Have developed countries discovered the ideal corporate tax rate? June 26, 2025 International tax was once a veritable jungle of exotic regimes, but now many jurisdictions seem to have settled on a natural equilibrium of around 25 per cent, says Tim Sarson An interesting and rather consequential piece of tax policy from the new German coalition government might have slipped under your radar recently – they are [...]
How thriving, free-market Hong Kong came under the boot of communist China June 26, 2025 What began on this day in 1843 ended in a strange form of decolonisation. The UK handed over a territory to China, not by popular demand, but to abide by international treaties, knowing that to the other side such agreements were worthless, says Eliot Wilson If you have any real memory of the handover of [...]
Have we crossed the AI event horizon? June 26, 2025 Despite Sam Altman’s claims that we’ve crossed the AI “event horizon,” the reality is that today’s models remain far behind human intelligence in scale, flexibility, efficiency and learning, says Lewis Liu Sam Altman is currently peddling the “gentle singularity“, claiming we are already “past the event horizon” for AI – at the point where the [...]
Don’t let ticket resale price caps ruin the party this festival season June 25, 2025 Misguided plans to cap regulated resale of tickets for live events will be a gift to unscrupulous touts, says Bob Kupbens The numbers are in – and they’re alarming. Home Office figures just released point to a huge increase in officially reported losses in fraud from ticket sales. And crucially, half of the £1.6m total [...]
Contradiction at the heart of National Security Strategy June 25, 2025 The situation in the Middle East reminds us that these are volatile times and as the war in Ukraine grinds on, an unpredictable US President heads to the Hague for a crucial Nato summit where the security of Europe is on the table. At home, the government has published its National Security Strategy which concludes [...]
The Debate: Is it okay to wear shorts to the office? June 25, 2025 In the midst of a heatwave, it's time to ask the big question: is it permissible to wear shorts to the office? Our writers battle it out.
Net zero levy cuts are just tinkering at the edges June 25, 2025 The Industrial Strategy contains bold ambitions for cutting energy prices. Yet, for all the glossy presentation, the underlying thinking remains the same: a conviction that Whitehall can shape markets more effectively than the market itself, says Emmanuel Igwe We have learned through history that real progress emerges not from the bureaucratic designs of government but [...]
James Reed: UK jobs market is among worst I’ve ever seen June 25, 2025 After 35 consecutive months of decline, the UK jobs market is unlike anything in the past few decades, writes James Reed.
Industrial strategy shows Labour has a long-term plan for growth June 25, 2025 One year into office, the Labour government faces a challenging economic landscape, but its new industrial strategy signals a serious, long-term commitment to addressing the UK’s productivity issues and unlocking economic growth through stronger partnerships with the private sector, says Claire Ainsley Next week will be one year of the Labour government, and it just [...]
A non-dom tax U-turn could revive prime London property June 25, 2025 Prime property in areas like Mayfair and Belgravia is currently going for as little as £1,800 per square foot, but reversing inheritance tax on global assets could re-establish London’s appeal to the world’s rich, says Edward Matthews Reports that Rachel Reeves is considering reversing the requirement for overseas high net worth individuals (HNWI) to pay [...]