Spring Statement Special

Spring Statement Special

Author: The Telegraph March 27, 2025 Duration: 1:02:12

As Chancellor Rachel Reeves unveils her first ‘Spring Statement’ your co-pilots are joined on the rocket by not one but TWO very special incumbents. Calculators and spreadsheets at the ready…


Co-pilot Pearson is less than impressed with what she calls the ‘nothing to do with me guv', Budget.


Stowaway economist Roger Bootle was both ‘depressed’ and 'amazed’ by the Statement but reveals an overwhelming feeling that the Labour Party aren’t actually doing anything all that bad…


And after watching the Budget co-pilot Halligan is concerned the Labour front bench is lacking in business and economic knowledge. 


Also on the podcast, Mike Calvey straps in for a very special interview to discuss his new book ‘Odyssey Moscow’ which details his harrowing ordeal as a prisoner of the Russian State.


And co-pilot Pearson has won an award…


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

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

Read more from Roger: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/r/rk-ro/roger-bootle/ |

Read Allison: ‘If Rachel Reeves were Conservative she’d have been turfed out long ago’: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/03/25/if-reeves-were-conservative-shed-have-been-turfed-out/ |

Buy Mike’s book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Odyssey-Moscow-Westerners-Encounter-Russian/dp/1803997303 |

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: 100

Planet Normal
Podcast Episodes
Taxing questions for Angela Rayner [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:45
The rocket is back from the summer break and blasting through the nonsense to bring you some common sense! There’s a lot to catch up on so buckle in…A special stowaway this week is former Home Secretary, Suella Braverman…
Best Voyages from the Rocket 2025 Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:58
Summer is coming to an end on Planet Normal! So in our final installment of our "best of the rocket" series, our co-pilots take a look back at another two of their most explosive voyages on the rocket of right thinking f…
Best Voyages from the Rocket 2025 Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:16
Summer continues on Planet Normal! In this, the second of the three part best of the rocket series, our co-pilots take a look back at some of their most explosive voyages on the rocket of right thinking from the year so…
Best Voyages from the Rocket 2025 Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:49
It's the summer break on Planet Normal so in the first of this year's best of the rocket series, our co-pilots take a look back at some of their most explosive voyages on the rocket of right thinking from the year so far…
Labour! Leave our kids alone [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:30
Another black hole has appeared in the country’s coffers, but you can bank on your co-pilots to make sense of the pennies and cents.Allison thinks Starmer’s new migrant swap deal with France is nonsense and nothing more…
Feeble Starmer is stoking a febrile country [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:29
With Donald Trump giving Starmer a piece of his mind, there’s no shortage of madness this week, and your co-pilots are ready to make sense of it all!Allison thinks The US President took the Prime Minister to task on his…
The UK is on a Hard Road tackling immigration concerns [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:21
Co-Pilot Pearson is taking a break but fear not, Nick Timothy is strapping in to help Co-pilot Halligan make sense of this week’s madness.Liam is pleased Labour have caught up with the rest of the country in talking abou…
Labour’s multicultural project has been a devastating experiment [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:05
Another week in Labour’s u-turn government and the rumblings of a wealth tax are on the horizon, just as your co-pilots predicted!Allison thinks the PM’s speech on Monday was a ‘soft focus’ reflection of the 7th July Lon…