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: Britain pays off its debt to America

December 29, 2025

On 29 December 2006, the government paid its final instalment of its post-war loan repayments to America, writes Eliot Wilson Nineteen years ago today, on 29 December 2006, the recently appointed Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Ed Balls, made an historic announcement. The government was paying the final instalment of the loan given by the [...]
It’ll be stonely this Christmas

December 25, 2025

On Christmas day in 1950, Scottish nationalists stole the Stone of Destiny from Westminster Abbey, recalls Eliot Wilson The winter of 1950-51 was cold and savage for Britain, still tending its wounds from the Second World War. At the general election in February 1950, Clement Attlee’s reforming Labour government had remained in office – but [...]
What I have learned from eight years of sober Christmas

December 22, 2025

The last time I had alcohol on Christmas Day was 2017, at the age of 40. This year will mark—excuse me while I count on my fingers—my eighth sober Christmas, enough to make a statistically valid sample. So I thought I would distill any wisdom I’ve gathered from the two slopes of the mountain into [...]
On this day in 1783: A 24-year-old is made British Prime Minister

December 19, 2025

In 1783, the King needed a fifth Prime Minister in two years. Despite the doubts of some, he turned to William Pitt, then 24, to turn the country around.
Labour is weaponising public inquries

December 15, 2025

The UK has a record number of public inquiries, but the government appears to approve them selectively — embracing those that blame ideological opponents while delaying or resisting those that might implicate current ministers, writes Eliot Wilson Do you know how many public inquiries are currently taking place or agreed in the UK? I’ll tell [...]
On this day: the arrest of Bernie Madoff

December 11, 2025

On 11th December 2008, financier Bernie Madoff was arrested for the biggest Ponzi scheme in history, writes Eliot Wilson The 1990s had been an economic boom time for much of the West, with America growing at more than three per cent a year. It seemed as if the post-Cold War world might be one of [...]
Reform UK and the Conservatives: a coalition of the unwilling?

December 8, 2025

How credible are rumours of a deal between Reform UK and the Conservatives to “unite the right”? Asks Eliot Wilson Last week, The Financial Times reported that Nigel Farage had told donors some kind of understanding between Reform UK and the Conservative Party before the next general election was “inevitable”. Whether a “merger”, a “pact” [...]
On this day: Enron files for bankruptcy

December 2, 2025

On This Day in 2001, Enron, once considered America’s most innovative company collapsed, writes Eliot Wilson It’s hard to remember an economic boom now, but the last decade of the 20th century was exactly that for the United States. Annual growth was 3.5 per cent, the jobless total fell until there was nigh on full [...]
Trial by jury is too important to be left to David Lammy

December 2, 2025

David Lammy is seeking to solve a shortage of resources in the justice system by fundamentally rewriting the legal and constitutional framework of England and Wales. That’s deeply wrong, argues Eliot Wilson The headline in The Times last week was extraordinary: “Jury trials to be scrapped except for alleged rapists and killers”. A memorandum from [...]
On this day: The resignation of Margaret Thatcher

November 28, 2025

On 28 November 1990, Margaret Thatcher left Downing Street for the last time, leaving the United Kingdom in a very,very much better state than when she came there, writes Eliot Wilson I doubt I am alone in remembering the day clearly, though I had only recently turned 13. Margaret Thatcher gave a short and emotional [...]

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By: Eliot Wilson

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