In this IEA podcast, Managing Editor Daniel Freeman interviews Tom Clougherty, Executive Director, and Dr. Stephen Davies, Senior Education Fellow. The conversation examines Britain's looming £50 billion fiscal black hole identified by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, exploring why Rachel Reeves will miss her fiscal targets and what this means for the UK's financial future. They discuss the structural problems driving persistent deficits, from an ageing population to productivity failures, and why traditional austerity approaches have failed to solve the underlying issues.

The discussion covers potential solutions to Britain's fiscal crisis, including radical reforms to pensions, healthcare, and welfare systems. Tom advocates for broad-based VAT reform as the least distortive way to raise significant revenue, while Steve argues for fundamental restructuring of how the state operates. They examine why politicians struggle to implement necessary changes and whether the UK has moved beyond the point where incremental reforms can make any meaningful difference to the public finances.

The conversation concludes with analysis of Labour's socio-economic duty proposals and their impact on civil service recruitment and school admissions. They also explore a new report on AI's role in HR departments and whether this signals the beginning of widespread automation of white-collar professional jobs. The discussion touches on whether technological disruption will create mass unemployment or simply transform the nature of work in Britain's economy.

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