By: Simon Clarke

Sir Simon Clarke director of Onward, the centre-right thinktank. He previously served as chief secretary to the treasury and secretary of state for levelling up.

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Tired of London: Why is the capital losing hope?

February 12, 2025

City dwellers tend to be more optimistic about their neighbourhood than those who live in town but, worryingly, London is bucking the trend. We all have a stake in our capital’s success. So what’s going wrong? Asks Simon Clarke “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life”. Samuel Johnson’s famous aphorism [...]
Heathrow expansion will test whether Labour are serious about growth

January 29, 2025

Keir Starmer’s Damascene conversion to a third runway at Heathrow, which he previously voted against, is welcome. But if he’s serious he will need to take decisive steps to curb the blockers’ tactics – in particular, by reforming judicial review, says Sir Simon Clarke “Congratulations to the climate campaigners. There is no more important challenge [...]
No Conservative should stand for Britain in decline

January 16, 2025

With persistent inflation, Conservatives exhausted and a Labour government with no ideas, the ghosts of the 1970s have returned to haunt Britain. Now, just as then, a comprehensive reboot of the right is required, says Sir Simon Clarke We live in a time of ghosts. The spirits of the 1970s are stirring across the UK, [...]
Rishi Sunak says tax cuts are a fairy tale, but he is chasing a Sleeping Beauty fantasy

July 19, 2022

TIMES are tough. We need a bold plan to tackle the cost of living and get growth going. I have heard my friend Rishi Sunak argue that this is not the time to cut taxes, despite people facing the heaviest burden since the 1940s. With all due respect to the former chancellor, he is acting [...]

Close Brothers set for £320m motor finance hit as it eyes legal rows

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The Lake District but thrilling, with yacht trips and 4×4 off-roading

By: Simon Clarke

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