Autumn Budget 2026: ‘Steady as she goes’ is no good when the economy’s adrift Opinion John Healey avoided several icebergs but there are nasty storms on the horizon, says William Nixon The Chancellor opened his speech by claiming the Budget would help “steer” the UK’s economy through “global economic storms”. He can be commended for avoiding the twin icebergs of major new tax hikes and pre-Budget speculation that sank Rachel [...]
Debt-saddled grads ‘risk earning less than minimum wage’ five years after leaving uni Education For nearly half of all university courses, those in the bottom quarter of the cohort end up earning less than minimum wage five years on from graduating, according to a new report on the outcomes crisis in higher education. The think tank Policy Exchange has found that rampant grade inflation and an explosion in university [...]
Government is not lacking in nuclear ambition – so why is nothing happening? Opinion If you were to go by ministerial speeches, nuclear is at the heart of Britain's energy ambitions. So why is nothing happening?
14 charts reveal the massive challenges facing UK and NATO defence spending April 7, 2026 Defence spending is casting a shadow over Downing Street. Military officers are in a state of despair. The choices facing Sir Keir Starmer are stark. The political calculus for the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has become more complicated than ever as the Iran war puts public finances in danger. Their difficulties go back to February 2025 [...]
The £37bn public sector pension opportunity January 27, 2026 Unfunded public sector pensions amount to a £1,4 trillion liability to the taxpayer. there is a better way, says Ben Sweetman The UK’s public finances are under acute pressure. The government faces difficult choices, made tougher by our lack of growth. One of the largest components of the public sector’s future spending commitments is unfunded [...]
Save billions by reforming ‘unsustainable’ public sector pensions January 26, 2026 Moving new public sector employees onto defined contribution (DC) pension schemes could save taxpayers £37bn a year in the long run, a new report has found. The report, produced by Policy Exchange, argues that moving public sector workers onto a DC scheme would also send an “important signal” to the bond market that the government [...]
Squint hard enough and you can see signs of the AI bubble bursting November 13, 2025 Is the AI bubble bursting? Naturally, most eyes are on the movements of the world’s biggest tech firms – the OpenAIs, the Microsofts, the Nvidias. These are, after all, where a large share of AI investment has been deployed. But for the earliest tell-tale signs, it’s worth looking a lot further down the food chain. [...]
ESG-backed firms ‘fell twice as much’ as FTSE 100 in 2024 November 11, 2025 UK firms that gained approval from an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) ratings provider fell by twice as much as the FTSE 100 in 2024, researchers have said in a report spelling out the costs and problems companies face in complying with sustainability targets. Analysts at the right-leaning think tank Policy Exchange said firms incurred [...]
British taxpayers are picking up the tab for Ireland’s policy failures October 31, 2025 Ireland is squandering the benefits of its low-tax status by undermining American security interests. That’s a warning to Britain, says Ticiana Alencar Politicians and media often speak with confidence about the benefits of our ‘special relationship’ with the USA. Ireland has long counted on similar cultural ties– but, through their economic and foreign policy decisions, [...]
Up to £115bn government spending cuts ‘staring us in the face’ October 22, 2025 Around £115bn in cuts to government spending each year are “staring us in the face”, according to a new report, as Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces increasing pressure to regain control of the public finances. In a paper published by the think tank Policy Exchange, the Chancellor has been warned to prevent a “twin-pronged fiscal crisis” [...]