Starmer’s defence pledges will trigger a tax bombshell June 3, 2025 Here’s a cracker of a pub quiz question for you: what links mega-rich non-doms, nuclear-powered submarines, congestion in Wigan and the Bank of England’s former chief economist? The answer, as so often appears to be the case, is tax. On the day that Keir Starmer unveiled a Strategic Defence Review that calls for nearly £70bn [...]
Don’t rely on the FCA to stamp out toxic workplace culture June 3, 2025 City bosses shouldn't wait for the FCA to stamp out toxic workplace behaviour, writes Lucy McNulty in today's Notebook.
London Tech Week is a chance to take the lead on AI June 3, 2025 Rapid advancements in AI – if matched by agile government policy, infrastructure investment, and responsible adoption across both private and public sectors – presents a transformative opportunity for the UK, says Leon Butler The pace of change in technology is moving faster than it ever has – but slower than it ever will. This presents [...]
Google is getting AI wrong June 3, 2025 Google’s AI strategy, though technically impressive, lacks the cohesive vision, enterprise-grade stability, and governance needed to earn long-term trust from businesses navigating the AI era, says Paul Armstrong Google’s I/O 2025 event was a spectacle of AI announcements, unveiling more than 100 updates across its product ecosystem. From the introduction of Veo 3, a generative [...]
Don’t forget the arts when it comes to R&D spending June 3, 2025 The UK’s creative economy is worth more than our life sciences, aerospace and automotive industries combined, says Hetan Shah UK productivity growth has been woeful since the financial crash and the economy is about a fifth smaller than it would have been had the trend in productivity growth continued after 2007. The Chancellor has a [...]
Repeat after me: Working from home is NOT an ideology June 2, 2025 When work from home becomes a question of culture, not practicality, we have completely lost the point, writes Eliot Wilson.
Canada must embrace its friendship with Saudi Arabia June 2, 2025 By working together, the UK cannot only help Saudi Arabia realise its ambitious vision but also secure new growth for both nations, writes Alastair King.
AI will spell the end of photography May 31, 2025 In focusing on art as a product, we overlook the artist’s role — AI isn’t just a tool, it’s a dangerous force that threatens to erase human creativity, intent, and presence from art entirely, says Andy Blackmore Reading Lewis Liu’s essay on Marcel Duchamp’s impact on the artistic world, arguing that art is simply a [...]
Reform’s plans to scrap next zero would cost investors and push up taxes May 30, 2025 Far from saving money, Reform’s plans to scrap net zero would deter private investment that is already committed and cost more in the long-run. Proof, if it were needed, that Nigel Farage’s party has abandoned all pretence at economic credibility, says Sam Hall With his announcements on benefits this week, Nigel Farage has abandoned any [...]
Starmer’s EU deal risks stifling the UK’s thriving gene editing sector May 30, 2025 Aligning with EU on genetically modified food and agricultural products will create a regulatory cliffedge for a sector which has investors queuing and in which Britain has the chance to lead the world, says Matthew Bowles Last week, Sir Keir Starmer unveiled plans that could risk quietly derailing one of Britain’s fastest-growing scientific sectors, all [...]