Matters of Interest: The Order of the Garter and the Tyranny of the Benefit-Cost Ratio

In this episode, Lee and Richard reflect on attending the installation service for the Order of the Garter at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, where they witnessed the induction of Peter Hennessy. But instead of being misty-eyed about the ceremony, should they have been more critical of this (allegedly) anachronistic hangover? Next, they turn to the Treasury's Green Book, the framework that guides government investment decisions. At its heart lies the Benefit-Cost Ratio, a measurement that often determines the fate of major infrastructure projects. Can the value of public investment really be reduced to a spreadsheet calculation?PRE-ORDER: Lee’s book, ‘Coronations & Defenestrations: Choosing (and losing) Tory Leaders’, is now available for pre-order (released 30 June 2026). Save 30% by using the code AGENDA30 on IndiePubs: https://indiepubs.co.uk/products/coronations-and-defenestrations-1760081414340Enjoy ad-free listening, bonus episodes and show your support for the podcast by joining the Since Attlee & Churchill Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/SinceAttleeAndChurchillBuying books via the Since Attlee & Churchill Bookshop is a great way to support the podcast. Click here to visit the shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/saacEnjoy listening to the Since Attlee & Churchill podcast? If so, we would be very grateful if you could leave us a 5 star review!***Since Attlee & Churchill is a podcast about post-war British politics - since Attlee & Churchill - and is hosted by Lee David Evans, an historian of the Conservative Party, and Richard Johnson, an historian of the Labour Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.