Jon Chadwick 
Britain has committed itself to one of the most ambitious net zero programmes in the world. Targets are set. Timelines are clear. Policies—subsidies, mandates, bans—are steadily pushing the economy towards decarbonisation. On its own terms, this is a success story. Emissions are falling. Coal is disappearing from the energy mix. Electric vehicles are becoming more … Read more
The number of people crossing the Channel in small boats fell again in May. In May 2025, 3,738 people crossed the Channel in small boats. In May 2026, that figure was 2,713 — a reduction of 1,025 people. More importantly, this is not a one-off. Crossings have now fallen in eight of the last ten … Read more
As you may know County Durham has a Reform Council. Predictably their first acts in power were to cut funding for Lumiere, the City’s award win light art festival that brought hundreds of thousands to the City, and to stop funding for Pride. The money instead will be used for special political advisors to do … Read more
In 1970, Ted Heath unexpectedly became Prime Minister, replacing Harold Wilson for what turned out to be a turbulent four years. His Chancellor, Anthony Barber, embarked on one of the most ambitious — and disastrous — economic experiments in modern British history. The resulting “Barber Boom” was a huge dash for growth: tax cuts, relaxed … Read more
I used to work in Redcar. Every morning I would drive past the steelworks. It dominated the landscape, physically and psychologically. You could see it from miles away: towers, chimneys, flames, steam, conveyors, endless geometry in rust red and grey. Whatever else Teesside was, it was a place that made things. Even if you never … Read more
Something rather awkward is happening in Spain. British expats who secured post-Brexit residency using questionable paperwork are increasingly finding themselves under investigation as they apply for permanent residency. Police investigations stretching back to 2021 are now catching up with people who used forged padrón certificates, fake healthcare documents or dubious “gestors” to secure the right … Read more
This is the second in a series looking at Britain’s post-war new towns and planned communities across the North East, in light of the Government’s decision to build more new towns. Last time I visited Peterlee and Newton Aycliffe, places that turned out to be rather better than their reputations suggest. This time the story … Read more
There has been a lot of comment about the latest UK growth figures. The headlines are undeniably good. Britain is now the fastest-growing economy in the G7 on recent quarterly measures, and since the General Election only the US has grown faster. That is particularly notable because the US is running a budget deficit of … Read more
