SubscriptionsColumn / Investigation: Crypto Politics
Dark money, lobbying, regulatory capture, state institutions hollowed by donor factions, foreign interference, and the financialisation of political power.
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For the Love of Money: Michelle Mone – the Epitome of Modern Conservatism
The scandal-hit baroness was elevated for years by the party now backtracking over the PPE firm linked to her that won millions in pandemic contracts
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How the British Press Got Almost Everything Wrong In 2022
If you want to know what happens next in the UK, you’d be better off flipping a coin than listening to most political pundits, argues Adam Bienkov
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Subcontracted: Amazon Christmas Worker ‘Blocked’ from Staff Transport
Josiah Mortimer reports on a night shift worker at an Essex logistics hub who has to walk hours in freezing temperatures
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In Neo-Dickensian Britain Politicians Should Heed the Ghost of Marley
There’s a reason Dickens’ Christmas Carol is a perennial festive favourite, says A V Deggar – the Malthusian ideas of Scrooge are still with us
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Macron, McKinsey, and the British State
The French President is facing allegations of corruption over his relationship with US consultancy firm McKinsey, which in turn is increasingly embedded in the British state
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‘Held Ransom by the ‘Blue-Eyed Babies’ of Sovereignty and Elective Dictatorship, What’s Our Escape?’
At the end of the year of three Conservative prime ministers leading a country in crisis, AC Grayling considers what the UK can do to free itself of the constitutional and political chaos it finds itself in
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‘Without a Place to Go’: Homeless at Christmas
Manasa Narayanan speaks to people who are homeless, surviving on Westminster’s streets in the shadow of Parliament
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British Firms Spend Less on Skills Retraining After Brexit, New Report Finds
The number of adults participating in government-funded further education and skills training has dropped dramatically, according to a report by a parliamentary committee
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More Russian Linked Lobbying in UK Parliament
Further investigations by Iain Campbell reveal key Russian businessmen tied to Parliamentary groups involved in tech and healthcare data
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Christmas in the Cost of Living Crisis
As temperatures drop, turkeys are added to shopping lists, and letters to Santa are written, how are people coping during a winter of inflation and financial hardship? Sian Norris reports
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‘We Are Not Done’: Conservatives Remain in Thrall to Tufton Street
Sam Bright reports on the Conservative Party’s enduring alliance with the libertarian lobbying groups that ‘crashed the economy’
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What Keir Starmer Isn’t Telling Us About His Plan for a ‘Better Brexit’
The Labour leader is not being honest about the impact of Britain’s decision to leave the EU, writes Adam Bienkov
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‘Human Rights – Here at Home?’
Sanchita Hosali, CEO of the British Institute of Human Rights, explains why 158 civil society groups have written an open letter to Rishi Sunak, urging him to stand firm on the Human Rights Act
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MPs Advocate for NHS Privatisation While Being Funded by Private Health Firms
Sam Bright investigates how a parliamentary lobbying group on healthcare has been backed by private interests
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Can Citizens’ Assemblies Improve Our Response to Crises?
Governments should use assemblies to tackle the issues at the heart of public debate during a crisis, write Stefan Flothmann and Brett Hennig
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Gove and Hancock Rewriting the Record With PPE ‘Bullying’ Claims
All the evidence indicates that senior Cabinet ministers facilitated the awarding of COVID contracts to favoured suppliers, reports Sam Bright
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Gordon Brown: Government Most Corrupt in ‘At Least a Century’
Sam Bright inspects the former Prime Minister’s plans to rewire British politics
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Xi-Think: The Imminent Dangers of Absolute Power in China
The fate of China and much of the world is now dependent on the whims of one man, says Chris Ogden
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Ministers Should Face Legal Sanctions for Breaking Rules, say MPs
David Hencke reports on the Commons Committee which proposes wholesale reform of the ‘toothless’ regulators supposed to safeguard propriety in public office
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‘The Pariah State that Allows Lawfare’
The UK has an opportunity to lead the way with a national anti-SLAPP law, or risk falling behind the European Union, a coalition of activists, lawyers and journalists warn
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Close Associate of Roman Abramovich Key Partner of UK Parliamentary Group
A businessman with ties to the sanctioned Russian oligarch is listed as a partner and advisor to a Westminster group containing senior MPs and peers
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A Crisis of Leadership and the Shortening of the Ministerial Lifespan
Max Colbert reports that 147 members of the Government have either resigned or been sacked this year alone — one every two days
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‘VIP’ Firms Referred by Tory MPs and Peers for PPE Deals See Profits Soar
Hundreds of millions of pounds have been earned by companies channelled through the expedited procurement route by Conservative politicians, Sam Bright reports
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Government Evades Conflict of Interest Questions About UK Ambassador to Russia
Diogo Augusto reports on the close family ties between the Ambassador and a pro-Russia business forum
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The Great Contraction: How the End of Cheap Money and Energy Will Degrade or Renew Civilisation
Nafeez Ahmed predicted the 2008 financial crash. But it was not resolved and has led to a more profound crisis which will require a major restructuring of the global economy to survive
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Anatomy of the PPE Procurement Scandal
Sam Bright dissects the multi-billion-pound affair that saw lucrative public contracts awarded to Conservative donors
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The Wheels Coming Off on the Chancellor’s ‘Tough Road Ahead’
Rachel Morris looks at the ideological underpinning and likely real-world effects of Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn statement and sees Britain heading down a road to nowhere
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Homeless Deaths Increase by More Than 50% Since 2013
New Government data shows how deaths of homeless people – including to Coronavirus – continues to rise. Sian Norris reports
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REVEALED: Councils Preparing for Multi-Million-Pound Budget Overspends as Crisis and Cuts Hit
The cost of living crisis, more than a decade of cuts and the pandemic have left local authorities on the brink when it comes to key services
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Turmoil at the Top: The Impact of Conservative Political Chaos on Housing
As concerns mount about dire living conditions in Britain, Max Colbert reports that there have been five different housing ministers this year alone
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‘Beware Absolute Monarchs Bearing Gifts’
Afsana Lachaux warns of the impact of Britain’s dependence on the £140bn invested by Gulf states, from the impact on London’s housing to a rising political influence
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European Research Group Loses Two-Thirds of its Paid-Up Members
The hard-Brexit lobbying group, which produces research paid for by taxpayer-funded expenses, appears to be losing support
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Government May Face Legal Challenge Over Voter ID in Elections Next Year
A legal briefing by Good Law Project says that election groups will have to closely monitor who loses out when mandatory voter ID comes into force in just a matter of months
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The Toxin of Televisuality
As the democratic dangers posed by social media are exposed, the degradation of our politics by the small screen should not be forgotten, writes AC Grayling
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The Financial Takeover of Government
Sam Bright explores how the masters of high finance have been welcomed into the heart of power
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More Than A Third Of Food Parcels Given to Children
Ellie Newis and Sian Norris report on the extent and impact of child poverty as Britain continues to grapple with the cost of living crisis
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After an Era of Austerity, What is Left to Cut?
Sian Norris digs into the data on a decade of cuts, assessing its impact on people and public services, as Chancellor Jeremy Hunt lines up Austerity 2.0
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New Inflation Figures Increase Pressure on Council Budgets
Council tax would need to rise by 20% to save urgently-needed public services, but how will Jeremy Hunt respond in his autumn statement?
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‘Lady Chatterley’s Brexit’
Not accepting or being able to discuss the damage caused by Britain’s exit from the EU leaves the country in a unsustainable position, writes Chris Grey
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‘Not Actually Very Good’: Britain’s Post-Brexit Trade Agreements with Japan and Australia
Ellie Newis reviews two of the flagship agreements that were supposed to reignite the UK economy
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The Kremlin’s Hybrid War in Moldova
Zarina Zabrisky reports on how Russia is attempting to take advantage of the cost of living crisis in the former Soviet state
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Kemi Badenoch Carries on Liz Truss’ Tufton Street Traditions
The International Trade Secretary is due to speak at a Koch-founded libertarian ‘think tank’, reports Sam Bright
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New Government Report Reveals Critical Gaps in Poverty Data and Questionable Metrics
Tamsin Flower looks into the ‘poverty’ of data on poverty and how thousands of low-income households could be left without the recognition and aid they most need
