Explainer: Michael Gove’s plan for a new Conservative party February 28, 2023 If there’s one person who knows a thing or two about the Conservative party, that’s Michael Gove. Having covered senior positions in several different departments, and developed long-lasting policy in areas from farming to housing, he was well positioned to outline a vision for the “renewal” of his party earlier today at the centre-right think [...]
To dream up what can be done with the empty Debenhams, look at Hounslow February 28, 2023 Nine out of ten of the former Debenhams shops are still empty. Projects like The Loft in Hounslow show what could be achieved if these precious spaces were to be repurposed, writes Elena Siniscalco
Explainer: What’s inside Rishi Sunak’s Northern Ireland deal? February 27, 2023 As you’re reading this, Rishi Sunak and Ursula von der Leyen are getting ready for their joint presser in Windsor after their lunch-time “final talks” on the new deal for the Northern Ireland protocol. Sunak will then bring the news to his MPs with a statement in the Commons. A senior government source has confirmed [...]
Explainer: The rise of the humble turnip February 24, 2023 This week might be the first time the turnip made the headlines. The root vegetable was something to be “cherished”, according to environment secretary Therese Coffey, amid the current vegetable shortages. “A lot of people would be eating turnips right now rather than thinking necessarily about aspects of lettuce and tomatoes and similar”, she said. [...]
Explainer: If the middle class can’t afford electric cars, what about everyone else? February 23, 2023 Green innovation always had one big problem to grapple with: affordability. Healthy, organic food is great, but not as long as it’s affordable only for the privileged few clients of Planet Organic. A pair of sustainable socks can cost you up to £30. This is not to say that those who can afford to make [...]
Britain passing up £18bn economic boost due to ‘failure’ to build enough homes February 23, 2023 Britain is passing up on a near £18bn economic boost due to the government and businesses’ “failure to build enough new” homes, a former Tory housing minister has claimed today in a new report. Brandon Lewis, ex-housing and planning minister, in a foreword to a report by think tank Policy Exchange said decades of weak [...]
Explainer: Why Tony Blair and William Hague are calling for digital ID cards February 22, 2023 There are rare instances where the political divide narrows and people of opposite political colours come together and agree. Today is one of those days, as Tony Blair and William Hague join forces to urge the government to introduce digital ID. Blair and Hague are old-time frenemies. They faced each other at the ballot box [...]
Explainer: How the Conservatives lost the farmers’ vote February 21, 2023 The Conservatives have lost Britain’s farmers. In December, support for the Tories among farmers dropped to 42 per cent. For the first time in living memory, less than 50 per cent of the farming community said they would vote Conservative if there was an election tomorrow. In December 2021, that number was 57 per cent. [...]
The liar’s dividend of deepfake tech means we don’t trust what we can see February 21, 2023 Deepfake videos featuring everyone from Barack Obama to Tom Cruise are everywhere on social media. They could be fun memes - or they could be dangerous disinformation, writes Elena Siniscalco
Explainer: A solution – finally – in sight for the Northern Ireland protocol February 17, 2023 After countless back and forth and failed negotiations attempts on the Northern Ireland protocol, Rishi Sunak is in Belfast today to present the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) with a deal. If they accept it, we might have a solution by early next week. In the meantime, foreign secretary James Cleverly is in Brussels for meetings [...]
