Andrew Griffith: Burnham’s only belief is that the state knows best Opinion Andy Burnham has offered up a ten-year plan for socialism. Conservatives would do things differently, says Andrew Griffith I sat down to watch Andy Burnham’s conference speech on Tuesday with trepidation but a genuine interest in what he was going to lay out for people who create jobs, take risks in starting their own businesses [...]
The return of VAT-free shopping will boost Britain’s towns and cities Retail Britain has so much to offer. It is no surprise that more than forty million overseas visitors choose to visit our country every year. Walk down Bond Street in London or Princes Street in Edinburgh and you will see visitors from around the world drawn to some of our most iconic retailers. Our high streets [...]
Shadow Chancellor: 200,000 jobs have already been lost under Labour Opinion Labour’s economic policies are damaging the UK economy and driving up unemployment – only Conservatives can restore growth, says Andrew Griffith If the UK economy were a malfunctioning car, the dashboard would be lit up like a Christmas Tree. This morning’s labour market figures are the latest set of accounts for Labour’s economy, and I [...]
Here’s how to fix London listings July 23, 2026 We need a whole of government effort to halt Britain’s companies falling prey to overseas bids, says Andrew Griffith Mitie’s takeover by rival facilities management group OCS marks the London Stock Exchange’s eleventh £1bn takeover so far this year. That’s before the Prologis bid for Segro. The cry will go up about the London Stock [...]
Conservatives will slash the regulations holding the City back June 18, 2026 The reforms Kemi Badenoch announces today will see the end of ringfencing and the end of an unfair international disadvantage imposed through capital requirements set by regulators. This is only the start. We will go further, says Andrew Griffith If, like me, you left university to work in the city in the 1990s, you will [...]
Starmer’s steel tariffs are as hare-brained as Trump’s May 27, 2026 Contrary to supporting the industry, Starmer's steel tariffs will push manufacturing offshore and invite retaliatory EU action, writes Andrew Griffith.
The story of Keir Starmer’s failure is boringly familiar May 18, 2026 Keir Starmer’s fate was not brought about chiefly by his lack of personality. It was the predictable result of the economic conditions that have wracked Britain for almost two decades, a political system poorly attuned to fixing them, and more than a little of his own hubris, says Andrew Griffith Analysing why Keir Starmer failed [...]
The £4.2m CMA sledgehammer over drip pricing that is totally out of proportion April 17, 2026 There’s a particular kind of institutional vanity that mistakes noise for impact. It’s particularly prevalent in Whitehall and abundant especially in those – like many in our government today – who have only ever worked in the bureaucratic state or legal profession. The CMA’s triumphant announcement this week — it’s very first fine under the [...]
‘What do they have to hide?’ Ministers must not scrap regulatory watchdog March 16, 2026 The Regulatory Policy Committee keeps a close eye on government red tape, and scrapping it would be a serious mistake – says Andrew Griffith. Red tape is strangling British business. A survey just out from the Federation of Small Businesses has found small firms and entrepreneurs collectively spend 379 million hours a year complying with [...]
Rachel Reeves is acting like the mayor in Jaws – and small businesses are suffering January 19, 2026 The FTSE may be at an all-time high, but Reeves should not pretend all is calm when the waters are extremely choppy for small businesses, says Andrew Griffith Embattled ministers love good news to boast about on social media or in a TV studio, and this government’s most embattled minister, Rachel Reeves, is no exception. [...]
