Could Zack Polanski be the Conservatives’ useful idiot? December 15, 2025 Rather than being scared of Zack Polanski, perhaps those on the centre right should learn to stop worrying and embrace the Green Party leader’s potential to unseat Labour, argues James Ford Zack Polanski is many things: failed actor, dodgy hypnotist, one-time chorister, former Liberal Democrat and Rizzle Kicks fan. He is also extremely popular with [...]
How Formula 1 is reengineering car branding December 14, 2025 It’s an old adage, but one particularly true for automotive brands, that where you show up as a brand really matters. Staples for car marketing are high-quality environments such as cinema, peak TV, eye-catching billboards and the like. Especially for cars – a category in which long-range priming is key – these quality touchpoints shape [...]
The Debate: Are Londoners safer drivers? December 10, 2025 A new survey has found that Londoners cause more accidents on country roads than their rural counterparts. But are sophisticated urbanites really more reckless drivers? YES: Rural roads are a deathtrap Picture this: It’s five o’clock on a December afternoon, completely pitch black, and a giant Rangerover comes hurtling round the corner, right wheel just [...]
Best cars 2025: Our brilliant and bonkers highlights of the year December 5, 2025 These are difficult times to be a car company. Cheap Chinese imports, costly US tariffs and the UK Government’s muddled approach to policymaking have all slowed sales and impacted the bottom line. And that’s before you factor in cyber attacks, semiconductor shortages, the cost of living crisis and the reluctance of many motorists to embrace [...]
FCA to regulate ESG ratings providers December 1, 2025 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) ratings providers will be policed by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under plans published by the watchdog citing concerns of conflicts of interest and a lack of transparency in the burgeoning industry. In what promises to be the most radical overhaul of sustainable finance regulation in UK history, the City’s [...]
LIV Golf is the clear winner of tussle with PGA Tour – it forced change November 29, 2025 Those who see the convergence between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour as a victory for the old order fundamentally misunderstand how disruption works, writes Matt Readman. “What are we even doing here anymore?” That was the reaction of golf journalist and vlogger Dan Rapaport to the news that LIV Golf was shifting from its [...]
Autumn Budget: Reeves bets on AI – but did she play her strongest card last week? November 26, 2025 Rachel Reeves delivered what many had dubbed the “most anticipated Budget in years”, with industry eyes fixed on how she would position the UK in the global AI race. But just minutes before she even stood up at the despatch box, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) unexpectedly leaked forecasts, fuelling speculation about the state [...]
Autumn Budget: Pay-per-mile tax ‘completely wrong move’ November 26, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has hit electric vehicles with a pay-per-mile tax which will cost the average driver £255 per year and raise £1.1bn for the Treasury. Reeves delivered the expected 3p pay-per-mile tax for electric vehicles (EVs) at today’s Budget, which she framed as a fairness measure to balance the costs facing drivers. The OBR, the independent fiscal [...]
Budget ‘chaos’ may stall interest rate cuts November 26, 2025 The “chaos” around Budget measures may delay further interest rate cuts as the Bank of England figures through the effects of a flurry of tax rises, despite Rachel Reeves’ stated commitment to set the conditions for borrowing costs to be lowered. The Chancellor has said curbing the cost of living was a key “priority” at [...]
London is getting the wrong new railway November 25, 2025 The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) extension to Thamesmead is the wrong railway, at the wrong price, for all the wrong political reasons, argues James Ford Ooops. Rachel Reeves is about to shoot herself in the foot. Again. I thought about keeping quiet about this imminent act of self-harm. Afterall, not only did Napoleon counsel that [...]