Air Date: November 1st, 2026 with Barclays Hampden Hospitality and Events

Hosts: Lord Willie Haughey and Sir Tom Hunter

Fresh from a high-profile meeting with housing minister Angela Rayner, Willie Haughey and Tom Hunter dive into the big economic stories shaping Scotland and beyond.

From the Chancellor's latest budget and Scotland's growth challenge to concerns over public spending, housing policy and the future of entrepreneurship, they ask whether governments are doing enough to drive prosperity.

They also explore growing concerns around AI investment, discuss major developments involving Alphabet and Anthropic, and look ahead to the sold-out Founders Conference at Gleneagles.

Episode Highlights

• Willie Haughey reflects on his meeting with housing minister Angela Rayner and Scotland's housing opportunities.
• Analysis of John Healey's budget and what it means for businesses, entrepreneurs and taxpayers.
• The debate over Scotland's tax policies, public spending and economic growth.
• Concerns about "ghost workers" and the cost of government inefficiency.
• Why Alphabet's huge market loss could signal a wider rethink on AI spending.
• Trump, the US midterms and the political stories influencing markets.
• The future of Scotland's energy transition and the Acorn carbon capture project.
• Why Scotland's whisky industry is feeling the pressure from rising taxes.
• A preview of the Founders Conference featuring Sir Chris Hoy, Debbie Crosbie and Noel Fitzpatrick.
• The latest on Anthropic's potential mega-IPO and whether the AI investment boom is nearing a turning point

Chapters

00:07 Willie Meets Angela Rayner
01:45 Breaking Down John Healey's Budget
04:00 Scotland's Budget and Barnett Consequentials
05:10 The £27m Ghost Workers Controversy
06:37 Growth, Taxation and Government Spending
08:10 Housing Crisis and Landlord Tax Debate
10:49 Can Scotland Deliver Economic Growth?
11:48 Alphabet Loses Half a Trillion Dollars
12:07 Is the AI Investment Bubble Bursting?
14:16 Christine Lagarde's Next Move
14:51 Trump, Obama and the US Midterms
17:10 Acorn Carbon Capture and Scotland's Energy Future
18:29 Whisky Industry Hit by Rising Taxes
20:00 Banks Face Another Tax Increase
20:48 Founders Conference Preview
21:55 Sir Chris Hoy, Debbie Crosbie and Star Speakers
23:15 Nationwide, Virgin Money and Glasgow Jobs
24:16 Entrepreneurial Scotland's Fundraising Success
25:51 The Saltire Foundation's Impact
26:59 Anthropic's Mega IPO Plans
27:24 Investors Rethink the AI Gold Rush
28:27 Will Anthropic Miss Its Valuation Target?

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