Between rumours that its current lead might have been planning an early exit, plummeting viewing figures and seemingly never-ending criticism that ‘Doctor Who’ has gone woke, there is a low-level murmur of online speculation that the BBC might be about to, or indeed should call time on the long-running show. If the TARDIS’ current inhabitant […]
Following in a fine tradition of set-piece conferences which have hosted world leaders, leading academics, senior policymakers and journalists, the Centre for Policy Studies will next year host the Margaret Thatcher Conference on remaking conservatism. To some people, the idea of remaking conservatism is an oxymoron. Conservatism is about retaining the best of what has […]
Throughout the 20th century, Britain was a country of net emigration and then one of low net immigration. But after 1997, the number of people arriving started to accelerate dramatically. And since the new immigration system came into effect in 2021, numbers have accelerated even further, to unprecedented levels. While the public imagination is preoccupied […]
Whenever you talk to young people about generational inequality, there is one topic that comes up again and again. But once they’ve finished complaining about the housing market, they will soon get on to the topic of higher education. And no matter what path they pursued, they are likely to feel ripped off. If they […]
When you think of freedom what comes to mind? A peaceful image of a bird flying free of its cage. Sunrise on a new day. Maybe freedom is more concrete and harder to visualise – freedom from fear, freedom to live life the way you want to, freedom to own your own home. Maybe you […]
Robert ‘The Milkman’ Milkins and ‘Gentleman’ Joe Perry had barely dusted their cue-tips before two intrepid eco-warriors decided the tension of the opening round of the snooker World Championships at Sheffield’s greatest theatre wasn’t enough for them and decided to spice things up a bit. Usually known for their love of all things green, these […]
Imagine investing your money in an account which promised to target 3.5% returns but when the annual statement comes it has actually generated 6.6%. Now imagine that investment also helped create over one million jobs, fostered economic growth across emerging markets, and bolstered economic growth in democracies across the globe. Probably a little bit beyond […]
Rishi Sunak has been sharing details of his early career, telling us about the importance of mentoring when he was a young banker at Goldman Sachs. Strong relationships, he says, are essential to career development and can stand you in good stead throughout your working life. This is just the latest in a series of […]
Live local and prosper. No, not a NIMBY Spock, but Boris Johnson. Setting out a key pillar of the upcoming Queen’s Speech, the Prime Minister has responded to last week’s electoral victories in left-behind Britain/the Red Wall by doubling down on his manifesto promises to level up Britain by increasing the amount of well-paid work […]
Rumours have been flying – unlike the rest of us – about whether or not the UK government is going to introduce vaccine passports. Dominic Raab has suggested individual shops and restaurants could decide for themselves whether to ask for proof of vaccination before allowing people to access their services. At the same time the […]
When a politician makes a statement via Twitter on a Saturday evening, you know things are not going well. Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford finally seems to have read the room and realised some elements of his special “fire-break” lockdown are not terribly sensible. For starters, he went rogue – or as a friend currently […]
Lockdown 2.0 has been delayed again. Despite rumours the Government was gearing up to shut us all in our homes again – just for two weeks this time, promise! – Boris Johnson has instead announced compulsory masks for retail staff, a 15-person limit for weddings and a 10pm curfew for the hospitality sector, all in […]
Somewhat unbelievably, after eight long months, today we will finally discover the identity of the next leader of the Liberal Democrats. Hold the front page. Barely a year and a half go the party were riding high off the back of their incredible success in the European Parliament elections, sweeping the board in London and […]
After weeks of Saturdays sat twiddling our thumbs in the living room, staring blankly at the TV and pining after Jeff Stelling, the wait is finally over. Football is back. But one thing that hasn’t returned is the 3pm blackout rule. Since the 1960s it has been illegal in the UK to broadcast live football […]
If the front page of today’s Times is to be believed, Boris Johnson’s brush with death has led to a Damascene conversion. The man who said sugar taxes wouldn’t be raised while he was Prime Minister is said to have been so shaken by his coronavirus-induced trip to ICU – the condition is thought to […]
The Government has today announced a new programme, First Homes, which will give first time buyers a whopping 30% discount on the price of a new home. The Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government believes the discount on the average newly-built home in England would be £94,000. With discounts like that, it’s no wonder […]
Among the maelstrom of election news stories that broke yesterday was one that will be music to the ears of many free-marketeers. Responding to a question from a member of the public, Boris Johnson said that the BBC licence fee should be “looked at” and questioned how “justified” the current funding model from “a general tax” could be in the long term. […]
It’s a dark day for Londoners. Uber – the ride-hailing app which launched in the city in 2012 and has since revolutionised transport across the world’s major cities – has been handed an effective ban from operating in the capital by Transport for London. Hope is not completely lost for the millions of people who […]
The announcement of a winter election hasn’t exactly translated to election fever sweeping the nation, more the Westminster bubble plunging into a polling-induced fatigue. Nevertheless, all of the UK is heading to the ballot box in December, and with the inevitable, yearly NHS winter crisis on the horizon, the health service is even more likely […]
Imagine a male MP, writing in the Daily Telegraph, begs his colleagues to come together and form an emergency all-male cabinet to push through Brexit because women are too accommodating and won’t be firm and bullish enough to stand up to European leaders and demand a good deal for Britain. It is widely known men […]
