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Lower Value Humans

May 27, 2026 · 28 min

Show notes

Ever felt like your boss doesn't quite hold you in the highest esteem?

Pity then, workers at Standard Chartered Bank. CEO Bill Winters described some of them as 'lower value human capital' during a speech to investors. His words came at a time when the bank is getting rid of thousands of positions and replacing them with AI.

David and Farzana look at what happens when you say the quiet thing out loud - and what the repercussions are if you get your PR response all kinds of wrong.

On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, are 'dark forces' really trying to tarnish the late Queen's reputation? Recent revelations about how she lobbied for Andrew Mountbatten Windsor to get a trade envoy job could be just the start of an attempt to gradually unpick her legacy.

Also, big shout out to the GC. That's Gemma Collins, mega-influencer and former star of The Only Way is Essex. The Department for Education is facing a huge backlash for using her to try and persuade young people to stay in education. David and Farzana explain that the use of influencers in politics is a growing thing - but just chasing their millions of followers doesn't guarantee success. There's an art to getting it right.

Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4

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