Comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.

This week, as Rachel Reeves delivers the first Labour budget in 15 years, we’re talking about ‘tough decisions.

What’s a tough decision? Why is language around budgets so slippery? And why doesn’t anyone drink at the dispatch box anymore?

A longer version, where Armando recalls making The Thick of It during austerity, and discuss whether Ed Miliband was really ’toss enough’ is available on BBC Sounds

Sound Editing by Charlie Brandon-King Production Coordinator - Katie Baum Executive Producer - Pete Strauss

Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4. An EcoAudio certified production.

In this new series for Radio 4, comedy writer Armando Iannucci and journalist Helen Lewis decode the utterly baffling world of political language.

This week, Helen’s eye was caught by the Conservative leadership race, where Robert Jenrick has coined a new nickname for rival Kemi Badenoch.

They dig into other examples of political nicknames and name-calling - the good, the bad and the ugly. And more to the point, is this sort of playground behaviour what we expect from our elected officials?

A longer version, discussing more American presidents, and why Donald Trump keeps talking about Arnold Palmer, is available on BBC Sounds.

Sound Editing by Charlie Brandon-King Production Coordinator - Katie Baum Executive Producer - Pete Strauss

Produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies. A BBC Studios Audio production for Radio 4.

Helen Lewis and Armando Iannucci investigate which political buzzwords are strong and stable and which are a crock of covfefe.

New episodes are available weekly on Thursdays on BBC Sounds from 24 October, 2024.