Explainer: An increasingly short temper for Just Stop Oil protesters May 25, 2023 The number of climate protests up and down the country, but especially in London, is undoubtedly increasing. Today, three Just Stop Oil activists were arrested after throwing orange powder all over one of the gardens on display at the Chelsea Flower Show. This week and last, Just Stop Oil protesters have been conducting slow marches [...]
Sadiq Khan: London councils need more power to take back empty properties May 23, 2023 The Mayor of London has today called on the government to devolve powers to local councils so they can set higher rates of council tax on vacant properties. It comes as part of a bid to bring back empty flats and houses to the struggling London market. “It’s a scandal that so many much-needed homes [...]
Don’t believe the hysteria, landlords will barely pay a penny for rent reforms May 23, 2023 The new renters' rights laws attracted criticism because some argued they would drive landlords out of the market. Yet that is a misguided way of looking at these much-needed laws, writes Elena Siniscalco
Explainer: How Rishi Sunak is trying to strike a balance on AI regulation May 19, 2023 World leaders’ meetings like the G7, taking place in Japan right now, are not only about cringy photo ops and bilateral diplomatic statements. They’re also an opportunity for politicians to set out strategies and deliver messages to their foreign counterparts and their own domestic audience. Rishi Sunak has proven a sleek player on the foreign [...]
Explainer: Who will pay £10bn to fix the sewage scandal? May 18, 2023 Imagine some multi-billion company was throwing untreated sewage into your local river, then got caught, said they were sorry, and asked you to pay to clean it up. Welcome to Britain in 2023. Water UK, the industry body for water companies, today apologised for all the raw sewage spillages, and committed £10bn to be spent [...]
Explainer: Keir Starmer picks housing as his trump card May 17, 2023 Today Keir Starmer was on a mission to steal the spotlight from Michael Gove’s new laws on renters’ rights. As the Levelling Up Secretary was bringing his much-delayed Bill to Parliament, the leader of the Opposition was on a broadcast marathon to outline his plan for housing. “We’re gonna back the builders, not the blockers”, [...]
Renters to get more rights under sweeping new legislation after multiple delays May 17, 2023 A new bill that will bolster renters’ rights will be tabled in Parliament today after being delayed multiple times. The Renters’ Reform Bill will abolish “no-fault” evictions, which allow landlords to end tenancies without having to establish fault on the part of the tenant. The bill will also expand the Decent Homes Standard – which [...]
To win younger voters, Labour needs to weed out the anti-housing nimbys May 16, 2023 Labour wants to portray itself as the party of housing. But to succeed, Keir Starmer will have to manage nymbies on his backbenches, showing he's serious about building new homes, writes Elena Siniscalco
Explainer: Rishi Sunak goes further with military support for Ukraine May 15, 2023 The United Kingdom has been holding a leading role in gathering Western support for Ukraine since Russia’s invasion. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy used to call Boris Johnson “a true friend” and praised him even in his last days as prime minister. Johnson was, indeed, the most vocal supporter of Zelenskyy, and took leadership in ensuring [...]
Explainer: After the political spats with Italy and the UK, what is France’s strategy on migration? May 12, 2023 Who loves a diplomatic row? Surely France, especially when it comes to migration. After endless squabbles with the UK over pretty much everything related to the Channel, Emmanuel Macron’s government has just finished having a punchy exchange with the Italian right-wing government of Giorgia Meloni. The drama started unfolding last week. The French interior minister [...]
