The absolute insanity of the SNP’s plan to cap the price of food May 19, 2026 The political drama (or farce) of Westminster politics will dominate the news agenda for the rest of the summer. The high-stakes Makerfield by-election next month will be followed by a Labour leadership election – or, possibly, a coronation – leading to a change of Prime Minister and an entirely new policy agenda. The consequences of [...]
Streeting’s EU Plan would cost our hard-won relationship with Trump May 19, 2026 West Streeting's pitch to rejoin the EU may play well with Labour Party members, but it will prove a liability for whoever has to govern.
Why modern work leaves ancient brains exhausted May 19, 2026 Modern anxiety and exhaustion result from the conflict between our ancient brain machinery, which is optimized for simple, short-term pursuit and reward, and the abstract, distant, and competitive goals of modern life, says Paul Goldsmith A strange thing has happened in modern life. We have more comfort, knowledge, choice and technology than any previous generation. [...]
Big Tech’s big problem? Consumers are paying to opt out May 19, 2026 Many executives approving AI copilots are also privately paying for products to shield their own children from technology.
A state of the nation tale: The National Rail Museum won’t accept a model railway set May 19, 2026 From museums that won't accept model railway sets to the NHS's refusal to share data, British inefficiency is costing us billions.
Labour’s leadership Phoney War continues, this time as farce May 18, 2026 Labour is conducting Schrodinger’s leadership election and it’s increasingly looking like I, Claudius performed b y the cast of Up Pompeii, says Eliot Wilson Following Labour’s punishment beatings in the local and devolved parliamentary elections, the guerrilla war over Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership of the party has finally erupted into open warfare. Or has it? [...]
The story of Keir Starmer’s failure is boringly familiar May 18, 2026 Keir Starmer’s fate was not brought about chiefly by his lack of personality. It was the predictable result of the economic conditions that have wracked Britain for almost two decades, a political system poorly attuned to fixing them, and more than a little of his own hubris, says Andrew Griffith Analysing why Keir Starmer failed [...]
The City is paying the price for Britain’s energy failure May 18, 2026 High, unstable energy costs don’t stay in the energy sector. They get absorbed into operating margins, debt-service forecasts, insurance assumptions, infrastructure returns, and the discount rate applied to British assets, says Alan Chang The City does not need another price shock to understand Britain’s energy problem. Markets are already pricing the risk. Renewed tensions with [...]
Good policing is the unsung pillar of growth May 18, 2026 Market confidence in the City is inseparable from its security, and the police are a core enabler of that security, writes Chris Hayward.
On this day in 1940: McDonald’s is born in a strange kitchen in California May 15, 2026 On this day in 1940, Mac and Dick McDonald opened an octagonal kitchen in San Bernardino and changed food forever, writes Eliot Wilson.