My Blog
Three Christmas presents for a Cabinet that lacks political grip
At this time of the year hapless members of the Cabinet, and even the Prime Minister himself, are entitled to
Precaution is a useful thing, but designing policy based on maybes is a dangerous road
It is is so familiar, the script almost writes itself. Health professionals start to call for more restrictive measures at
Schools across the country have forgotten how to teach kids to aspire to be better
Omicron, the new Covid variant, has had an unexpected victim: the long-awaited White Paper on levelling up. Boris Johnson’s plans
Unchallenged inflation will make strike action the norm in a new labour market
Last Friday, London once again muddled through the inconvenience of yet another Tube strike. Another one is planned for the
Think petrol panic buying was bad? Wait til you see what’s (not) in store this Christmas
It is that time of year again: ice skating, cold, clear blue skies, fairy lights decorating Oxford Street, and fears
New winter Covid restrictions would make it official policy to pray for a better day
A trip to the Scottish Highlands is always refreshing. Despite the shortening days, the hills were in perfect late autumn
Britons squeamish to spend their savings are jeopardising our economic recovery
The economic recovery is under threat. British consumers are saving and not spending. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimates
The impasse on climate change is as clogged up as our petrol-packed roads
Boris Johnson is usually a superb communicator. But after the last few days of the G20 and Cop26, he is
In the end, the Swedes really did have the last laugh with a relaxed Covid approach
They never give up. The finger waggers who know what is good for the rest of us; the epidemiologists trying
The Bank of England has developed a mythical stature – it’s time to burst it
The UK, along with the rest of the Western world, has just lived through a period of low inflation. In
Bail outs for businesses in strife only gloss over the truth, it’s time to face reality
The price of both oil and gas has doubled across the world in the last year. The price of crude
Universities have sown their own demise with blended learning and short courses
The start of autumn has seen the start of the university term for students since time immemorial. This time round
Hikes to national insurance funds a level of public services we can’t afford
The government’s plan to increase National Insurance has sparked the predictable furore. The pressures to raise taxes to pay for
A service economy and shrinking workforce is the driving force of low economic growth
Extinction Rebellion’s fortnight of protests have only hardened existing beliefs and positions on both sides of the debate. But a
Labour shortages make light work of fears of a post-Brexit unemployment surge
In the two decades before the Brexit referendum, there was a large increase in the number of people moving from
Science has been overrun with politics – it’s time to take it back
At the onset of the Covid pandemic in February 2020, the pages of the Lancet, a very prestigious medical journal,
From Covid deaths to Usain Bolt: statistics are never black and white
Who is the greatest 100 metre male runner of all time? The answer seems obvious, even if you lack sporting
The influencer economy: online ranking systems are a purveyor of inequality
To the victor the spoils. This well-known phrase might be thought to relate to the recent Olympics. Except that it
Embracing uncertainty is the only path out of the pandemic
A few days ago, Sajid Javid made one of the most thoughtful and encouraging statements by a government minister during
To face mask or not to face mask? Covid etiquette is an experiment in human behaviour
To mask or not to mask? Along with scores of other things we never would have anticipated, whether or not
