One of the defining principles of old-school Conservatives in the UK and the US was “sound money”: maintaining the value of the currency, keeping inflation in check, and controlling the money supply. Under Thatcher, this was elevated into the main tool of economic policy—with disastrous consequences. Modern right-wingers on both sides of the Atlantic have … Read more
This month I decided to fill a few gaps in my record collection. I already own nearly complete sets of singles by The Jam, Dexys, The Undertones, The Who, Small Faces, The Kinks, and a few others. Just a few dozen records, each costing £2–£3, would be enough to complete the sets. The most expensive … Read more
All summer long the press — along with a depressing number of commentators and politicians — warned of a “summer of violence,” supposedly echoing last year’s riots in British cities. At times their warnings felt less like reporting and more like an attempt to foment unrest themselves, an embrace of mob politics. The reality fell … Read more
America is in the middle of its third great era of political violence. The first came after the Civil War, when thousands of Black Americans were lynched and murdered. The second was the 1960s, marked by political assassinations and the murders of civil rights activists. Both of these eras had racial animosity at their heart. … Read more
From Rave to RevivalSunderland Council has given planning permission for work on the old Blue Monkey nightclub. For anyone who missed the rave era, the Blue Monkey was infamous for wild nights and louder music. It closed long ago, but its name still carries weight in Sunderland nightlife. Immigration and TensionsThe city is changing, and … Read more
I am woke. Totally woke. If someone wants me to use a particular set of pronouns, I’m happy to do so. I try my hardest to avoid discriminatory language or anything that would cause unwanted offence. I don’t always get it right, but I don’t mind if people point it out. For me, this isn’t … Read more
Every September, as the new school term begins, the press reach for the same tired filler. Cue the Daily Mail or the Telegraph running a piece about a school—usually in London or Birmingham—where pupils supposedly speak “100 languages.” It makes for a good headline, but it’s nonsense. Try it yourself: write down 100 languages. After … Read more
Last year the Government introduced VAT on private school fees and ended their business rate exemption. I wrote about this at the time. That blog was widely read — which says something about the demographic of my readership. The question I asked then was about price elasticity of demand. What is Price Elasticity of Demand? … Read more
Immigration in Britain has become one of the defining political issues of the last decade. From Brexit to the rise of Reform UK, arguments over net migration shape headlines and elections alike. This survey is your chance to cut through the noise and share your own view on what immigration means for Britain today. Loading…
