Shabana Mahmood should seize control of the Met police from failing Khan December 11, 2025 The Metropolitan Police’s inability to effectively fight crime is down to dysfunctional accountability system under the Mayor of London. The Home Secretary should step in to get the force back to fighting crime and keeping Londoners safe, says David Spencer “In London, the Met rules the streets”. That’s what I was told over 20 years [...]
Environment secretary: I will fix the water sector December 10, 2025 This government will reform the water sector to provide stability for investors and confidence for customers, says Emma Reynolds It’s no secret that our rivers, lakes and seas are in dire need of attention. There has been a whole system failure from water companies to regulators, underpinned by short-term thinking and a lack of strategic [...]
Labour believes success is something to be ashamed of December 10, 2025 Two successive Budgets have done unspeakable damage to small and medium sized firms across the country, but the government does not seem keen to reserve the punishment for set piece fiscal events, says John O’Connell After the relentless pre-Budget leaks was the catastrophic event itself. Then came the forensic analysis of who knew what when [...]
Will Andrew Bailey be Santa or Scrooge this Christmas? December 10, 2025 The Notebook, where the City’s movers and shakers have their say, Today it’s Susannah Streeter with the pen Christmas spirit seems to have spread a lot faster this year. I’ve never seen so many trees up in windows quite so early and there seem to be more lights twinkling in the streets. After months of [...]
The Debate: Are Londoners safer drivers? December 10, 2025 A new survey has found that Londoners cause more accidents on country roads than their rural counterparts. But are sophisticated urbanites really more reckless drivers? YES: Rural roads are a deathtrap Picture this: It’s five o’clock on a December afternoon, completely pitch black, and a giant Rangerover comes hurtling round the corner, right wheel just [...]
The government is using Brexit as a scapegoat for its own failures December 10, 2025 Keir Starmer is clearly manoeuvring to get Britain to rejoin the EU – but Brexit is not to blame for Britain’s appalling growth record, says Paul Ormerod David Lammy, the deputy Prime Minister, chose last week to reopen the issue of the UK rejoining the EU. Asked if we will go back into the customs [...]
I watched Gary Stevenson debate a real economist. Here’s why he’s wrong December 9, 2025 All Stevenson’s arguments in favour of a wealth tax are based on personal anecdote. When you look at the actual evidence his case falls apart, says Oliver Dean Last week, I had the opportunity to host a debate between famed YouTuber and activist Gary Stevenson, and Dr Kristian Niemietz of the Institute of Economic Affairs. [...]
Are the rich getting richer because the poor are getting poorer? December 9, 2025 Adherents of the zero-sum belief that the rich are only rich because they have taken something from the poor cannot explain why the number of poor people fell massively while the number of rich people rose massively, says Rainer Zitelmann “The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer” – few statements have [...]
Reeves is betting big on AI, but does the public back her? December 9, 2025 Rachel Reeves is betting the UK’s economic future on an AI-driven productivity surge, but there are serious questions about the plausibility of this bet given the UK’s weaknesses in implementation, scaling capacity, talent retention and public pessimism, says Paul Armstrong Rachel Reeves has placed an enormous bet on AI rescuing the UK’s dwindling economy. Fraser [...]
Why nostalgia is dominating Christmas adverts December 9, 2025 The Notebook, where the City’s movers and shakers have their say. Today it’s Ogilvy’s Amelia Torode For those involved in UK advertising, Christmas is our Super Bowl, when ads become central to popular culture. Mishandle your Christmas advertising and you risk derailing the entire year’s revenue. When it comes to Christmas advertising, I believe nostalgia [...]