# Burnham's first budget – trick or treat?

An episode of [Coffee House Shots](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1101754136), 26 Oct 2026, 16 min.

Audio: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68359028e1abc4be6b032cd1/e/6adf460afeb8d1e39cf18cd3/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=xSoLDkO5Yqgpc7BAIkdGAcEtZ5yMd7PZXbZ2UThF230

Budget week is finally here but it's also the week of Hallowe'en so Patrick Gibbons asks James Heale and Michael Simmons: will Burnham's first budget be one of tricks or treats? There have been a drip-feed of announcements over the weekend, from pensions to rough sleeping, so what have we learnt about the Budget on Wednesday – and about Burnhamism more generally? Plus: a sign of hope or the wrong message – we discuss whether John Healey should drink at the despatch box. You can catch the Spectator's livestream events on Wednesday, following the Budget, at spectator.co.uk/tv Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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