Employers are barely an afterthought for Labour September 17, 2025 The economy is flatlining. Unemployment is rising. Investors are fleeing our shores. At times like these, businesses needs support. But instead of a shot in the arm, they get a series of knives in the back. One of Labour’s first acts after coming to power was to hike Employer National Insurance Contributions. And now the employers [...]
Ed Miliband’s pay now buy later climate policy September 17, 2025 Behavioural economics teaches us that consumers weigh benefits received and costs incurred in the present much more heavily than if they’re in the distant future. That’s a problem for net zero policy makers like Ed Miliband, says Paul Ormerod The headlines are full of bad news for Kier Starmer. But an important story last week [...]
Why public markets are a public good September 17, 2025 Far from being irrelevant, UK public equity markets are a vital public good essential for tax revenue, corporate transparency, and economic growth, which requires urgent tax reforms to encourage companies to list and remain in the UK, says Charles Hall There is a school of thought that thinks public equity markets are relatively unimportant and [...]
The Debate: This house has confidence in the president-elect of the Oxford Union September 16, 2025 Following the horrifying death of Charlie Kirk, the president-elect of the Oxford Union, George Abaraonye, posted comments online appearing to celebrate his murder. Since then, many have called for him to be removed from the post. The whole affair has raised questions about the necessity and limits of free speech in a democracy – and [...]
Is Danny Kruger right about the death of the Conservative party? September 16, 2025 Danny Kruger’s defection to Reform is a body blow for Kemi Badenoch’s failing project. But Nigel Farage doesn’t have the answers either, says William Atkinson The last Conservative has left the building. Is it time to turn out the lights? That is what ambitious, talented and intelligent Conservatives are thinking following Danny Kruger’s defection to [...]
I find Tommy Robinson repulsive, so why did so many march behind him? September 16, 2025 I struggled to identify the most significant elements of Saturday’s ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march in London. Was it the fact that 150,000 (mostly) ordinary people took to the streets in a (mostly) peaceful protest against large-scale immigration? Or was it that they were called to do so by a man who has served multiple prison [...]
The Notebook: I was a control officer during President Trump’s last state visit – here’s what to expect this September 16, 2025 The overriding priority during this week’s state visit by Donald Trump will be ensuring nothing goes wrong, unfortunately that means different things to both sides, says Michael Martins During President Trump’s last state visit, I was the landmark on Downing Street to show where the President’s car, the Beast, should park. That was the plan [...]
Big pharma’s devastating retreat from the UK September 16, 2025 Merck and AstraZeneca’s withdrawal from UK investment is a warning signal to Rachel Reeves – but is she listening? Asks Oliver Dean Both AstraZeneca and Merck’s decision to abandon their respective UK expansions is more than a corporate setback. It is a catastrophic loss of jobs, investment and future innovation and the public are now [...]
The UK film industry isn’t ready for AI animation September 16, 2025 Critterz is a fully AI-generated animated film made for a fraction of what Disney or Dreamworks would spend on a comparable feature, says Paul Armstrong OpenAI has chosen film as the next showcase for what its models can do, backing Critterz, a fully AI-generated animated feature scheduled for release in 2026 and aiming for a [...]
How to make it: be ready to replace your CEO September 15, 2025 If there’s one inevitable in business aside from death and taxes it’s that the CEO will always leave, so succession planning is essential. But why hire an expensive headhunter when the right person could already be in your boardroom? Asks Richard Harpin As the new football season nears kick-off, I’ve been pondering that famous old [...]