The gig economy – how far have we come?

When Uber arrived in Britain ten years ago, the app transformed the way people move around cities. All of a sudden, at the click of a button, city dwellers could order a car for a competitive price which would arrive within minutes. To some policymakers, this hailed a new way of working and putting consumers first. Since then, a lot has changed. Uber came under strict regulatory obstacles and many more app-based competitors have entered the market. But the business has transformed with the times. Whilst emblematic of the gig economy, are the critics right about driver treatment? And does more regulation create barriers for the customer? Fraser Nelson, The Spectator's editor is joined on this special podcast by an Uber driver, Kasey to talk about her experience working with Uber; Andrew Brem, General Manager for Uber's UK business, Robert Colville, Sunday Times columnist and director of the Centre for Policy Studies; and Kirsty Innes who is the head of digital government at the Tony Blair Institute. This podcast is kindly sponsored by Uber.