The BBC's anti-Universal theme park bias

Why space data centres might actually work

The government is proposing new measures to stop NIMBYs vexatiously taking energy projects to judicial review! And James tries to persuade Martin that space-based data centres aren’t a completely ridiculous idea. The Ben Thompson article making the case for space data centres is here [https://stratechery.com/2026/the-spacex-ipo-and-data-centers-in-space/]. James’s newsletter is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/], and his post about Japan (including the train-bus!) is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/japan-is-an-urbanist-yimby-paradise]. Martin’s newsletter is here [https://martinrobbins.substack.com], and his YouTube channel is here [https://www.youtube.com/@MFRobbins]. Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts! YIMBY Pod is available on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-abundance-agenda/id1797392263], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2OrB7qxXY7p23kJFVWPeXa?si=2ef32f53891544df], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheAbundanceAgenda] and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here [https://bsky.app/profile/jamesomalley.co.uk], and Martin here [https://bsky.app/profile/mjrobbins.bsky.social]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com [https://www.abundancepod.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The problem with Secondary Legislation

On YIMBY Pod this week: * For the first time on the pod, James makes the case for liberating the Postcode Address File. * And we speak to Lord Mark Pack about how Secondary Legislation is a hidden problem that is slowing down the business of government. Mark’s excellent Lord’s Eye View newsletter is here [https://lordseyeview.substack.com], and The Week In Polls is here [https://theweekinpolls.substack.com/]. James’s newsletter is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/], and he’ll have a guest post up by the time you’re reading this. Martin’s newsletter is here [https://martinrobbins.substack.com], and his YouTube channel is here [https://www.youtube.com/@MFRobbins]. Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts! YIMBY Pod is available on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-abundance-agenda/id1797392263], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2OrB7qxXY7p23kJFVWPeXa?si=2ef32f53891544df], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheAbundanceAgenda] and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here [https://bsky.app/profile/jamesomalley.co.uk], and Martin here [https://bsky.app/profile/mjrobbins.bsky.social]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com [https://www.abundancepod.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The BBC's anti-Universal theme park bias

Martin reveals the extraordinary grip one Bedfordshire councillor has on BBC coverage of the new Universal theme park. And James speaks to Dan Mead from Labour Together [https://www.labourtogether.uk/] about why nationalising Thames Water might not be the best use of the cash, when can build trams instead. Dan’s post about Thames Water is here [https://www.labourtogether.uk/blog/thames-water-nationalisation]. James’s newsletter is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/], and he’ll have a guest post up by the time you’re reading this. Martin’s newsletter is here [https://martinrobbins.substack.com], and his YouTube channel is here [https://www.youtube.com/@MFRobbins]. Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts! YIMBY Pod is available on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-abundance-agenda/id1797392263], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2OrB7qxXY7p23kJFVWPeXa?si=2ef32f53891544df], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheAbundanceAgenda] and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here [https://bsky.app/profile/jamesomalley.co.uk], and Martin here [https://bsky.app/profile/mjrobbins.bsky.social]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com [https://www.abundancepod.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The nuclear energy gender gap

James and Martin dig into some astonishing YouGov polling that reveals a huge gender gap in support for nuclear energy… and desperately try not to get cancelled while talking about it. And we speak to Tym Syrytczyk from the Institute for Driverless Transport [https://www.institutefordriverlesstransport.co.uk/] to check in on Britain’s autonomous vehicle progress. James’s newsletter is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/], and by the time you’re reading this, he’ll hopefully have something published! Martin’s newsletter is here [https://martinrobbins.substack.com], and his latest video will be here [https://www.youtube.com/@MFRobbins]. Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts! YIMBY Pod is available on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-abundance-agenda/id1797392263], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2OrB7qxXY7p23kJFVWPeXa?si=2ef32f53891544df], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheAbundanceAgenda] and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here [https://bsky.app/profile/jamesomalley.co.uk], and Martin here [https://bsky.app/profile/mjrobbins.bsky.social]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com [https://www.abundancepod.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

An expert debunks James's bad opinion

James talks about Technology Secretary Liz Kendall’s speech last week, which essentially sets out Britain’s AI strategy – and he explains why the strategy is determined by some rather limited choices. And then we speak to Hannah Keenan [https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/person/hannah-keenan], from the Institute for Government, who takes James to task over an incredibly bad take on the pod from a few weeks ago. James’s newsletter is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/], and he’ll have something new up about Palantir by the time you’re reading this. Martin’s newsletter is here [https://martinrobbins.substack.com], and his YouTube channel is here [https://www.youtube.com/@MFRobbins]. Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts! YIMBY Pod is available on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-abundance-agenda/id1797392263], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2OrB7qxXY7p23kJFVWPeXa?si=2ef32f53891544df], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheAbundanceAgenda] and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here [https://bsky.app/profile/jamesomalley.co.uk], and Martin here [https://bsky.app/profile/mjrobbins.bsky.social]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com [https://www.abundancepod.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]