What really happened to Britain’s economy? Why does it feel like everything’s getting more expensive, yet we’re getting less in return? In this episode, I sat down with Freddie New — a former private equity lawyer and now Chief Policy Officer at Bitcoin Policy UK — to break down some of the biggest questions about money, power, and the state of the UK economy. From North Sea oil and the squandered opportunity to build a trillion-pound sovereign wealth fund, to the shady mechanics of Thames Water and private equity takeovers, this chat goes deep.

We also got into the messy world of government debt, why we pay interest on money we literally print ourselves, and whether the Bank of England is still fit for purpose. Freddie had some incredibly sharp takes on the dangers of CBDCs (central bank digital currencies), the importance of cash, and why controlling money is the fastest shortcut to controlling people. If you've ever wondered why things feel broken — or where the money actually goes — this one’s for you.

Oh, and if you’ve ever been hit with insane Visa or Mastercard fees, or wondered why Bitcoin might actually be useful for real people, not just crypto nerds — we covered that too. It’s a wide-ranging convo about finance, freedom, and how we take back control from the systems quietly draining us. Enjoy the episode, and don’t forget to hit subscribe if you want more like this!

00:00 Government Finance and Energy Dependency

07:22 Government Funding Challenges

11:38 "Importance of Physical Cash Access"

16:18 Understanding Corporate Bonds

25:03 Oil Politics and Middle East Conflicts

28:20 "Ireland's Tax Model and Governance"

35:15 Private Equity Debt Structure Explained

41:27 UK Financial Discrepancy Investigation

42:50 Card Tap Transaction Process

53:28 Digital Currency Debate: Privacy vs. Progress

55:57 CBDCs: Digital Cash Accessibility Challenges

01:01:29 Data Leaks and Privacy Risks