Britain’s problem isn’t too much Thatcherism, but too little Opinion Margaret Thatcher remains a bogeyman for Andy Burnham and the British left despite having left Downing Street 35 years ago, but their critiques are wide of the mark, says Emma Revell Everyone has someone or something they blame when things get tough. Astrology girlies use the position of Mercury to absolve themselves of any responsibility [...]
London doesn’t need more social housing, it needs more housing full stop Opinion Andy Burnham’s plan for a huge social housebuilding programme will be expensive and won’t solve the root cause of the housing crisis: we just haven’t built enough houses, says Emma Revell Andy Burnham isn’t letting a little thing like constitutional reality get in the way of starting his premiership with some big announcements. The de [...]
‘Downright offensive’: Southwark council slammed for blocking 900 homes Property Southwark council has been blasted for celebrating the blocking of an 867-home development on the site of a Peckham shopping centre. The local authority hailed a “great day for Peckham” after housebuilder Berkeley failed to overturn a ruling against the development, which would have delivered retail, leisure and commercial space alongside the hundreds of homes. [...]
Reeves rent freeze: How did Chancellor turn to a Mamdani-style policy controversy? April 28, 2026 Reports of plans in Downing Street for a rent freeze came as a shock after a housing minister said Labour opposes the policy. Felix Armstrong explores why rent controls stoke so much controversy, from New York to Sweden. Rumours that Rachel Reeves is considering slapping a freeze on private rents shocked the property market on [...]
‘Entirely avoidable’: Build-to-rent housebuilding slows as London planning wait doubles April 15, 2026 The construction of build-to-rent homes in Britain is in danger of grinding to a halt as the planning wait for London homes has almost doubled in this decade. The number of build-to-rent homes under construction has fallen for the ninth consecutive quarter, according to data shared exclusively with City AM. The government has pledged to [...]
Bribing firms to hire us is an insult to young workers like me March 19, 2026 The government’s plans to subsidise companies to hire young workers is a sticking plaster over the self-inflicted wound that is youth unemployment, says Oliver Dean Pat McFadden, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, recently announced that the government will launch a £1bn scheme to shift young people away from unemployment and welfare and [...]
Labour talked big, but London housing starts are worst since WW2 January 13, 2026 Labour may have talked big on housing and planning reform, but the figures don't lie, writes Emma Revell.
Labour ‘quietly hammering’ workers as pensioners benefit, think tank warns January 2, 2026 The Labour government is “quietly hammering” workers following the Autumn Budget’s stealth tax raid while pensioners and those on benefits are set to enjoy a jump in income, a think tank has said. In the November Budget, Rachel Reeves extended the freeze on income tax thresholds until 2031 – a move which is viewed as [...]
‘Fiscal rules’ have made Budgets a farce November 26, 2025 Chancellors increasingly make policy not on economic grounds, but to satisfy the letter of their own self-imposed fiscal rules, writes Ayushma Maharjan.
Reform’s lessons from the Lib Dems in what not to do September 24, 2025 There’s more to the Lib Dems than Ed Davey’s ridiculous stunts. If Nigel Farage wants to turn his polling lead into lasting power he would do well to learn from their effective ground game – as well as their mistakes, says Emma Revell Reform UK is riding so high at the moment, pollsters might have [...]