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 [...]
Burnham speaks with all the confidence of a mayor but without the gravitas of a Prime Minister October 13, 2026 Andy Burnham earned his spurs as a great communicator on the back of a few summer TikToks, but is the shine coming off just a couple of months into the new job? While some people still appreciate the supposedly down to earth ‘tell it like it is’ approach, there can be no denying that the [...]
Central banks, bond markets and fiscal credibility – why market stability had become political October 13, 2026 Senior central bankers warn that while emergency interventions can buy time during market liquidity crises, long-term financial stability ultimately depends on governments taking decisive political action, says Helen Thomas Two of the world’s most senior central bankers have issued a warning that politicians would do well to heed: governments may believe they have years to [...]
Closer to Europe? Fine but please don’t align us down October 13, 2026 Instead of rehashing old Brexit debates, the UK and EU should collaborate on mutual recognition and adopt the best elements of each other’s private market frameworks to help start-ups raise capital more efficiently, says Kieron O’Brien “Come back to the EU anytime”, French minister Roland Lescure said last week, adding that if Britain wanted to [...]
Burnham may have already missed his best chance to call an early election October 13, 2026 Andy Burnham has ruled out an early election but new polling from City AM and Freshwater Strategy suggests the electoral calculus may be shifting, says Matthew Lesh A few months ago, the idea of Andy Burnham rushing to the polls seemed mad. The current term still has almost three years left, Labour has a large [...]
I’m a tech founder – here’s why I chose rats in London over robotaxis in San Francisco October 13, 2026 Marit Rodevand chose to build her financial crime prevention startup in London rather than San Francisco because, despite its challenges, the UK capital offers a genuine commitment to tackling money laundering In my first few days after moving to my Islington flatshare, as I watched my new rat neighbour scurry into a drainpipe, I could [...]
Do you own your voice? As AI voice tech booms, UK law needs an answer October 13, 2026 AI voice tech like ElevenLabs is booming, yet the legal framework around whether a voice can be 'owned' remains murky.
Britain’s wealth exodus is only going to get worse October 12, 2026 Britain must compete to keep its wealthy as countries like Oman offer greater stability, lower taxes and less crime, says Damien Phillips In her speech to close the Conservative conference, Kemi Badenoch’s claim that Britain’s “super wealthy… have all gone” might have been a rhetorical flourish but the exodus of our millionaires is real and [...]