Where money meets power, risk, and consequences.
The Rest Is Money follows money where it turns into policy, household pressure, business risk, and government trouble. Its conversations move from budget chaos to data centers, public-sector AI, consumer scams, tax design, and the incentives shaping markets.
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The Rest Is Money covers business and finance as a chain of consequences rather than a set of isolated headlines. A budget is not just a speech. It is tax design, market confidence, OBR forecasts, leaked documents, fiscal rules, political fear, and the question of whether a government can still make hard choices when it has the votes to do so. That is the show’s natural territory. Recent episodes dwell on Rachel Reeves’s budget chaos, the argument over public finances, possible mansion tax effects, pension and ISA changes, and the uncertainty built into official revenue forecasts. The analysis is detailed but rarely abstract for long. It keeps returning to mortgages, savings, tax bands, house prices, councils, schools, hospitals, and the household-level effects of decisions made in rooms most people never enter. Technology is treated with the same pressure. AI is not presented only as a productivity story. It raises questions about income tax, domestic data centers, energy supply, public-sector procurement, sovereign capability, and whether British companies can win contracts when officials are rewarded for choosing safer names. The show also follows consumer harm, especially the appeal of financial influencers promising shortcuts to people who feel economically trapped. Behavioural economics gives it another angle: people do not always act like neat models, and markets work poorly when consumers cannot see how they are being steered. Interviews with figures such as Tom Blomfield, Stella Creasy, Alex Stephanie, and Richard Thaler add texture without softening the scrutiny. The conversations are measured, sometimes amused, often impatient with weak explanations. They can be technical, but the point is usually plain. Money is where political promises meet incentives, institutions, and human behaviour. The Rest Is Money is built for listeners who want that collision explained carefully, with enough edge to show when the story being sold does not match the numbers underneath.
Made for: For listeners who follow politics, business, markets, technology, and personal finance but want more than headline reaction. It suits people comfortable with detail who want fiscal and economic arguments tied back to real-world effects.
What sets it apart: The show connects political process, market mechanics, consumer behaviour, and business incentives in the same conversation. Its strength is explaining how a technical decision becomes a political problem, a household cost, or a risk someone else has to carry.
Robert Peston and Steph McGovern bring you insightful business and finance stories. Join Robert Peston and Steph McGovern as they delve into the key challenges and opportunities facing today’s business world. From the complexities of tech investments to the impact of political decisions on global markets, this podcast offers valuable perspectives on current financial topics. Whether discussing business funding, economic policies, or corporate strategies, they provide listeners with the tools to understand today’s fast-evolving market. Each episode brings expert analysis on important issues, including market regulations, economic recovery, and the forces shaping the future of work. Robert and…
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Robert Peston and Steph McGovern test economic claims against incentives, institutional constraints and the practical consequences of policy.
The Rest Is Money keeps asking what happens after a grand economic claim meets public finances, household behaviour or institutional reality. Robert Peston and Steph McGovern move between co-hosted analysis and guest interviews, pressing past headline numbers to examine the…
This is where a mansion tax meets a Monzo founder, and neither escapes the follow-up question.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A sharp AI and public finance discussion that turns big claims into concrete policy questions.
Tom Blomfield treats AI less like a product demo and more like a fiscal problem. The conversation keeps coming back to the same pressure point: if machines do more of the work, what happens to income tax, welfare, and the basic deal that holds both together?
A sharp case against financial hype, built around regulation, education, and ordinary pressure.
This episode frames social-media money advice as a consumer problem, not a personality one. Steph McGovern and Stella Creasy keep pulling the discussion back to a simple question: what happens when quick-fix promises are dressed up as confidence, status, and easy relief?
A clear case for taking measured risks in public-sector tech procurement.
The piece grounds AI in the work of council services, asking whether it can actually help with jobs, homelessness, meetings, and the ordinary pressures of local government.
A forensic budget argument that turns forecast changes into political consequence.
This budget special stays focused on one question: whether the Treasury let the public see a darker fiscal picture than the numbers justified, and what that meant for Rachel Reeves's choices under pressure.
A dry Budget-night debrief on tax rises, uncertain costings, and the OBR's early release.
Budget night gives this episode its sharpest edge. Rachel Reeves's second budget is treated as another major set piece, with 26 billion in tax rises after last year's 40 billion.
Behavioural economics, algorithms, and regulation meet in a sharp conversation about choice.
Richard Thaler takes a familiar behavioral economics conversation and gives it more bite. The focus is not just on prices and incentives, but on the systems that nudge attention, steer choices, and shape what people do.
A budget warning shot, told through houses, mortgages, and political nerve.
This episode treats the looming Budget as something that will hit ordinary finances, not just Westminster talk. It keeps asking what happens if the government reaches for property instead of income tax, and who feels the pinch: owners, borrowers, and the voters stuck with the…
A budget U-turn, a bond-market wobble, and a credibility problem that keeps widening.
The episode treats Reeves's budget U-turn as the real story: the sudden shift on income tax, the sharp fall in the price of UK government debt, and the bigger question of whether markets are reacting to policy itself or to a government that cannot settle on it.
Macro strategy with a live-market pulse.
Career stories and friendly detours from the MSP world.
Sam Harris interviews scientists and journalists on AI risk, religion, and US politics.
WSJ reporters unpack the Epstein files, surrogacy industry abuses, and true-crime court battles.
Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway argue through tech, media, and Trump-era politics twice weekly.
Dan Carlin's solo essays connecting executive power, historical collapse, and American democracy.
This episode analyzes the economic consequences of the Iran war, focusing on how rising energy prices and inflation disproportionately harm poor households and slow global growth.
This special episode analyzes the economic impacts of the Iran war, focusing on recent market volatility in oil and stocks triggered by Trump's statements.
Tax expert Dan Neidle discusses the implications and timing of Chancellor Rachel Reeves' tax reforms, analyzing why many changes are backloaded to later years.
This episode features an interview with Archie Norman, chairman of Marks & Spencer, discussing his career, the recent cyber attack on M&S, and the company's future plans.
This episode analyzes the Trump Doctrine's impact on Europe and discusses the Warner Bros acquisition bid, providing political and media insights.
This episode analyzes Donald Trump's recent actions and speeches at the World Economic Forum, focusing on their implications for global trade, security, and international relations.
This episode features an interview with Karen Ward, a JPMorgan strategist, discussing market volatility, oil prices, and investor concerns amid political uncertainty surrounding Trump and the midterm elections.
This episode features an interview with Lloyd Blankfein, former CEO of Goldman Sachs, discussing his memoir, his role in the 2008 financial crisis, and his views on current market challenges like Trump's Iran policies.
This episode analyzes the economic impact of the Iran war on the UK, focusing on oil prices, energy security, and government responses.
This episode analyzes Chancellor Rachel Reeves' growth plan for the UK economy, focusing on AI, EU relations, and devolution, while critiquing its timing and implementation.
This episode discusses the impact of AI on education, job displacement, and safety concerns with guest Mark Warner, founder of an AI company.
This episode analyzes whether investors are correctly assessing the economic risks of the Iran war, focusing on oil price movements and market optimism versus potential catastrophic consequences.
This episode discusses Trump's trade tariffs, their impact on American consumers, and the Supreme Court ruling that he overstepped his authority, while also briefly touching on his State of the Union speech.
This episode features an interview with venture capitalist Sir Michael Moritz, discussing entrepreneurship and business leadership, with insights from Octopus Energy founder Greg Jackson on balancing confidence and humility.
This episode investigates Peter Mandelson's connections to Jeffrey Epstein through leaked emails, revealing his role as a lobbyist and advisor during the financial crisis, followed by a sponsor interview with Octopus Energy founder Greg Jackson discussing pension fund investments in British businesses.
This episode discusses UK-China relations, security concerns about Chinese solar panels, and features an interview with Octopus Energy founder Greg Jackson about pension fund investment in British businesses.
This episode discusses the UK's economic resilience amid global political uncertainty, featuring insights from a J.P.
This episode discusses regional economic disparities in the UK, focusing on productivity challenges, urban regeneration, and government policies with Andrew Carter from the Centre for Cities.
This episode features an interview with Richard Walker, chair of Iceland Foods and the government's cost of living champion, discussing his proposal to cap energy company profits to address soaring living costs.
This episode discusses the Epstein scandal, Peter Mandelson's involvement, political fallout for Keir Starmer, and broader societal ramifications, with a sponsorship segment on pension fund investments.
This episode discusses predictions for 2026, analyzing economic challenges like tax rises and flat growth, political developments including a new government and Trump's policies, and broader trends in AI and trade.
This episode discusses the UK's response to the Iran oil blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, its impact on global oil prices and the cost of living, and the international community's role in addressing the crisis.
This episode analyzes how economic failures, including hyperinflation and inequality, have driven Iran's uprising, while also briefly discussing British economic issues with a sponsor interview.
This episode discusses Keir Starmer's diplomatic trip to China and its implications for UK relations with China and the US, along with analysis of Japan's bond market volatility and challenges facing the hairdressing industry.
This episode discusses economic challenges, government policy analysis, and an interview with Ruth Curtis from the Resolution Foundation about evaluating the Chancellor's performance.
This episode explores the dramatic life and tragic death of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, including his high-stakes lawsuit with Hewlett Packard and the mysterious circumstances surrounding his demise.
This episode continues a discussion with Archie Norman about M&S's future in retail, its historical significance, and his views on reviving the British economy.
Robert Peston interviews Helen Miller from the Institute for Fiscal Studies about the critical pressures facing the UK economy, including stagnant growth, rising debt, and public service challenges ahead of an important budget.
This episode discusses the UK's economic challenges, including rising taxes, inflation, interest rates, and the Bank of England's policy dilemmas.
This episode explores the controversial Laffer curve and debates when tax cuts might pay for themselves through economic growth, featuring economist Dr.
This episode explores how ShareAction pressures businesses to behave ethically by mobilizing the investment industry to ensure companies operate responsibly while delivering returns.
Mohamed El-Erian analyzes the recent Trump-Xi summit as a tactical de-escalation and temporary truce in US-China trade tensions, likely leading to more conflicts ahead of US midterm elections.
Robert Peston and Lord Jim O'Neill discuss the unusual pre-budget speech by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, analyzing its implications for economic growth and regional inequalities in the UK.
This episode explores whether the current AI boom resembles historical financial crises like 1929 or the Dot Com Bubble through a conversation with journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin about his research and book on the 1929 crash.
This episode discusses the political turmoil within the Labour Party, including potential leadership challenges against Keir Starmer and concerns about economic consequences.
This episode discusses how to prepare the UK workforce for the future, focusing on AI's impact, skills development, and addressing the risk to 3 million jobs over the next decade, featuring insights from experts in education and research.
This episode discusses Lord Frost's advocacy for a Thatcher revival, focusing on reducing state size, promoting free markets, and fighting the battle of ideas in British politics.
This episode features an interview with tech investor Saul Klein discussing his optimistic perspective on UK innovation, venture capital, and strategies to enhance the nation's competitive edge in technology and startups.
This episode features an interview with Jürgen Mayer, chair of GB Energy, discussing the UK's publicly owned clean energy company, its role in Labour Party plans, and the lack of detail about its operations and ambitions.
This episode interviews Lord Patrick Vallance about the implications of a UK-US pharmaceutical trade deal on NHS affordability and the government's science and economic growth agenda.
This episode features an interview with Dr.
This episode analyzes the economic implications of Middle East unrest, focusing on oil and energy price impacts, inflation, and central bank responses.
This episode discusses the UK government's recent U-turns on digital ID cards and business rates, along with the northern growth strategy and Trump's economic interventions in America.
This episode explores why Donald Trump wants to acquire Greenland, focusing on natural resources, national security, and the role of magnets in the global economy, while also discussing recent events like the alleged kidnapping of Venezuela's leader.
This episode explores the complex realities of immigration, examining its economic and social impacts beyond simplistic political debates.
Tom Blomfield opens with a sharp claim.
The red flag is speed.
AI meets council services.
Chaos follows the budget.
The budget discussion starts with a botched release.
Robert Peston interviews Richard Thaler while Steph is away.
Seven sleeps to the budget.
Budget chaos rattled the bond market.