Latest articles by Simon Wilson
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The legacy of Angela Merkel
Briefings German leader Angela Merkel is leaving office to spend more time with her family after 16 years at the helm. But what has she got to show for it?
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What's behind Britain’s looming energy crisis
Briefings Global natural gas prices have soared as resurgent demand collides with supply disruptions. The UK is especially vulnerable and could be heading for a very tough winter.
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The new social-care levy: an unfair tax that protects the “assetocracy”
Briefings The government’s regressive social-care levy will make Britain’s tax system even more complex. Root-and-branch reform is long overdue.
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Lorry driver shortage: where have all the truckers gone and what can we do about it?
Briefings It’s a tough job and pay has been squeezed for years. Brexit and the pandemic sent many workers home. Now we all face the consequences in the form of higher bills.
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Investors must think again about China
Briefings Under Xi Jinping, China is becoming increasingly hostile to business. Foreigners pouring money in might do well to reconsider.
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Australia and the economic costs of a “zero Covid-19” strategy
Briefings Some countries, such as Australia, pursued a strategy of trying to completely suppress the spread of the coronavirus. Did it work? And what does it cost?
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What's behind the riots that shook South Africa?
Briefings A combination of the pandemic, harsh lockdowns and a troubled economic legacy has made the most industrialised nation in Africa a tinderbox. What will happen next?
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A new revolution in Cuba?
Briefings The biggest protests in decades have rocked the one-party communist state. But is change for the better really on the cards?
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The dawn of a new space age
Briefings Jostling to be the first billionaire in space might seem to be a daft ego trip, but it is all part of a broader space industry with important real-world applications.
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Just how much of a threat is rising inflation?
Briefings Investors are getting spooked by the prospect of rising prices. But how much of a threat is that really? Simon Wilson reports
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Artists demand a fair share of the music industry pie
Briefings Technology once threatened to destroy the music industry, now it's helping it thrive. But while investors are making a packet, artists says they are not getting their fair share.
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Why are childcare costs in Britain so exorbitant?
Briefings Working parents who have to pay for care for their children will know that it costs a lot of money. Indeed, it costs more here than anywhere else in the world.
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Why our rickety internet infrastructure needs an upgrade
Briefings The internet is an increasingly essential part of international infrastructure. Recent events have shown that it is also vulnerable to collapse.
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The G7’s global corporation tax: bringing Big Tech to heel
Briefings The G7 group of nations has agreed to potentially historic changes in the way multinational companies are taxed. Who wins and who loses?
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The government says it wants to build more houses – but will it?
Briefings As PM, Boris Johnson is pushing through reforms that should make it easier to build more houses. As a local MP, he opposes such plans. Which of these tendencies will win out?
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Britain's rail industry is being revamped. Here is all you need to know about it
Briefings After more than a year of waiting, the UK's government's white paper on the future of the rail industry is finally out. Simon Wilson explains everything you need to know about it.
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Why Joe Biden’s Big Pharma patent grab is a terrible idea
Briefings The US president has proposed waiving patents on Covid-19 vaccines in a bid to boost global supply. But it won’t work on its own terms and holds dangers for the future.
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Is Britain’s “green revolution” realistically achievable?
Briefings Boris Johnson is hoping to claim global leadership on the climate issue by committing Britain to an accelerated programme of emissions cuts. Is this achievable – and affordable?
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The SNP’s record in Scotland: how does it stack up?
Briefings The SNP has been in power in Scotland since 2007, and the country is going to the polls again. So how has it performed?
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Greensill, Cameron and the return of Tory sleaze
Briefings The collapse of Greensill Capital threw a spotlight on political lobbying when it emerged that former PM David Cameron had been fighting its corner. Just how big a problem is it?
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What China’s new red dawn means for Hong Kong
Briefings China has once again moved to tighten its control over the former British territory and global financial centre. What will remain of the old Hong Kong’s attractions?
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Does nuclear power have a future?
Briefings Fears about safety have long hobbled the industry, particularly in the wake of Fukushima ten years ago. But the fears are overplayed and net-zero carbon goals look unachievable without it, says Simon Wilson.
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How the vaccine wars will harm us all
Briefings Grabbing and hoarding vaccine supplies, or even manufacturing one’s own, might seem to make sense for a state in an emergency. But the damage done to trust and prosperity will be huge.
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Britain's £37bn test and trace system: did it do any good?
Briefings Britain built a system for testing for Covid-19 and tracking down contacts from a standing start – at a cost projected at £37bn. Why so expensive? And did it work? Simon Wilson reports.
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