Planet Normal: ‘Fair-weather’ Burnham faces a growing economic storm

Planet Normal: ‘Fair-weather’ Burnham faces a growing economic storm

Author: The Telegraph September 3, 2026 Duration: 1:06:28

You can watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Djl86k1PyYw


Co-pilots Halligan and Pearson strap back into the rocket of right thinking after their summer break to tackle Prime Minister Andy Burnham's PMQs debut.


Allison slams Burnham’s ‘vibes-based’ leadership, warning that starry-eyed optimism won't fix record-high energy bills or a million unemployed youth. Meanwhile, Liam sounds the alarm on spiralling bond yields and a debt interest time bomb that’s set to blow up the upcoming October budget.


Also on the radar: the duo rate Kemi Badenoch’s Shadow Cabinet reshuffle, debate the right-wing battle for welfare cuts, plus, nostalgic listener mailbags and a sobering reality check from a 26-year-old geophysics grad facing redundancy thanks to Britain's brutal North Sea tax policy.


Joining your co-pilots is Reform UK’s Richard Tice to talk Net Zero, tax cuts, and why pre-election pacts are completely off the table. 


Highlights


  • Planet Normal: ‘Fair-weather’ Burnham faces a growing economic storm
  • Allison dismantles Andy Burnham's leadership 
  • Liam issues a dire warning about the bond markets
  • Richard Tice joins to discuss Reform UK's economic strategy, energy policy, and election approach


Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor |

Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/allison-pearson/ | 

Read Allison ‘Burnham is terrified Badenoch will expose him as a third-rate court jester’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/09/01/allison-pearson-burnham-scared-badenoch-will-expose-him/ |

Read Allison ‘My top 10 tips to avoid paying Burnham’s spiteful mansion tax‘: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/08/30/tips-to-avoid-paying-burnhams-spiteful-mansion-tax/ |

Read Liam ‘La belle France could edge the bond market’s ugly contest‘: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/08/30/la-belle-france-could-edge-the-bond-markets-ugly-contest/ |

Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |

Read Liam’s Substack: https://liamhalligan.substack.com/ |

Need help subscribing or reviewing? Learn more about podcasts here:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/podcast-can-find-best-ones-listen/ |

Email: planetnormal@telegraph.co.uk |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/normal |


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


Every Thursday, Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan step outside the daily noise to offer a different perspective on the week’s events. Planet Normal, from The Telegraph, is a conversation that often challenges the prevailing narratives found in mainstream media and political circles. This podcast digs into the stories shaping society, culture, and the news, focusing on the viewpoints and concerns that feel increasingly sidelined. Pearson and Halligan, both seasoned columnists, bring a blend of sharp analysis and relatable frustration to topics ranging from family life and economic pressures to broader cultural shifts. Their discussions feel like a break from a scripted debate, offering listeners a space where common sense and direct commentary take precedence. Tuning in provides a weekly reset-a chance to hear arguments grounded in everyday experience rather than abstract theory. It’s for anyone who feels the conventional discourse doesn’t quite reflect the reality they see. You’ll find the tone is more like a candid chat between two well-informed friends than a formal news broadcast, making complex issues accessible and engaging. This is the appeal of the Planet Normal podcast: a consistent, thoughtful alternative that speaks plainly about the forces shaping our world.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Planet Normal
Podcast Episodes
Piddington protest and the donation dispute [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:40
You can watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RAjUcNkPlokThis week on Planet Normal, co-pilots Halligan and Pearson, strap into the rocket of right thinking to tackle growing unrest over border policies…
Boat-load of trouble: Channel fury, Israel sanctions & broke Britain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:52
You can watch this episode in full on Youtube: https://youtu.be/iZkeL-6UtSQThis week on Planet Normal, your co-pilots of sanity, Halligan and Pearson, strap into the rocket of right thinking to tackle a tumultuous news a…
Planet Normal: Best Voyages from the Rocket 2026 P4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:25
You can watch this episode on YouTubeSummer is coming to an end on Planet Normal! So, for the final instalment of our “best of the rocket” series, our co-pilots head back into the archives for two more memorable voyages…
Planet Normal: Best Voyages from the Rocket 2026 P3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:00
You can watch this episode on YouTubeThe summer voyage continues on Planet Normal! This week, our co-pilots fire up the engines and head back into the archives for two more memorable journeys aboard the rocket of right t…
Planet Normal: Best Voyages from the Rocket 2025 P2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:32
You can watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hxtGEUicygESummer continues on Planet Normal! In this, the second part of our best of the rocket series, our co-pilots take a look back at some of their favourite v…
The wit, wisdom and words of Rod Liddle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:40
You can watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/K-svfqmj8RgIt's the summer break on Planet Normal and ordinarily your co-pilots take a look back at some of their most explosive voyages on the rocket of right thin…
The case of Essex police vs Allison Pearson and the co-pilots victory [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:37
You can watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hjoyImW6a8sThis week’s journey in the rocket of right thinking opens with an exclusive announcement from co-pilot Pearson in her case against the Essex poli…
Andy and the Backstabbers make their debut to the Country [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:48
You can watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LYzZRwK5C0gThis week’s journey in the rocket of right thinking opens with co-pilots Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson reflecting on Andy Burnham becoming Pr…
Farage furor and the media blindspot to the OBR warnings [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:05
You can watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YItlh0gx6cAA never ending tsunami of news sees Reform UK leader Nigel Farage stand down, triggering a “People vs the Establishment" election… but was this a…