Don’t abolish the Mayor, just get rid of Sadiq Khan April 24, 2025 The problem facing London is not the institution of the Mayor or the London Assembly that scrutinises him – it’s the incumbent, Sadiq Khan, says Neil Garratt Tony Lodge’s recent article in City AM questioning the value of London’s Mayoralty after 25 years provokes an important debate, but reaches the wrong conclusion. The problem facing [...]
Vaping Done Right: How we achieve a smoke-free UK April 24, 2025 | Sponsored We need stronger laws and better enforcement, writes Asli Ertonguc, Head of BAT UK & Western Europe.The next three months will define the trajectory of UK smoking and vaping rates for years, perhaps even decades, to come. The government’s flagship legislation, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, is entering the final stages of parliamentary scrutiny. On [...]
Free breakfast clubs are an admission the system has failed working parents April 23, 2025 Breakfast clubs are now essential for many working parents, but they don't come free, writes Alys Denby in today's Notebook.
Firms must move faster to prepare for T+1 April 23, 2025 Two thirds of the global investment industry is now preparing for the UK’s transition to a shorter settlement window, but more firms should act now to avoid a last minute scramble, says Chris Elms A new survey of financial firms reveals that almost two thirds of the global investment industry is now actively preparing for [...]
If the ONS can’t measure productivity, how are we meant to improve it? April 23, 2025 The ONS's shortcomings are far from trivial, its bad maths is holding back the UK economy, writes Paul Ormerod.
Bankrupt, rat-infested Birmingham shows why local government matters April 23, 2025 With local elections across much of England, it’s time we took regional accountability much more seriously, says Simon Clarke Next Thursday, there are local elections across much of England. For many people, these events will pass them by entirely. For others, they will be purely an opportunity to send a message about national politics: it [...]
Heathrow is the world’s most expensive airport, so why is it so bad? April 23, 2025 Heathrow has yet again to rank in the top 20 in the world’s airport rankings. It’s time for a complete regulatory overhaul to give Londoners the hub they deserve, says Nigel Wicking At an awards ceremony in Madrid, news travelled fast that Heathrow, the UK’s only hub airport, had yet again failed to take a [...]
There is such a thing as good growth April 23, 2025 The unbridled pursuit of more can be irresponsible at best, and exploitative at worst, but the upcoming generation of entrepreneurs understands that growth isn’t just about enriching businesses, but enriching society, says Orlando Martins It’s sensible for a business to seek to grow, if for no other reason than the lousy alternative: those that aren’t [...]
Seeing the wood for the trees: Why we shouldn’t mourn every felled oak April 22, 2025 Trees are emotive, as the furore over the Toby Carvery oak and the Sycamore gap prove. But a political obsession with planting trees is getting in the way of proper maintenance of our ancient woodland, says David Cracknell It was last week’s row over the Toby Carvery oak that got me thinking again about the [...]
Scunthorpe needs private investment more than state support April 22, 2025 We’ve heard a lot about nationalising British Steel but a lot less about how to unlock the growth and private investment that can help towns like Scunthorpe stand on their own two feet, says Emma Revell The first broadcast interview I ever did was about steel. It was 2019, Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell were [...]