By: Eliot Wilson

Eliot Wilson is a writer, commentator and contributing editor at Defence On The Brink. He was formerly a clerk in the House of Commons and writes regularly on politics, defence and international security, and Parliament and the constitution, including for The Spectator, The Hill, The i Paper and CapX

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On This Day in 1831: America’s first recorded bank heist

March 19, 2026

It stands as an archetypal heist: a pair of canny, hardened criminals; a simple but daring plan; a dogged law enforcement official and the tantalising mystery of the missing $63,000. The first bank robbery in America recorded in any detail had set the standard for a whole genre, says Eliot Wilson Have you ever wondered [...]
Why The Omen is still terrifying as it celebrates its 50th birthday

March 17, 2026

One suspects that, for a lot of people outside the hard core of horror fans, The Omen is one of those films they think they’ve seen and of which they recognise snippets. Some (guilty) will occasionally break into a ropey Gregory Peck impersonation and demand “What do you know about my son?” The film is [...]
Britain’s problem isn’t too few ministers, it’s too much government

March 17, 2026

A little scrutinised bill will allow the government to put even more ministers on the payroll, laments Eliot Wilson Yesterday, behind the impenetrable shield of public indifference, the House of Commons will take all stages of the Ministerial Salaries (Amendment) Bill. It was introduced without fanfare on Thursday 5 March and received the ritual First [...]
Whether Trump is right or wrong, peace with Iran was never on the table

March 9, 2026

Donald Trump seems to have no idea whether his war with Iran is about nuclear capabilities or regime change, but what’s certain is that the brutal theocracy is a threat to Britain, says Eliot Wilson “War, what is it good for?” asked Edwin Starr. He answered his own question: “absolutely nothing”. There are shareholders of [...]
On This Day: Adam Smith publishes The Wealth of Nations

March 9, 2026

Today in 1776, 250 years ago, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations was published, discovering rather than inventing the principle that free trade and efficient division of labour create general prosperity making the world richer, writes Eliot Wilson Adam Smith was 52 and had spent most of the preceding [...]
Starmer is in denial over defence spending

March 3, 2026

Keir Starmer’s dither and delay on defence spending is leaving Britain vulnerable in uncertain times, says Eliot Wilson Trades unions have no monopoly on wisdom. They are advocates for the interests of their members, and they have been wrong just as often as government or big business over the years. But on this occasion, Sharon [...]
On this day: the nationalisation of the Bank of England

March 1, 2026

The Bank of England Act 1946 came into effect 80 years ago today, formalising a compact and a degree of cooperation between the Bank and the Treasury which had been developing for years, writes Eliot Wilson The Bank of England is the second-oldest central bank in the world. Only the Sveriges Riksbank in Stockholm, which [...]
On this day: The collapse of Barings Bank

February 26, 2026

On 26 February 1995, 31 years ago today, Baring Bank, one of the City’s most venerable institutions, was declared insolvent after a massive fraud by one of its employees, Nick Leeson, recalls Eliot Wilson In the 1990s, following the wake of Big Bang and the influx of brash but wealthy, “Greed is good, greed is [...]
What really makes a London members’ club work?

February 25, 2026

Creating a successful private members’ club is hard. If it weren’t, everyone would do it, and the Hospital Club and the House of St Barnabas would still be in operation. Yet new contenders keep emerging, each proclaiming its unique offering which will be the key to its survival and prosperity. Later this year a new [...]
The Monarchy will survive Andrew’s arrest

February 23, 2026

If Andrew is found guilty of misconduct, or if he is proven somehow to be a sexual predator of the worst kind, the law will take its course, as the King has indicated. Embarrassing? Undoubtedly. But not terminal, says Eliot Wilson It was an historic event. At 8am last Thursday, his 66th birthday, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor [...]

Kemi Badenoch can still woo the City

Hydration breaks: World Cup ad cost could eclipse Super Bowl’s $7m price tag

Bowls Club is the City’s most eccentric (and brilliant) pop-up

By: Eliot Wilson

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