logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2
28m 17s

Is the UK seeing a Christian revival?

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

Tim Harford looks at some of the numbers in the news and in life. This week:

Is church-going making a comeback in the UK?

Is it true that every day, 1000 people begin claiming personal independence payments, or PIP?

When the government talks about how it “returns” illegal immigrants, what does it mean?

Can a new telescope really see golf balls on the moon?

If you’ve seen a number you think looks suspicious, email the More or Less team: moreorless@bbc.co.uk

More or Less is produced in partnership with the Open University.

Presenter: Tim Harford Producers: Lizzy McNeill, Nicholas Barrett, David Verry Series producer: Tom Colls Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Sound mix: Gareth Jones Editor: Richard Vadon

Up next
Jul 5
The economics of war: Vikings, Conquistadors and Vietnam
How does economics help us understand conflicts through history? That’s the question that economist and journalist Duncan Weldon tries to answer in his new book, Blood and Treasure. Tim talks to Duncan about the economic perspective on Viking raiders, Spanish conquest and the Vie ... Show More
8m 58s
Jun 28
Has Russia suffered a million casualties in the Ukraine war?
It’s been over three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the human toll is growing on both sides.Recently, politicians and journalists have declared a grim milestone, one million Russian casualties.But is this number accurate? Tim talks to Seth Jones, from the ... Show More
8m 59s
Jun 25
Why is data on grooming gangs so bad?
Tim Harford looks at some of the numbers in the news and in life. In this episode:Why is the data on the ethnicity of grooming gangs of such poor quality?Iran has apparently enriched uranium to 60%, but what does that number mean?Adam Curtis’s latest series, Shifty, includes clai ... Show More
28m 48s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 26
Breaking Down the Massive Cuts to Science Funding
In the months since taking office, President Trump has made billions of dollars in cuts to scientific research, essentially saying science has become too woke.Emily Anthes, a science reporter at The New York Times, explains what is being cut and how much the world of science is a ... Show More
33m 25s
Sep 2024
Q&A: Career regrets, Prime Minister's clothes, and middle class America
What is your biggest journalistic regret? Should a Prime Minister's spouse get an allowance? And what does 'middle class' mean in America? Thank you all for some BRILLIANT questions. The answers take us down some very strange alleys indeed...Tickets are now on sale for The News A ... Show More
32m 15s
Nov 2024
Why Tim Spector wants to bring back the nanny state
The government should treat ultra-processed foods like cigarettes and alcohol - and bring in higher taxes on the companies that make them, says Professor Tim Spector. Labour has declared war on junk food as part of a drive to save the NHS by shifting from "sickness to prevention" ... Show More
26m 29s
Oct 2024
Why is Kamala Harris struggling with minority voters?
The old wisdom held that Democrats could rely on the votes of those in the Black and Latino communities - often immigrant families that felt that party were on their side. But in recent elections that has started to shift. Kamala Harris is struggling to win the Black vote at the ... Show More
33m 12s
Jul 2
The Republicans’ $3 Trillion Vanishing Act
With a tiebreaking vote from Vice President JD Vance, the Senate has adopted President Trump’s giant domestic policy bill, which now heads back to the House for a final vote.The legislation is defined by the staggering amount of debt it will create: more than $3 trillion.Andrew D ... Show More
27m 10s
Mar 2024
Spring budget reaction
We’re waiting longer than ever for hospital appointments, our kids’ schools are literally crumbling, and homelessness has sky-rocketed in the past year. This week’s spring budget was a vital chance for chancellor Jeremy Hunt to respond to the huge problems our country is facing. ... Show More
31m 14s
Feb 2025
Americanswers... on 5 Live! What's Elon Musk's latest threat to federal workers?
French president Emmanuel Macron is in Washington DC for talks with Donald Trump as he - and later in the week Keir Starmer - attempt to stop a deal on the Ukraine war that favours Russia. How do you get through to the president?And, the price of eggs keeps rising in the US due t ... Show More
31m 55s
Oct 2024
33. Why Are They Holding Harris Back?
Why are both candidates playing defence? Are Wall Street warming to Kamala Harris? Could the world handle an isolationist America? Join Katty Kay and Anthony Scaramucci as they answer all these questions and more on The Rest Is Politics US. Become a Founding MemberSupport the pod ... Show More
52m 41s
Sep 2024
Is Kemi Badenoch another Liz Truss?
The Tories suffered their worst electoral defeat for a hundred and fifty years in July. So why are they so upbeat this conference? Today we introduce you to the four remaining candidates for party leader - frontrunner Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly and Tom Tugendha ... Show More
36m 28s
Oct 2024
34. Why Republicans Are Coming Home to Trump
Has Harris managed to distinguish herself from Biden? Why aren’t young people voting for Harris? Why are moderate Republicans going back to Trump? Join Katty Kay and Anthony Scaramucci as they answer all these questions and more on The Rest Is Politics US. Come see us LIVEJoin us ... Show More
44m 5s