Could Dutch-style wealth taxes be coming to Britain? February 17, 2026 Governments everywhere prefer revenue that can be framed as “fairness”. If the Dutch can make taxing gains as they accrue work without damaging long-term capital formation, it will not stay a Dutch story for long, says Helen Thomas The Netherlands has just approved a reform to its capital gains tax regime that is already sending [...]
On this day: Thomas J Watson, father of IBM, was born February 17, 2026 On 17 February 1874, the man who would go on to found the largest industrial research organisation on the planet was born in the tiny town of Campbell, writes Eliot Wilson The town of Campbell, New York, in the Appalachian Mountains had a population of less than 2,000 in 1874. Thomas John Watson, born this [...]
‘What if a blind person falls over an e-bike?’: The untenable rise of whataboutism February 17, 2026 Rowing about hypothetical dangers like e-bikes on pavements is turning London into a febrile City, scared of progress, writes Michael Martins.
Good regulation can support growth without increasing risk February 17, 2026 The debate about regulation and growth has become stuck in an Animal Farm world of less regulation good; more regulation bad, or vice versa, depending on political persuasion. The more serious question is about quality, says Omar Salem Dame Meg Hillier MP, chair of the influential Treasury Select Committee, has called for the government to [...]
Privacy doesn’t matter in Silicon Valley – that’s why AI is failing February 17, 2026 Data privacy is as an essential component of solving “context” — the key to unlocking full-scale and safe AI adoption for both businesses and consumers, says Lewis Liu I was hanging out with a bunch of 20-something “in the flow” Bay Area founders last week when the conversation turned to Openclaw and Moltbook. If you [...]
The government doesn’t trust Sadiq Khan to run London’s trains February 17, 2026 The Labour government is handing control of London’s suburban rail to Great British Rail instead of TfL because they’ve seen how badly Sadiq Khan has mismanaged the tube, says Thomas Turrell GBR – Great British Rail. You’ve heard of it, you’ve probably seen the Union flag livery it’s going to be coated in, and you’re [...]
Jobs figures show Labour has abandoned growth February 16, 2026 A staggering 37 per cent of businesses surveyed by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development said they planned to reduce hiring permanent staff as a result of the Employment Rights Act, says Callum Price If we believe that a government is what it does, not what it says, it would be difficult to argue that this government has even a passing interest [...]
Starmer campaign group’s alarming assault on press freedom February 16, 2026 Morgan McSweeney and Labour Together acted as a fifth column within the Labour party seizing control from the Corbynites and smearing journalists who exposed its dirty tricks. That deception is coming home to roost for Keir Starmer, says Alys Denby Ever since the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks, factional in-fighting has been a defining characteristic of [...]
Why the UK is losing the AI skills race February 16, 2026 What's the use in being the third largest AI market in the world if our workforce doesn't know how to use it, asks IBM's Leon Butler.
Nigel Farage’s war on working from home is vibes-based politics February 16, 2026 Nigel Farage's attack on working from home is designed to increase headlines, not productivity, writes Eliot Wilson.