‘Nothing can stop it’ – The state expands like the horror film Blob October 15, 2026 The 1958 classic horror film The Blob scored mixed reviews on its release, with critics lamenting the poor acting and weak dialogue. Posters for the movie warned that the alien blob “devours everything in its path” and “nothing can stop it” – which is why, half a century later, Michael Gove resurrected and popularised the [...]
On this day: Germany introduces the Rentenmark to curb hyperinflation October 15, 2026 On this day, 15 October 1923, Germany introduced the Rentenmark to curb hyperinflation, and it worked. Eliot Wilson tells us more.
Dispatch from David Cameron’s 60th bash: Party talk turns to politics October 14, 2026 Should Andy Burnham call a snap election? Emily Sheffield reports from the political tittle tattle field of David Cameron's 60th party.
B&Q and Screwfix CEO: Healey must cut business rates October 14, 2026 Of all the levers available, reforming business rates presents the single biggest opportunity for the Chancellor to help retailers keep investing, says Thierry Garnier If the Prime Minister wants to deliver growth in every postcode, he can look at the businesses that are already present in every community. Retailers employ 2.75m people across the country [...]
The urgent case for massive welfare reform is now impossible to ignore October 14, 2026 By accident or design, Britain is facing a moment of reckoning when it comes to welfare spending. The issue serves as a major fault line in Westminster, with the Tories pledging to slash the benefits bill while Andy Burnham vows there will be “no crude cuts” to the hundreds of billions of pounds spent across [...]
The Debate: Should the UK scrap non-compete clauses? October 14, 2026 Andy Burnham has pledged to reform non-compete clauses, but not everyone is happy. We hear the case for and against in this week's Debate.
Sunday trading, VAT-free shopping? Healey has plenty of low-hanging fruit this Budget October 14, 2026 Sunday trading, tax exemptions for NEETs: there's an abundance of low-hanging fruit for Healey to back businesses this Budget.
Dan Neidle: too many of our taxes make no sense October 14, 2026 We spend a lot of time talking about tax as a revenue raiser and far less time asking whether the taxes themselves make any economic sense. We rarely think seriously about how the design of the tax system itself can encourage or inhibit growth, says Dan Neidle Britain’s demographics are brutal. Spending on health and [...]
How bad has the ‘cost of living crisis’ really been? October 14, 2026 The 'cost of living crisis' has become a well-worn phrase over the last four years, but what do the numbers actually say, asks Paul Ormerod.
These are the two things holding back housebuilding October 14, 2026 Falling consumer confidence and severe development unviability are hindering housebuilding. We need a comprehensive strategy including regulatory freezes, a shared equity scheme, and planning reforms to tackle the housing crisis, says Gavin Barwell Everybody knows there is a housing crisis – it has been building for the last 50 years. The victims are all around [...]