I'm on the @economist.com daily podcast today, talking about Farage vs Binface: shows.acast.com/theintellige...

More Ravens than Duncans Peter tied with Lennox and Phoenix Lauren down, Hallie up I've written the Blighty newsletter for @economist.com on what the ONS baby names release tells us: www.economist.com/britain/2026...

one for the "Rachel Reeves was an orthodox social democrat" file, raising taxes to fund the NHS and doing more borrowing to juice investment spending

Why has Nigel Farage pulled the by-election stunt? Because it's easier than convincing voters Reform is a government-in-waiting. My take on what Clacton tells us about Reform: www.economist.com/britain/2026...

On May as Britain’s first and last woke prime minister www.economist.com/britain/2026...

This week The Economist argues that council house subsidies should be abolished: www.economist.com/leaders/2026... Ditch the subsidy, pay housing benefit to those who need it, end the two-tier regime.

Weather forecasters used to be a national joke (probably unfairly) Now everyone loves them What changed? Let me explain: www.economist.com/britain/2026...

Burnham the smart-casual Starmer: www.economist.com/britain/2026... Next PM needs more flesh on the bones of his radicalism or he'll just be a swisher version of his predecessor

Burnham's first policy speech most interesting for the words it doesn't use, among them: Keir Starmer; prime minister; Labour; America; China; Europe; tax; artificial intelligence

PODCAST 🎙️ What does Andy Burnham really stand for? @hugogye.bsky.social joins @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @alexgathomas.bsky.social @cathhaddon.bsky.social to discuss what happens when power changes hands mid-parliament www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/insi...

Andy Burnham has skills in abundance that Keir Starmer lacked. But that is not an agenda for government. Economist leader www.economist.com/leaders/2026...

Ed Miliband is, and has always been, the prime minister www.economist.com/britain/2026...

What Burnham's book tells us about the next PM - I've written the Blighty newsletter this week: www.economist.com/newsletters/...

Seen from abroad it's hard to make sense of what happened to Starmer. Big majority, centrist, fairly united party, no obvious blunders -- and somehow it went off the rail in just a few years. Political scientists will have their work cut out on this one.

Team Starmer think Burnham is a "joker" making promises of change he can't support But the outcoming PM has forfeited all authority to make the argument My piece for @economist.com today: www.economist.com/britain/2026...

Reminded of how quickly the Conservatives' polling improved when Thatcher announced her resignation in 1990

The Makerfield result makes Andy Burnham Britain's PM-in-waiting, I write for @economist.com today: www.economist.com/britain/2026... But govt faces weeks of uncertainty as Starmer (and Streeting?) digs in...

In his early years David Hockney painted his London life: his friends, his homosexuality, his passion for the poems of Constantine Cavafy and Walt Whitman. But America freed him. We remember Britain’s boldest painter

Keir Starmer looks set to give Britain's children a social-media ban as his leaving present He's making a mistake - and undermining the UK's chance of leadership on tech & AI My piece for @economist.com this week: www.economist.com/britain/2026...