Charles Hall & Kallum Pickering recently had the privilege of speaking with Paul Johnson, Provost of The Queen’s College, Oxford, columnist for The Times, and former Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (2011–2025). Paul’s distinguished career spans senior government roles, including Chief Economist at the Department for Education and Skills and HM Treasury, and he is the author of Follow the Money (2023).
Our discussion focused on the challenges and policy options facing the government ahead of the Budget on 26 November, as well as the longer-term issues shaping the UK’s public finances. We explored:
✅ Structural weaknesses in the UK tax system
✅ Potential reforms to improve fiscal policy
✅ How these changes could enhance economic performance
Listen to the full episode on Spotify.
