Countdown to the Spending Review: What to Expect in the Final Month
Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s Spending Review 2025, now less than a month away, is due at a critical time for the economy and Sir Keir Starmer’s Government. Treasury chiefs are drafting the multi-year settlement for Whitehall departments, due on June 11th, against a backdrop of low growth and signs of a cooling labour market. Recent official […]
Higher Skills, Lower Numbers: The Government’s Immigration Control Plans
This week has seen a significant moment in the evolution of the UK’s border policy with the release of the Government’s Restoring Control Over the Immigration System white paper. Ministers identified nine core areas in the system for reform. Many are likely to require changes to primary legislation, delaying implementation until 2026. Businesses and other […]
After the Tory local election meltdown, could a Boris comeback be on the cards?
The Conservatives had braced for a poor set of results at last week’s local elections. But the party’s showing was worse than even the most pessimistic predictions, with over 650 council seats lost. The last time the Conservatives appeared to face an existential crisis, following the 2019 European Elections that saw them receive a dismal […]
2025 Local Election Takeaways: A Seismic Shift in England’s Political Landscape
England’s political landscape went through a seismic shift in last week’s local elections. Support for Reform UK grew sharply, while both Labour and the Conservatives suffered significant losses. The results sent shockwaves through much of the political establishment, raising questions about policy direction for both the main parties. For the Conservatives, the results also triggered […]
Six Things to Look Out For in The Strategic Defence Review
The forthcoming Strategic Defence Review (SDR) is expected to be a defining document for the Government. At a time of profound geopolitical disruption, the SDR will give the clearest signal yet of how the UK intends to confront a new era for defence and security. Here are six things to look out for: 1. What […]
Local Elections Preview
This Thursday’s local elections will see around 1,650 council seats contested across 14 county councils and eight unitary authorities in England. Voters will also elect six mayors, including at inaugural mayoral contests in Greater Lincolnshire and in Hull and East Yorkshire. Most of these council seats were last contested in 2021, when polls postponed due […]
Labour Focuses on Delivery to Counter the Rise of Reform UK
Both Labour and the Conservatives are braced for Reform UK making substantial gains in the local elections next week. Labour’s strategists anticipate a two-pronged approach to managing the fallout from the results. Firstly, they want to ensure the top headline from the polls is that the Conservatives are the big losers. Secondly, they hope to […]
Navigating DEI: Challenges and Opportunities in the US and UK
Donald Trump’s assault on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the US has led to a constantly changing debate on the issue on both sides of the Atlantic. High-profile companies including McDonalds and Meta have rolled back DEI policies while Apple, Cisco, Costco and others have made public commitments to retaining them. The most common […]
From Bureaucracy to Growth: Labour’s New Approach to Regulation
Sir Keir Starmer’s plan for fundamental reform of the British state has major implications for regulation in the UK. The Prime Minister has committed his government to slashing the cost of bureaucracy, abolishing a swathe of quangos, and easing regulatory burdens on business in the hope of encouraging growth. Businesses once viewed the UK’s system […]
Defence In The Spotlight
It has been a month since the Prime Minister committed the government to raising UK defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by April 2027. Sir Keir Starmer’s announcement, particularly the decision to fund the increase through cuts to overseas aid, reflected a strategic shift and a recognition of a new geopolitical reality where hard power […]
