Venezuela proves farce of political forecasting January 6, 2026 If history teaches us anything, it's that political forecasters almost always get it wrong. Just look at Venezuela, writes Paul Ormerod.
Starmer promised to ‘rewire the state’ so why is the civil service bigger? January 6, 2026 Civil service headcount has reached a 20-year high, bigger than it was during Brexit or Covid. Yet more proof that this Prime Minister’s only belief is in bigger government, says Eliot Wilson When Sir Keir Starmer appointed a new cabinet secretary and head of the civil service at the end of 2024, he made a [...]
UK economy showing signs of ‘zombie apocalypse,’ says think tank January 5, 2026 The UK economy faces a “zombie apocalypse” in the coming year, as years of tough trading conditions force thousands of unproductive firms to the wall, an influential left-leaning think tank has predicted. The Resolution Foundation forecasts a “triple whammy” of multi-year increases in interest rates, energy prices and the minimum wage will lead to the [...]
Fines for uninsured drivers could rise under new plans January 4, 2026 Uninsured drivers may face higher fines and tougher penalties under new government plans to improve road safety and reduce the cost of car insurance. Under current rules, an uninsured driver may face a £300 fine and six points on their licence, which is less than the average annual insurance premium. The government is seeking to [...]
Starmer: I’ll still be prime minister going into 2027 January 4, 2026 Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has insisted he will still leading the country this time next year, dismissing concerns about his leadership, despite growing rumours about challenges within the party. The Labour leader said that frequent leadership changes were not in the national interest, taking note of the “chopping and changing” of prime minister under [...]
Starmer: UK not involved in Venezuela strikes January 3, 2026 Prime Minister Keir Starmer has confirmed the UK was “not involved” in the US military strikes on Venezuela or the capture of Nicolas Maduro earlier this morning. Speaking to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, Starmer said: “I haven’t [spoken to President Trump] and it’s obviously a fast-moving situation. We need to establish all the facts. “What [...]
Embracing elective dictatorship could save Starmer January 2, 2026 Starmer's government should be the most powerful in the West. To save the Labour party he must remember that in 2026, writes John McTernan.
Activity in UK’s embattled manufacturing sector hits 15-month high January 2, 2026 The UK’s embattled manufacturing sector took another small step towards recovery at the end of 2025 thanks to an influx of new orders. The latest UK Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) from S&P Global UK hit a 15-month high as the industry continued to grow for the second consecutive month. The PMI reading hit 50.6, up [...]
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 [...]
Britain lost one pub a day in 2025 December 31, 2025 One pub a day closed its doors in 2025 as businesses were forced to battle mounting cost pressures and an increasingly heavy tax burden. Fresh analysis from global tax firm Ryan showed 366 pubs were demolished or converted for other uses in the last 12 months. Since 2020, nearly 2,000 pubs have closed for good, [...]