In praise of Count Binface Opinion By standing in the impending by-election in Clacton, Count Binface has more than proved his worth to both comedy and democracy, says James Ford I must confess to having a conflicted attitude to Count Binface. On the one hand, the former political adviser within me (who is, of course, a profound political snob) tends to [...]
No air conditioning on the Tube? Blame Sadiq Khan Opinion You could be riding in new, air conditioned trains on the Piccadilly Line and DLR but City Hall has botched their introduction. James Ford is getting hot under the collar... Do you find the tube to be oppressively hot in the summer and unbearable in a heatwave? Ever found yourself sweating on the Central Line? [...]
Britain set to miss net-zero car targets despite record electric vehicle sales Transport & Infrastructure Britain is set to miss its net-zero emission target for cars despite Electric vehicles (EVs) claiming a record share of the UK new car market in June, fuelled by billions of pounds in discounts. Battery EVs accounted for 30 per cent of all new cars registered last month – the highest monthly share of the [...]
Goodwood Festival of Speed 2026 Preview July 3, 2026 The Goodwood Festival of Speed will return to Goodwood House this month. Here’s everything you need to know. West Sussex in summer is usually a study in tranquillity, defined by the gentle rustle of leaves in the South Downs and the quiet allure of hidden public gardens. It is a landscape designed for long, languid [...]
Nations Championship: Monzo makes first move into rugby, with Allianz and ITV July 1, 2026 Monzo have broadened its sponsorship portfolio, joining Allianz in sponsoring ITV’s coverage of rugby union’s Nations Championship competition. The challenger bank and insurance giant have each signed deals with the free-to-air broadcaster to be part of the channel’s coverage of the inaugural inter-hemispheric tournament. It is Monzo’s first step into rugby union and comes after [...]
Why English literature graduates shouldn’t be Prime Minister June 30, 2026 Andy Burnham is set to be the first ever English Literature graduate to serve as Prime Minister. James Ford is very concerned I have a problem with Andy Burnham. It isn’t his litany of U-turns and policy flip flops. It isn’t that he wears a t-shirt with a suit (a bad look on anyone, but [...]
WorkBoard Extends its Strategy Execution Platform with new AI-Native Strategic Portfolio Management Solution and Portfolio Analyst Agents June 29, 2026 The AI and agent SPM solution kills learning curves, shrinks planning cycles, and automates cadence and stakeholder reporting entirely so customers can optimize outcomes at AI speed
Novak Djokovic joins investment firm with stake in Mexico’s Azteca Stadium June 26, 2026 Novak Djokovic has joined General Atlantic, the firm that holds and investment in Mexico football’s Azteca Stadium. The Serbian tennis player – who will take on Wu Yibing at Wimbledon next week as he looks for an unlikely 25th Grand Slam title – will act as a global strategic advisor for the firm that has [...]
Is ‘Stop Reform’ now the most powerful force in UK politics? June 25, 2026 They may be dominating all the opinion polls, but have Reform hit a wall? James Ford considers if the party has peaked. Something is going very badly wrong for Reform UK. They are supposed to be the next big thing. The coming men. The heirs apparent. The real opposition. Yet, while they still top every [...]
Monzo taps into English cricket with The Hundred sponsorship June 22, 2026 English cricket chiefs have added Monzo as a partner for The Hundred ahead of the sixth season of the white-ball competition. Monzo has become the official banking partner of The Hundred and will have in-stadium branding whenever the Decision Review System is implemented. The digital bank has a growing presence in sport and is the [...]