Welfare reforms: What are the politics of Labour’s benefits changes? Politics Over the past few weeks, it’s been hard to avoid reports of the government preparing the ground for a string of changes to the UK’s welfare system. Call it kite flying, pitch rolling, or testing the waters, when work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall got to her feet in the House of Commons on Tuesday, [...]
Overhaul of planning barriers to nuclear power, Starmer announces Politics An overhaul of planning barriers to make it easier to build new nuclear power plants has been announced by Keir Starmer. The move will create thousands of highly skilled jobs, the government said, as the Prime Minister confirmed red tape would be “slashed” in a bid to fast-track approval of reactors. It is set to [...]
Courtroom challenges to planning decisions to be limited, No10 announce Politics Courtroom challenges to infrastructure planning decisions are set to be limited, No10 has announced in what they framed as a bid for growth. Attempts to challenge major infrastructure schemes via the judicial system, such as nuclear plants, train lines and windfarms, will be restricted, Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed. The Prime Minister said the measure, [...]
Lessons from the Gulag? Enemies of the people had entrepreneurial spirit January 8, 2025 A study mapping the link between gulags and regional growth in Russia can teach us something about reviving our own left behind towns.
Sport in 2025: A rallying cry to London, Mayor Khan and Londoners January 2, 2025 For at least the past five years it has felt as if London was disappearing off the global sporting stage. The capital may boast the Home of Cricket, 17 professional football clubs and five stadiums with a capacity of over 50,000 but huge sporting events have sought refuge in the likes of Saudi Arabia, the [...]
All hail Rayner, destroyer of NIMBYs December 10, 2024 Since Christmas is a time for hope, it’s worth appreciating the good news when we see it. The business community’s frustrations with Labour are well documented and easy to understand, but even its fiercest critics tend to concede that one area stands out as a bright spot in an economic landscape marred by tax increases: [...]
Mayor Khan bound to need to step in against NIMBYs over Twickenham plans October 8, 2024 London won against the capital’s NIMBYs when the GLA approved plans for Wimbledon’s expansion. And they’ll probably need to do the same when councils inevitably block the Rugby Football Union’s bid to host more events at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium. “London is the sporting capital of the world and this decision will not only ensure Wimbledon [...]
The great greying of the British right September 13, 2024 Why are none of the Conservative leadership candidates talking about the economy? It’s down to a self-fulfilling cycle of pandering to pensioners and alienating younger workers, says Kristian Niemietz The Tory Party’s leadership campaign has so far heavily focused on culture war issues. I don’t mean this in a pejorative way. We are in a [...]
John Lewis gets approval to build hundreds of homes in London July 26, 2024 Bromley council has greenlit a scheme to build more than 350 rental homes in partnership with John Lewis on a brownfield site in the area.
Move aside NIMBYs, there’s a new acronym: Britain is now a Banana economy June 25, 2024 You may have heard of NIMBYs blocking economic growth, but now there's a new acronym ready to slip up the UK's planning system - BANANA.