a post on doge's new x account reads... when an x user mentioned the task would require a lot of work, musk responded from his personal x account. musk wrote, adding a cry—laughing emoji. michael crick, writer and journalist. robert a george, journalist, former editorial writer for bloomberg opinion. they are still with me on the panel today. that is certainly a way to encourage people to apply for thejob. a way to encourage people to apply forthejob. michael, apply for the job. michael, what do apply forthejob. michael, what do you make of this particular advert and indeed this approach? a little bit

similar i think of something elon musk day when he took over than twitter and turned it into x and was looking for new people. x and was looking for new --eole. . �* , x and was looking for new --eole. . �*, ., ., people. yeah, there's no harm in advertising _ people. yeah, there's no harm in advertising like _ people. yeah, there's no harm in advertising like that. - people. yeah, there's no harm in advertising like that. i - in advertising like that. i just think that particular add, frankly this is an important job and anybody with a very high iq is not going to believe in doing a job that takes 80 hours a week. 80 hours a week is just so exhausting and killing the nobody will be able to do the job properly if they work that number of hours away. so, yeah, high iq but maybe just a normal week would be fine. , , just a normal week would be fine. ~ . , , , , just a normalweek would be fine. , , , ., just a normal week would be fine. ,, ., ~ fine. maybe this is elon musk lookin: fine. maybe this is elon musk looking peeple _ fine. maybe this is elon musk looking people in _ fine. maybe this is elon musk looking people in his- fine. maybe this is elon musk looking people in his own - fine. maybe this is elon musk| looking people in his own bold as i don't know how many hours as i don't know how many hours a week he works but i suspect it's quite a lot of hours. so maybe there is an element of that in it. robert, looking more broadly than itjobs, once president trump is back in the white house, there has been concerned that he might look at

sacking lots of civil service and so forth and normally the civil servants, we are told, they are to work with people and not for a president but i supposed to be treated by congress from the vagaries of presidential opinion. what do you think it's going to happen on that front? it’s you think it's going to happen on that front?— on that front? it's very clear that donald _ on that front? it's very clear that donald trump - on that front? it's very clear that donald trump and - on that front? it's very clear that donald trump and his l that donald trump and his movement want to take a wrecking ball approach to government. and they have been somewhat aided and abetted actually by a recent supreme court — actually by a recent supreme court decision which sort of handcuffs some of the administrative agencies and some — administrative agencies and some of— administrative agencies and some of the rules and regulations that they in the past — regulations that they in the past have had sort of a freehand to administer. so, yes, — freehand to administer. so, yes, i— freehand to administer. so, yes, i think it's clear that donald _ yes, i think it's clear that donald trump and his advisers have _ donald trump and his advisers have there i on upending the

current— have there i on upending the current civil service rules, which _ current civil service rules, which have been around since at least _ which have been around since at least the — which have been around since at least the new deal and maybe a few years — least the new deal and maybe a few years before that. they have — few years before that. they have something of an almost religious— have something of an almost religious zealotry, if you will, _ religious zealotry, if you will, in _ religious zealotry, if you will, in terms of what they feel— will, in terms of what they feel that the government has become — feel that the government has become too large and it needs to be — become too large and it needs to be clearly have the civil servant _ to be clearly have the civil servant class be whittled down. interesting debate and another thing to look at and keep an eye on as we move towards the next donald trump presidency but right now let's consider the impact of his reelection for the global economy. the dollar and us stocks soared after his victory, with many investors seeing donald trump as good for the us and bad for the rest of the world. fears of a trade war put pressure on chinese, european and emerging market assets. let's hear some of what the president—elect had to say on the campaign trail.

if these companies don't i make their products here, then they will pay a very stiff tariff when they send their. products into the united states for the privilege of competing i with our workers and our protected companies. i we're going to protect our companies, and we're - going to protect through very strong tariffs. - the president—elect has promised a raft the president—elect has promised a raft of protectionist trade of protectionist trade policies, including 60% import policies, including 60% import tariffs on goods from china, tariffs on goods from china, with whom he engaged in a trade with whom he engaged in a trade war during his last war during his last term in office. term in office. 0ne clear theme that's 0ne clear theme that's emerged in recent days emerged in recent days is the prominence of china is the prominence of china hawks in his proposed team, hawks in his proposed team, those who believe beijing poses those who believe beijing poses a serious threat to us economic a serious threat to us economic and military dominance. and military dominance. for bank of england his nomination for secretary his nomination for secretary of state — america's of state — america's most senior diplomat — most senior diplomat — marco rubio, has described marco rubio, has described china as the "most advanced china as the "most advanced adversary america has ever adversary america has ever faced". faced". investors also worry that investors also worry that donald trump's planned tariffs and tax cuts could reignite donald trump's planned tariffs and tax cuts could reignite inflation in the us inflation in the us and elsewhere. and elsewhere. here in the uk, many here in the uk, many

investors and traders have investors and traders have lowered their expectations lowered their expectations for bank of england interest rate cuts next year partly as a result of mr trump's re—election. 0ne firm today saying...

is there, obviously, but he is very much present at the summit in terms of the conversations happening there. now, president xijinping and president biden are due to hold their last official face—to—face talks of president biden�*s term on saturday. they have warded separately of choppy waters with the world bracing for the prospect of fresh trade wars after donald trump assumes the presidency injanuary. presidency in january. president xijinping presidency injanuary. president xijinping raising concerns about spreading unilateralism and protectionism. 0k, michaeland protectionism. 0k, michael and robert, protectionism. 0k, michaeland robert, with us on the programme this evening. michael, looking at all those elements because they are all absolutely interrelated, your thoughts first of all on the economy here in the uk and the prospects for growth that the government set out in the recent budget and how that might be impacted by president

trump, the next president trump term of office?— term of office? well, today's urowth term of office? well, today's growth figure _ term of office? well, today's growth figure is _ term of office? well, today's growth figure is very - term of office? well, today's growth figure is very bad - term of office? well, today's i growth figure is very bad news. the government can say is not really us because this is only our first three months and it's all affected by what happened under the conservatives. 0n the other hand, the advent of a labour government, we were told it was meant to bring stability to the british economy, that there would be just having a change in government and a government with stability, and that clearly has not happened. remember that the 0.1%, if you make it per capita, it's actually a fall in the size of the economy per head because at the economy per head because at the moment our population is going up pretty rapidly. as such that's bad news for us all as individuals and on top of that you have the budget measures, which in most people's views, including mine, such as the national insurance

rates and minimum wage and things like that are likely to dampen growth further. and now the prospect of tariffs from donald trump against china, europe and possibly us, all in all it's a pretty bad picture. and, robert, your thoughts on whether president trump will actually go as far as 60% in tariffs on chinese imports and no matter the size of those tariffs, what some of impact that might have on the rest of the world of china is looking to get those imports into other countries rather than america potentially. it’s countries rather than america potentially-— potentially. it's something of another glitch _ potentially. it's something of another glitch in _ potentially. it's something of another glitch in our - another glitch in our constitutional order that our structure _ constitutional order that our structure allows a president wide — structure allows a president wide latitude on tariffs. and the terrace became the answer to almost— the terrace became the answer to almost every economic question that candidate donald

trump — question that candidate donald trump was asked in the most recent— trump was asked in the most recent election. but the fact is, you — recent election. but the fact is, you know, america's farmers are only— is, you know, america's farmers are ohiyiust_ is, you know, america's farmers are onlyjust really recovering from — are onlyjust really recovering from the _ are onlyjust really recovering from the agricultural tariffs that — from the agricultural tariffs that donald trump and posted for first — that donald trump and posted for first time around, many of which — for first time around, many of which for— for first time around, many of which for various reasons were kept _ which for various reasons were kept in — which for various reasons were kept in place by president bideh _ kept in place by president biden. expanding those now, i think. — biden. expanding those now, i think, could seriously undermine the us economy, which has so _ undermine the us economy, which has so far— undermine the us economy, which has so far been the enemy of the world _ has so far been the enemy of the world post—pandemic. but this terra _ the world post—pandemic. but this terra focus that donald trump _ this terra focus that donald trump has is deeply unsettling. and, _ trump has is deeply unsettling. and, michael, back to you, keir starmer, the uk premised or about closer ties with the eu, but do you think that these

tariffs are going to increase the pace at which he makes moose to build those ties with the eu, optionally politically post—brexit, that has some issues for him? i post-brexit, that has some issues for him?— post-brexit, that has some issues for him? i mean, he is in a very _ issues for him? i mean, he is in a very difficult _ issues for him? i mean, he is in a very difficult position - in a very difficult position right now. trump is quite well disposed towards britain. he sort of like britain. he likes the monarchy and has his golf courses in scotland. and there is a chance of a trade deal there between britain and america. on the other hand, if he is going to pick on europe but not written, that will cause tensions. we also want better trading relations with europe, which have been pretty disastrous since brexit and the governor of the beginning of a single yesterday that brexit had done a lot of damage to our economy. there was a very tricky course that keir starmer have to chart there and somehow we need to wriggle our way through but we end up on both terms with donald trump and

europe and getting and improving our relations with both. not easy.— improving our relations with both. not easy. 0k, stay with us for the _ both. not easy. 0k, stay with us for the moment _ both. not easy. 0k, stay with us for the moment and - both. not easy. 0k, stay with| us for the moment and around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

after a ll after all that talk of geopolitics, something completely different. in sweden, a rather unusual phobia has stirred up government discussions. a cabinet minister's fear of bananas is reported to have prompted staff to ensure rooms are fruit—free ahead of official visits. according to local media outlet expressen, leaked e—mails show minister paulina brandberg's team requesting the removal of bananas from meeting spaces. e—mails reportedly sent in advance of official visits, including to a vip lunch, ask for "no bananas" to be allowed on certain premises. brandberg, who serves as the country's gender equality minister, once admitted on social media

to having a deep—seated fear of the fruit, calling it "the world's weirdest phobia". in a response to the publcation, the minister confirmed it was phobia, but described the impact it has on her as "sort of an allergy". interestingly, brandberg isn't alone. another swedish politician, teresa carvalho, revealed on x that she shares the same unusualfear, expressing solidarity with her colleague. and michael and robert are still with us here. what do you make of this, robert? people have all sorts of phobias, don't they? this have all sorts of phobias, don't they?— don't they? as you might imagine. _ don't they? as you might imagine, have _ don't they? as you might imagine, have a - don't they? as you might imagine, have a bunch i don't they? as you might imagine, have a bunch of thoughts on this. laughter. you already _ thoughts on this. laughter. you already use _ thoughts on this. laughter. you already use the - thoughts on this. laughter. i you already use the unappealing ooiht _ you already use the unappealing point of— you already use the unappealing point of the top so i'm not going _ point of the top so i'm not going to _ point of the top so i'm not going to repeat that. that's robabl going to repeat that. that's probably wise, _ going to repeat that. that's probably wise, yeah. - going to repeat that. that's

probably wise, yeah. you . going to repeat that. that's - probably wise, yeah. you know, “ust to probably wise, yeah. you know, just to give _ probably wise, yeah. you know, just to give the _ probably wise, yeah. you know, just to give the minister - probably wise, yeah. you know, just to give the minister heard l just to give the minister heard to, all— just to give the minister heard to, all folks to have certain either _ to, all folks to have certain either sensitivities or phobias about— either sensitivities or phobias about certain things that they want — about certain things that they want to— about certain things that they want to eat. it does seem a little _ want to eat. it does seem a little bit — want to eat. it does seem a little bit unusual, though, that— little bit unusual, though, that the _ little bit unusual, though, that the word goes out to the staff— that the word goes out to the staff that the minister, as far as a — staff that the minister, as far as a minister is, yes, we have no hahahas _ as a minister is, yes, we have no bananas. that does seem a little _ no bananas. that does seem a little bit — no bananas. that does seem a little bit cute, but given some of the — little bit cute, but given some of the topics we talked about today, — of the topics we talked about today, there are a lot more things— today, there are a lot more things of— today, there are a lot more things of greater concern for us than _ things of greater concern for us than a _ things of greater concern for us than a minister that does not like _ us than a minister that does not like a _ us than a minister that does not like a particular kind of fruit — not like a particular kind of fruit. �* ., ., ., , fruit. i've heard of allergies to different _ fruit. i've heard of allergies to different kinds _ fruit. i've heard of allergies to different kinds of - fruit. i've heard of allergies to different kinds of fruit i fruit. i've heard of allergiesl to different kinds of fruit not a phobia. if the first of might come across that.— come across that. and of course politicians _ come across that. and of course politicians spend _ come across that. and of course politicians spend all _ come across that. and of course politicians spend all their- politicians spend all their lives avoiding banana schemes,

but not the actual banana itself. ~ ., ., itself. metaphorical or otherwise, _ itself. metaphorical or otherwise, yes. - itself. metaphorical or otherwise, yes. it's. itself. metaphorical or otherwise, yes. it's a| itself. metaphorical or . otherwise, yes. it's a sort itself. metaphorical or - otherwise, yes. it's a sort of my disability. _ otherwise, yes. it's a sort of my disability, really. - otherwise, yes. it's a sort of my disability, really. i- otherwise, yes. it's a sort of my disability, really. i a - my disability, really. i a government minister here who did not like shaking people plus my hands because i think he felt he would get bad germs and all of that was it difficult for a politician never to shake anybody�*s and. that's true of donald trump, by the way — that's true of donald trump, by the way. donald trump... gur the way. donald trump... our directorjust— the way. donald trump... our directorjust of— the way. donald trump... our directorjust of that _ the way. donald trump... our directorjust of that as - the way. donald trump... qt" directorjust of that as well, director just of that as well, robert. he knew that. can i ask you if you don't mind sharing, do you have a particular phobia, either of you? do particular— phobia, either of you? do particular phobia? nothing to do with— particular phobia? nothing to do with fruit but maybe, you know. — do with fruit but maybe, you know, certain crawling objects like spiders and the things like — like spiders and the things like that. but not like spiders and the things like t