Supermarkets round on Aldi and Lidl over ‘rigged’ system Retail A host of leading British supermarkets have rounded on German discounters Aldi and Lidl over fears competition is being “distorted” by a “rigged” system. Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Iceland are ramping up pressure on the competition watchdog to crack down on Aldi and Lidl’s ability to block rivals from opening new stores on nearby land. The [...]
Rachel Reeves plots ‘growth push’ as Labour set for bruising elections Economics Rachel Reeves is plotting another “growth push” as the Labour party prepares itself for a potentially bruising defeat in the local elections. The Chancellor is set to unveil a new push for fiscal discipline, a closer relationship with the EU and planning reforms in a bid to ease the nerves of the party. The forthcoming [...]
Why old ladies mean your house has tiny windows Opinion Guidance dictating that windows must be of a size that means ’95 per cent of the elderly female population’ could clean them without stretching is just one example of the millions of rules holding Britain back, says Tom Harwood Once you start to notice how pokey windows are on most new builds, you won’t be [...]
Why is phone signal so bad in London? Planning, of course April 9, 2026 Outdated planning laws that mean that dictate a pointless three-antenna limit on every phone mast are holding back progress, says Maxwell Marlow You may not believe it, but you can get a better signal at the top of Machu Picchu than you can standing outside of the Bank of England. I believe it. I was [...]
Ministers should ‘stop managing scarcity’ in living standards push March 5, 2026 Government policy should concentrate on reducing the cost of essentials to help improve living standards for lower-to-middle income households, according to a new report from Bright Blue. The centre-right think tank argued that policy should focus on lowering energy costs and improving housing affordability, two areas where the UK performs particularly poorly compared to international [...]
Britain’s growth slumps and the Business Secretary scratches his head February 4, 2026 Having spent another day wading through the Epstein-Mandelson email traffic I was going to write another column about how unbelievably grubby the revelations are, but it’s too depressing. So, I thought I’d focus on something more cheerful; the latest downgrades to the UK’s economic growth forecasts. On his visit to China alongside the PM, the [...]
High Court showdown over alleged ‘procedural irrationality’ in Gatwick runway £2.2bn approval January 20, 2026 The Secretary of State has been accused of reaching “inherently contradictory and irrational” conclusions by finding Gatwick’s second runway would have a “significant adverse effect” on the climate, the High Court heard this morning. The transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, greenlit plans for Gatwick Airport’s second runway, the Northern Runway, in September. This was “the largest [...]
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.
James Cameron-backed Marlow Film Studios approved November 26, 2025 Plans for a £750m film studio in Buckinghamshire, which are backed by the likes of James Cameron, have been given the green light by the government. The proposals for Marlow Film Studios were initially turned down by Buckinghamshire County Council last year citing concerns about the project’s impact on the green belt, particularly its potential [...]
Councils face exodus of planners in threat to housebuilding goals November 18, 2025 One in five UK planners intends to leave the field or retire by 2028, in another significant threat to the government’s housebuilding target, according to new data. Nearly two-thirds of planners said their teams lacked the capacity to meet demand, according to the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). The RTPI has warned that the exodus [...]