verge of a serious housing market crisis?Follow us on Twitter #TheLeaderPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ofgem is preparing for a gas supply emergency this winter, amid a ‘significant risk’ of gas shortages. Will we have to ration our gas and electricity usage? Can we avoid blackouts? Energy Economist Carole Nakhle from Crystol Energy discusses the gas crisis we’re experiencing, and ECIU Analyst Simon Cran-McGreehin explains why we’re in for a ‘bumpy’ winter. In this episode:Why the winter weather will be a key factorHow we could end up suffering from blackoutsIs energy rationing likely?The UK’s energy security weaknessesWhy shale gas is a ‘red herring’How green energy can protect us from future energy crisesFollow us on Twitter #TheLeaderPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The “disbelief” at the Chancellor’s tax U-turn. Does the public respect Kwasi Kwarteng for ‘listening’ to them? Is Liz Truss lacking support within the Tory party? Our Political Editor Nicholas Cecil discusses the government’s controversial U-turn on plans to scrap the 45% top tax rate. Plus Julia Davies from Patriotic Millionaires UK explains why the wealthy should be taxed even more. In this episode:The Conservative Conference reacts to the U-turnWas pressure from Michael Gove and Grant Shapps too much?Could we now see more policy U-turns?Have the PM and Chancellor lost their credibility?Why it isn’t a ‘complete U-turn’Should the wealthy be taxed more to pay for the cost of living crisis?Follow us on Twitter #TheLeaderPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Timo Boldt founded Gousto when few knew what a meal kit delivery subscription was, now he's running a company valued at $1.75 billion.This is a cut-down version taken from our How to be a CEO podcast. To listen to the full thing click here.In this episode we talk about:  Why he left the Dragon's Den with no money, but Duncan Bannantyne became one of their first customersAdvice on how to make an investor pitch How to promote your product and networkingHow he sent food boxes to venture capitalistsHow the philosophy of Rocky Balboa got him through the hard timesThe Christmas card that got him dinner with Al GoreThe nation's PE teacher Joe Wicks and his recipes - plus his investment into a startupPlus more!Find us on Twitter #HowToBeACEO #TheLeaderPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could Liz Truss OBR talks be a turning point?They may have lasted less than an hour, but were the OBR crisis talks significant? And could they push PM Liz Truss to alter her mini-budget? Our Economic Expert Stephen King explains what the talks were all about, what the OBR’s statement about them might mean, and what our Prime Minister might be thinking after a tough week. In this episode:What was the purpose of these crisis talks?“Highly unusual” for the PM to take partWhy was the Office for Budget Responsibility’s statement so short?Is it a good or bad sign that the talks were so short?Who is optimistic about Liz Truss’s economic plans?Follow us on Twitter #TheLeaderPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liz Truss’s local radio performance reviewed: doubling-down on mini budget, investors continue to sell gilts, and are Conservative MPs frustrated behind the scenes? Can the PM reinstate some confidence ahead of the Tory Party conference? Our Deputy Political Editor David Bond discusses the PM’s performance on local radio this morning, and explores what options she has on the table to secure support and confidence in her plans for the economy. In this episode:How Liz Truss managed the grilling on local radioDid she underestimate the questioning from local presenters?What can she do now to boost confidence?Could the PM do a U-turn on the mini-budget?Follow us on Twitter #TheLeaderPodcast  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Bank of England’s emergency action to stabilise markets. How the bank is effectively ‘creating money from nothing’. Could Keir Starmer’s energy plan save us? Our economic expert Stephen King explains the Bank of England’s decision in layman’s terms, plus energy expert Dr Aidan O’Sullivan from UCL discusses the feasibility of Keir Starmer’s Great British Energy Company. In this episode:The Bank of England’s emergency action explainedHow the bank is effectively printing money How the economic crisis impacts the publicIs Keir Starmer’s energy proposal a good idea?How feasible is the concept?Is his target for 100% clean energy by 2030 achievable?Follow us on Twitter #TheLeaderPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why have some lenders withdrawn mortgages? Will interest rates hit 6%? What to do if you’re a first-time buyer. Our Deputy Political Editor David Bond discusses why some mortgage deals have been pulled, and why Labour are calling this latest development the 'tip of the iceberg' for the economy. And Sam Richardson, Deputy Editor of Which? shares tips for worried first-time buyers and home-owners. In this episode:Why have Virgin, Skipton Building Society and Halifax withdrawn mortgages?How could interest rates reach 6% next year?Would the government support homeowners who can’t pay their mortgage?Should you look at cheaper properties in prep for interest rate rises?Is overpaying now a good idea?Follow us on Twitter #TheLeaderPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The biggest drop in the pound since 1971, rumours of hedge funds shorting the currency, and claims Tory MPs are not happy about it. But is it time to worry? The Evening Standard’s Political Editor Nicholas Cecil explains what has happened, and the impact a drop in the pound could have. Plus Matthew Lesh from the Institute of Economic Affairs explains why some good could come from the fall in Sterling. In this episode:The pound’s record drop explainedHow could the Bank of England boost the pound?Unrest among some backbench Conservative MPsCould the drop be a temporary blip?How a crash in the 80s was a turning point for SterlingWhy it’s a case of ‘wait and see’Follow us on Twitter #TheLeaderPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.