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: The death of JP Morgan

March 31, 2026

Today in 1913, John Pierpoint Morgan died in Rome having saved the United States from financial catastrophe not once but twice, writes Eliot Wilson Today in 1913, in Rome’s Grand Plaza Hotel, a 75-year-old American died in his sleep. He was a big man, 6’2” and heavyset, with sharp, unsettling eyes and a purple, swollen [...]
It’s time for Farage to choose between a big and small state

March 30, 2026

Reform UK can’t duck the tough choices any longer, says Eliot Wilson Some had hailed it as a symbol of a new era of politics: when Reform UK issued its manifesto for the 2024 general election, with its impressive strike rate of eight photographs of Nigel Farage in a slender 28 pages, it included a [...]
A hundred not out… yet: Why Veeraswamy is in trouble

March 25, 2026

Veeraswamy, the Michelin-starred Indian restaurant on Regent Street, celebrated its centenary on 18 March. But it has found itself in the headlines for other reasons recently: glowingly reviewed by City AM’s own Adam Bloodworth two years ago, it is now in dispute with its landlord, the Crown Estate. Campaigners have even called for the King [...]
On This Day : the birth of ‘Mr Five Per Cent’ Calouste Gulbenkian

March 23, 2026

Today in 1869, the man who would go on to shape global oil markets was born in Turkey, writes Eliot Wilson Conflict in the Persian Gulf continues to seethe, threatening a global energy crisis. The Middle East is so synonymous with oil that it is easy to think the world was always this way, that [...]
What is the long-term plan for the Strait of Hormuz?

March 23, 2026

The disruption of the critical Strait of Hormuz by Iran has created a major global energy crisis that requires a high-risk military solution – but the West currently lacks both the determination and a coherent long-term plan. says Eliot Wilson Today is a red-letter day for Middle East navigational hazard enthusiasts: five years ago, at [...]
Claudia Winkleman’s new chat show is here… So what happened to the great British talk show?

March 19, 2026

When Claudia Winkleman announced last October that she would be leaving her hosting duties on Strictly Come Dancing at the end of the series, it was no surprise that the BBC was keen to hold on to her. Strictly… might not be the ratings behemoth of 10 years ago but it still pulls in more [...]
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 [...]

Puregym to double new gym openings in second half of year

What I’ve learned about English cricket finances in seven weeks chairing Sussex

Golf, events and bags of nostalgia at Newport’s Celtic Manor

By: Eliot Wilson

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