Best Liam Reeves Podcasts (2025)

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Best of 2025: Christopher Luxon still wants to raise the retirement age, despite opposition 34:21

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16h ago34:21

34:21

The Prime Minister's keen to raise the retirement age -- but it's not possible in coalition with New Zealand First. The Government is halving its KiwiSaver contribution rate -- and canning if people earning more than 180-thousand dollars. The default rate of worker and business contributions to KiwiSaver will rise over time. Chris Luxon told Kerre …

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Rocket around the Christmas Tree! 1:00:49

11h ago1:00:49

1:00:49

It’s a Merry Christmas from the Rocket of right thinking at Planet Normal to everyone stuck on Planet Earth Your intrepid co-pilots reflect on a year of political thrills and economic spills, honouring the "citizens of Planet Normal" while handing out awards to the figures in public life who impressed - and those who most certainly did not. Amidst …

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"Avatar: Fire and Ash" & James Cameron 2:00:33

3d ago2:00:33

2:00:33

We Review: Avatar: Fire and Ash, Titanic, The Terminator, Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, True Lies, The Abyss It's time to take a trip back to Pandora. We review the new Avatar film, Fire and Ash and then discuss the totemic and singular career of its director...James "Big Jim" Cameron. Subscribe on YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

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Best of 2025: Kerre Woodham - Ask not what your country can do for you 7:16

6d ago7:16

7:16

New Zealand Inc. is in trouble and it's on us —you and me— to fix it. Not politicians, not economists, not even our blessed farmers who've got us out of trouble time and time again – it is on us, New Zealand voters. It doesn't matter whether we vote left or right, red, blue, green, yellow, or black. We all have to give our political parties the coj…

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Chris Bishop: Infrastructure Minister wraps 2025, looks ahead to 2026 12:06

9d ago12:06

12:06

With all the hats he wears, Chris Bishop has been busy this year. He’s the Minister for Infrastructure, and also holds the portfolios for Transport, Housing, RMA Reform, and the role of Leader of the House. While wrapping up 2025, Bishop told Kerre Woodham he’s proud of how the Fast Track legislation has been tracking. He says things like the Waihi…

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Andrew Hoggard: Biosecurity Minister on the efforts to stamp out the yellow-legged hornet in Auckland 6:57

9d ago6:57

6:57

Hornets are on notice as the Government commits $12 million to stamp them out in Auckland. The yellow-legged hornet was detected on the North Shore earlier this year. They pose a serious threat to honeybees and, by extension, to the agricultural sector. Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says since the start of November, 37 queen hornets and 28 ne…

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Kerre Woodham: Rejecting the Waihi gold mine project would've made no sense 6:15

9d ago6:15

6:15

You can take the girl out of Waihi, but you can't take the Waihi out of the girl, I tell you. News that Oceana Gold's Waihi North project has been approved makes good sense, as far as I'm concerned. The permit that was confirmed yesterday guarantees the securing of 350 existing jobs, the creation of 100 plus new roles, the project to be in operatio…

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Festive flu and the West’s cowardly silence after the Bondi massacre 1:10:22

7d ago1:10:22

1:10:22

Your Co-pilots reflect on a sombre week as the festive season is overshadowed by the beach massacre in Sydney earlier this week. Co-pilot Pearson delivers a blistering critique of Western leaders whom she accuses of failing to confront the root of Islamist extremism. Liam connects the tragedy to the rising sense of fear among the Jewish community i…

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Nicola Willis: Finance Minister reflects on 2025, looks ahead to 2026 9:45

9d ago9:45

9:45

It’s been a tough run for the economy this year, but the Finance Minister is celebrating the progress that was made. Nicola Willis told Kerre Woodham the economy is growing, which means that when they look back on 2025, they’ll be able to say it ended a lot better than it started. She says that looking into next year, it’s set to grow much faster, …

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John Reeves: Public Transport Users Association National Coordinator on Auckland trains shutting down over summer for maintenance 8:27

10d ago8:27

8:27

Trains will be offline across the Auckland rail network from December 27 to January 28. KiwiRail says the closure is needed to allow for urgent repairs and maintenance which is needed for the upcoming City Rail Link, set to open in the second half of 2026. Public Transport Users Association National Coordinator Jon Reeves told Kerre Woodham that sh…

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Liam Dann: NZ Herald Business Editor on the GDP rising by 1.1% in Q3 11:18

10d ago11:18

11:18

New Zealand's economy grew more than expected between July and September. But between April and June, it shrank more than previously thought. GDP rose 1.1% in the September quarter, surpassing all expectation but Stats NZ has revised the numbers for the June quarter, finding GDP actually fell 1%, not the previously-reported 0.9%. That means the eco…

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Kerre Woodham: Auckland is far behind the eight ball when it comes to trains 4:35

10d ago4:35

4:35

For those who have been here over summer, Auckland is a lovely place to be. A lot of residents push off, and it feels like the city is yours to explore, and visitors are very welcome and make a welcome addition to the city, new people with new energy and seeing things that you don't see, seeing the city through new eyes. But it's going to be a litt…

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Mark Mitchell: Police Minister reflects on 2025, looks ahead to 2026 11:51

11d ago11:51

11:51

Mark Mitchell is acknowledging the wins he had in 2025. It’s been a busy year, the Minister dealing with a range of emergencies across the country, plus the hefty police portfolio. He told Kerre Woodham that although there’s a lot of negative headlines throughout the year, we should be extremely proud of ourselves as a country. Mitchell says there’…

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Liam Dann: NZ Herald Business Editor on the state of the Government's books 10:51

11d ago10:51

10:51

Treasury's Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows more delay to getting the books back to black. The deficit's expected to deepen to a depth of $16.9 billion and not narrow to $60 million dollars until 2029-30. Economic growth is expected to be just 1.7% next year. NZ Herald Business Editor Liam Dann told Kerre Woodham that the problem isn’t in…

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Kerre Woodham: The Finance Minister is charting a tough course 5:29

11d ago5:29

5:29

We're going to start this morning with the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update, which was actually the Three-quarter Year Economic and Fiscal Update. It delivered news we all expected, and that is that we're getting there as a country. It's just taking longer than we thought. Treasury's half-year update, published on Tuesday, predicted a return to…

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Kerre Woodham: How do we heal our country's divisions? 7:04

11d ago7:04

7:04

I remember back when I first started talkback, a million years ago at nighttime, it must have been the semicentennial of the waterfront workers strike of '51, or the lockout, depending on which side you're on. It was the biggest industrial confrontation in New Zealand's history for those who don't know of it. It was 151 days from February to July, …

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Sam Cliffe: NZ Blood Service CEO on the need for blood and plasma donations over the holiday period 10:36

11d ago10:36

10:36

The NZ Blood Service is encouraging people to donate, saying the demand doesn’t stop. Although the amount of hospital activity and the number of surgeries slow down over the holiday period, CEO Sam Cliffe says things like accidents, births, and long-term conditions are still prevalent. She told Kerre Woodham that they try to over-collect in the two…

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Simeon Brown: Health Minister reflects on 2025 and explains focus for 2026 9:44

11d ago9:44

9:44

A year into the job Health Minister Simeon Brown is celebrating early signs of success on reducing wait times. He took over the heath portfolio in January of this year, succeeding Dr Shane Reti. Brown told Kerre Woodham he attributes reinstated health targets as one aspect that's made a difference. He says the number one focus remains improved acce…

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John Battersby: Senior Fellow at Massey University Centre for Defence and Security Studies discusses mass-shooting at Bondi 11:05

13d ago11:05

11:05

At least 16 people are dead and 38 others injured in a terrorist attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney. Hundreds of people had gathered at Bondi for an event to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah, when gunmen opened fire. Massey University Centre for Defence and Security Studies Senior Fellow John Battersby told Kerre Woodham that police responded as qu…

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Dave Cade: On the draining of Lake Rotomanu in the fight against the invasive gold clams 9:14

16d ago9:14

9:14

A New Plymouth lake is being drained in an effort to stop invasive clams. Lake Rotomanu's been closed to motorised watercraft since the gold clams were found there last month, marking the first discovery of the species outside of the Waikato River. The lake's outlet was opened yesterday, and it will take about four days to drain completely. Dave Ca…

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David Farrar: Kiwiblog author and co-founder of the Taxpayers' Union on the debate between Nicola Willis and Ruth Richardson 9:57

16d ago9:57

9:57

Nicola Willis is defending her economic track record in the face of a lobby-group's satirical campaign. The Taxpayers' Union has sent MPs Nicola Willis-branded fudge, claiming she favours treats today and taxes tomorrow. It suggests Willis should cut spending more. Willis says the Government has reduced taxes and delivered significant cost savings …

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Kerre Woodham: Willis and Richardson debating would be a pointless waste of time 5:04

16d ago5:04

5:04

Do you see any advantage or benefit to the country in having a former Finance Minister and the current one debating fiscal policy? The current Finance Minister, Nicola Willis, has challenged the former Finance Minister, Ruth Richardson, to a debate. Now, that is misguided in my view, but to be fair, she was grievously provoked. Ruth Richardson is t…

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Reform and Farage smears only make the Party stronger 1:13:11

16d ago1:13:11

1:13:11

Co-Pilots Pearson and Halligan tackle a week of political and economic madness. Starmer is dismissed as a "caretaker Prime Minister" with a weak mandate, having been supported by only 20% of the electorate. Your hosts dissect Chancellor Rachel Reeves' job tax hike and her "benefits street Budget" which funds the scrapping of the two-child benefit c…

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Kerre Woodham: Beyond the headlines of the cancer report 6:10

16d ago6:10

6:10

Whenever I hear or read news headlines these days, I know that the headlines will be just that for so many people. Headlines. People won't hear or they won't read beyond the headline, and then they'll form their own opinions based on nothing more than 20 words or fewer. I've got numerous examples of that. Even people that I would have thought would…

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Phil Lester: Victoria University Ecology and Entomology Professor on the efforts to stamp out yellow-legged hornets 8:57

17d ago8:57

8:57

Efforts to stamp out yellow-legged hornets in New Zealand are widening. Biodiversity New Zealand is expanding the 5-kilometre surveillance zone in Glenfield and Birkdale on Auckland's North Shore further out to 11-kilometres, to ensure only one population is at large. Victoria University Ecology and Entomology Professor Phil Lester told Kerre Woodh…

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"Jay Kelly" & George Clooney 1:37:56

15d ago1:37:56

1:37:56

We Review: Jay Kelly, One Fine Day, Out of Sight, Ocean's Eleven, Michael Clayton, Batman & Robin, Solaris (2002) One of our last "classic movie stars" is out with a new film that looks back on the legacy of a fictional classic movie star. We review the new George Clooney film Jay Kelly and then discuss our George Clooney top 3s and hot takes. Subs…

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Josie Spillane: Highlands Motorsport CEO on the Street Smart driving programme, lottery 6:20

17d ago6:20

6:20

The Street Smart programme is a hands-on, one-day driver training course for young drivers, teaching crucial real-world skills beyond basic testing, helping reduce road deaths across New Zealand. The course focuses on decision-making, hazard perception (like "rabbits" on the road), distraction management, peer pressure, and emergency manoeuvres in …

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Hamish Firth: Mt Hobson Group Director on the Government's RMA reforms 7:48

18d ago7:48

7:48

An urban planner says the Government’s RMA reforms are well overdue. It's unveiled plans to replace current Resource Management Act laws with two new pieces of legislation, one for the environment and one for planning. It sets clear limits on council regulations and is expected to save $13 billion in consenting costs. Mt Hobson Group Director Hamis…

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Kerre Woodham: The Supreme Court ruling on disabled carers makes sense 5:41

18d ago5:41

5:41

Two parents who care for their severely disabled adult children have been recognised as homeworkers and are now entitled to receive the minimum wage, along with other associated employment conditions, after a landmark ruling yesterday from the country's highest court. They're now deemed to be employees of disability support services. And the famili…

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Kerre Woodham: Is there still a place for Te Pāti Māori in Parliament? 4:58

19d ago4:58

4:58

2024 was an epic annus horribilis for the Greens - you remember Golriz Ghahraman, Darleen Tana, Julie Anne Genter, et al. It went on and on. It was arguably the worst year on record for any political party in this country ever. But wait, hold my beer – we have a new champion. 2025 is shaping up to be an even more horribilis of an annus for Te Pāti …

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John MacDonald: Coster has no evidence to back up his claims 4:09

19d ago4:09

4:09

Whether-or-not you saw former police commissioner Andrew Coster’s TV interview yesterday, you’ll know about the allegations he’s making. He thinks people are running for the hills after the Jevon McSkimming scandal and aren’t telling the whole story in terms of what they knew and when they knew it. Especially current police minister Mark Mitchell a…

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Kerre Woodham: Productivity and the great Christmas shutdown 6:23

23d ago6:23

6:23

This morning, I'm going to pretty much let Toss Grumley do the opener for me. Who's Toss Grumley? Well, Toss is a New Zealand business advisor and investor. The Post has run an editorial he wrote, bemoaning the Christmas shutdown. In it he said New Zealand's Christmas break has started to become way too extreme, and it's impacting our productivity …

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Liar, liar, Reeves’ pants are on fire 1:00:47

23d ago1:00:47

1:00:47

With reaction to the autumn Budget still on the lips of news outlets everywhere, your co-pilots are here to make sense of the chaos. Allison doesn’t hold back and thinks Reeves has ‘lied’ to the electorate and inflated her own words in order to try and sneak her Budget past everyone. Meanwhile Liam thinks the fighting between Number 10 and 11 is ha…

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Kerre Woodham: Should convictions for violence be public record? 6:41

24d ago6:41

6:41

Now, surely, it should be a straightforward exercise. You're about to embark on a relationship with someone, and you want to do a police check. Does this person have previous convictions for violence? Seems charming, seems a lovely, but you hear horror stories. So, why wouldn't you want to check on somebody before you invite them into your life? Wh…

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Kerre Woodham: What would it take to get police trust to 80%? 7:14

24d ago7:14

7:14

It's been 12 months since Richard Chambers became New Zealand's Police Commissioner. And by crikey, he's had a busy old time of it, a little bit of a poisoned chalice. There's been the clean out of the police hierarchy following the McSkimming scandal – or really, scandals. And two months after his appointment, police officer Lynn Fleming was kille…

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Doug Marlowe: Global expert on drug-court policy on the effectiveness of the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Court 14:55

25d ago14:55

14:55

Calls to expand the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Court across the country. AODTC was launched in New Zealand in 2012 as a pilot to steer high-risk, high-need offenders away from prison. Offenders must plead guilty and face a likely prison term of up to three years for drug offences, committing to a tough 12- to 18-month program including regula…

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Kerre Woodham: A rates cap or an erosion of services and facilities? 7:18

26d ago7:18

7:18

Auckland households face a 7.9% rate rise next year, primarily to fund the operating costs for the $5.5 billion City Rail Link, which is nearly finished. It's a reality, it's going to open for passengers next year – woo! The increase will cover the $235 million annual cost of operating the new underground rail service. It's the largest rates rise s…

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Kerre Woodham: Labour makes big promises, but can they deliver? 6:16

27d ago6:16

6:16

Hundreds of the Labour Party faithful gathered over the weekend in Auckland to begin the march back to Parliament's government benches. Council of Trade Unions head Sandra Gray was preaching to the converted when she told the crowd that New Zealand's Pavlova paradise has been eaten up by the rich. She said Labour needed to give workers a reason to …

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Tom Walters: Matakana Oysters owner says industry is struggling after heavy rain and wastewater spill 11:16

27d ago11:16

11:16

Auckland oyster farmers are facing another blow just weeks after a major wastewater spill into the Mahurangi River. Watercare says heavy rain on 19 November caused 86 cubic metres of wastewater and stormwater to overflow into the river from a Warkworth pipeline. The Ministry for Primary Industries has suspended harvesting while tests are carried ou…

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Kerre Woodham: E-scooters, cycle lanes, and public demand 6:52

30d ago6:52

6:52

The Government's move to shift e-scooter users from the sidewalk to bike lanes is being hailed as a win for common sense. Shame it's not coming in before the Christmas party season. ACC stats for e-scooter injuries this year are close to surpassing $14 million. Now, I don't believe that's because e-scooters are inherently dangerous. They're very ea…

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Kerre Woodham: Are you feeling optimistic? 3:34

1M ago3:34

3:34

The Pohutukawa are out and flowering and abundant. The days are longer, the sun is shining, the Reserve Bank has cut the OCR, Christmas is coming, summer holidays are on the horizon, Chris Hipkins was talking tough around any kind of coalition with the Greens. We're in charge, we're not going to have this rabidly socialist nonsense, was the clear i…

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Reeves Budget snowstorm of discontent 56:08

1M ago56:08

56:08

The rocket of right thinking is back for a crucial Budget Special as Chancellor Rachel Reeves unveils her second major fiscal statement. Her new £30 billion tax rise means a staggering £70 billion increase in just two years, the most "punitive tax raising budget in more than three decades". Joining the co-pilots to dissect the numbers is the brilli…

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Kerre Woodham: Regional councils need to be streamlined 5:40

1M ago5:40

5:40

Regional councils are being abolished – or are they? Thomas Coughan writing in the Herald makes a very good point, it's not the councils that are being abolished, it's the council laws. Under the Government's proposal, which was announced yesterday, regional councils would have their governance replaced by Combined Territories Boards, a group made …

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Kerre Woodham: We need to be able to treat feral animals as pests 6:02

1M ago6:02

6:02

Cats and dogs who are part of our families are much loved and live the life of Riley. There must be some days when your cat or dog is lying curled up in the sun with a full tummy, waiting for 3 o'clock when the kids come home and surround it with love, or waiting for you to take it for a walk, or waiting for you to sit down so it can curl up in you…

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Chris Hipkins: Labour Leader talks capital gains taxes, coalitions, cross-party commitments 33:52

1M ago33:52

33:52

Chris Hipkins says coalitions require a balance of compromise and standing by values. The Labour leader says New Zealanders understand the nuances of MMP and the reality that parties can't get everything they want. He says that means parties often can't accomplish as much as they hoped. But Hipkins told Kerre Woodham some things will be bottom line…

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Kerre Woodham: Do the Kiwisaver tweaks go far enough? 6:48

1M ago6:48

6:48

Christopher Luxon has made his party's first election promise at a Christmas gathering for the party faithful of the Lower North Island. He said that they would lift the default KiwiSaver contribution rate, and eventually the changes would mean employees would see 12% of their earnings going into KiwiSaver, 6% from them, 6% from employers - a level…

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Bosses Unfiltered Episode 7: Angus Brown 34:18

1M ago34:18

34:18

It’s hard enough to chase a scientific breakthrough. But as New Zealand company Ārepa found out it's even harder and more expenisve to defend your breakthroughs time and time again. Ārepa was founded in 2017 and the so called “brain drink” company was growing at a rapid pace when at the end of 2023, they hit a massive speed bump. That's when the Mi…

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Matt Brown: She Is Not Your Rehab co-founder on violence against women continuing to be so prevalent 10:35

1M ago10:35

10:35

Violence against women remains one of the world’s most persistent and under-addressed human rights crises. A report from the World Health Organisation says that 1 in 3 women, an estimated 840 million globally, have experienced partner or sexual violence during their lifetime, a figure that has barely changed since 2000. In Australia and New Zealand…

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Kerre Woodham: Who genuinely thinks they have the right to mete out violence? 5:54

1M ago5:54

5:54

A new report from the World Health Organization has found (old news really), a quarter of women have been physically or sexually abused by a partner. It's 24.5% for Australia and New Zealand, so about the same. And there are calls for a public awareness and education campaign in this country about domestic violence. Really? Who needs to be taught t…

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Reeves reverse ferret and Mahmood's immigration gamble 1:03:15

1M ago1:03:15

1:03:15

This week the Rocket welcomes former Prime Minister Liz Truss to discuss next week’s Budget as well as the co-pilots diving into the latest political issues. From the dramatic U-turn on immigration by the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, to the creeping tax rises hidden in Rachel Reeves's upcoming budget, there’s more than enough madness to unpack.…