Right to Buy has been a huge success, of course the left hates it June 2, 2026 Labour leadership contenders’ claims that Right to Buy is to blame for the housing crisis are absurd, says Ben Hopkinson Last week in a 5,000 word polemic, Tony Blair accused the Labour government of being parked firmly in the party’s ‘soft left’ comfort zone. Perhaps nothing reflects this more than the leadership contender’s short-sighted clamour [...]
Streeting suggests North Sea drilling and NI cuts in latest pitch May 31, 2026 Former health secretary Wes Streeting has suggested cutting national insurance and issuing new North Sea oil drilling licenses as he continues to make his leadership pitch. In an interview with the Sunday Times, Streeting set out a series of policies ahead of a potential leadership contest expected within the coming months in Westminster, including drilling [...]
Burnham would end asylum hotel contracts if he was PM, allies say May 30, 2026 Andy Burnham would end the multibillion-pound asylum accommodation contracts if he became prime minister, according to allies of the Labour leadership hopeful. Since March, the Home Office has had the opportunity to trigger a break clause in the ten-year contracts it signed with three private companies which are responsible for sourcing accommodation. The clause allows [...]
Burnham hits back at Blair with more state control for ‘good growth’ May 29, 2026 Andy Burnham has called for stronger state intervention in the economy to deliver what he calls “good growth,” lashing back at Tony Blair’s blueprint for Labour’s future direction. The Greater Manchester mayor conceded areas of agreement with the three-time election winner — notably on the importance of economic growth— but accused Blair of a “gaping [...]
Tony Blair is the only sensible voice left in Labour May 28, 2026 After reading Tony Blair’s essay on the state of Britain (and the state of the Labour party) I was struck by the realisation that large parts of it sounded as if they’d come straight out of one of my own columns. Regular readers will know that I’ve often used this slot to point out the contradiction [...]
Tony Blair accuses Starmer of damaging economy by clinging to manifesto pledges May 27, 2026 Sir Tony Blair has taken a swipe at Sir Keir Starmer for sticking to campaign pledges from Labour’s 2024 manifesto, which he says are economically damaging and should have been dropped “right at the outset.” In a 5,000-word essay published by his think tank, Labour’s longest serving PM pointed out that Budgets put forward by [...]
London makes up more than a third of UK corporation tax receipts May 26, 2026 London accounts for more than a third of total corporation tax receipts across the UK, new data analysed by City AM has shown. Data shared by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has shown that London makes up around 36 per cent of total corporation tax income generated each year, highlighting the capital city’s dominance [...]
Labour has not delivered on planning reform, manufacturers say May 26, 2026 UK manufacturers have hit out at the country’s archaic planning system, claiming the Labour government has not delivered on stated aims to back builders over blockers. A new report from industry body Make UK found that almost half of manufacturers (46 per cent) believe the current planning system is still hampering the UK’s economic potential, [...]
Rachel Reeves oversees borrowing spike as benefits spending offsets tax haul May 22, 2026 Rachel Reeves oversaw a surge in borrowing in the first month of the financial year as April’s figures hit the highest since 2020 on higher benefit spend. Government borrowing – which marks the difference between total public sector spending and income – topped £24.3bn in April 2026, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). [...]
‘Economically reckless’ – Streeting calls for wealth tax ‘that works’ in pitch for leadership May 21, 2026 Wes Streeting has called for a “wealth tax that works” as the former health secretary sets out his stall ahead of an expected Labour leadership contest later this year. Streeting resigned from the cabinet earlier this month and has confirmed that he would stand in a contest to oust Sir Keir Starmer, though he has [...]