Latest articles by Simon Wilson
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How the dearth of babies will affect the global economy
Briefings The world’s population is going to peak before the century is out and then enter into a big decline, putting serious pressure on economic growth, according to a new study.
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Can we fix further education?
Briefings The Conservatives want to revolutionise further education and apprenticeships. But can Britain ever make a German-style model work? Simon Wilson reports
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The truth about Boris Johnson’s “New Deal” package of infrastructure spending
Briefings The prime minister promised a package of Rooseveltian proportions to grow the economy out of its Covid-19-induced torpor. Just how impressive is it really?
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What exactly is going on in the Wirecard scandal?
Briefings Wirecard, a darling of the German fintech sector, has collapsed and its boss has been charged with fraud. Red flags have waved for years, yet the regulators went for the flag bearers. What went wrong?
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Should the pensions triple lock be scrapped?
Briefings The pensions triple lock had been a key plank of the government’s offer to older voters, but the promise to gold-plate the state pension is looking increasingly unaffordable.
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How coronavirus is killing off the theatre
Briefings The performing arts have been hit hard by the coronavirus crisis and recovery is nowhere in sight. Yet the creative industries are an essential part of the UK’s economy. Help is needed, says Simon Wilson
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The tug of war over Hong Kong
Briefings China’s move to take more control over Hong Kong could lead to deeper civil unrest and imperil its role as a global financial centre.
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Putin’s grip on power is slipping
Briefings The Russian president had been looking forward to a spring of triumphs, including a new constitution that strengthens his hand. Now he faces multiple crises and a fractured elite.
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Why children suffer most from lockdowns
Briefings School closures harm the prospects of children and it’s the poorest who are hurt the most. On a global level, that will have huge effects on human development.
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Saudi Arabia slips on cheap oil
Briefings The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had big plans to diversify its economy so that it was no longer so reliant on oil revenue. The current crisis arrived before those plans came to fruition. How can it survive?
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What's the best way to end the neglect of our care homes?
Opinion Politicians have dodged dealing with a growing crisis in social care for decades. The problem cannot be put off any longer. But what is the best way forward?
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Is bitcoin going mainstream?
Briefings The cryptocurrency suffers from all the problems it has always had and that may never change. But digital currencies more broadly may be about to take off. Simon Wilson reports
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A battle for the future of Europe
Cover Story The struggle to pay the costs of the coronavirus crisis has exacerbated long-standing tensions about the EU’s budget. Failure to compromise could be disastrous for the bloc’s survival.
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Has Covid-19 ushered in a new world order?
Briefings The coronavirus crisis will surely mean radical changes in global politics and economics, but predictions of the inevitable supremacy of China or the collapse of the US look overblown.
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Britain needs a nimbler health service
Briefings The NHS is the beating heart of this country, the prime minister told the nation. Perhaps, but major surgery is needed.
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Coronavirus: is the lockdown worth it?
Briefings The longer we are shut up in our homes, the greater the cost – including the cost in lives lost from other causes than Covid-19. At what point does the cure become worse than the disease?
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Coronavirus: Big Brother widens his embrace
Briefings The coronavirus crisis has led to a massive expansion of the state into all areas of daily life. Should we be worried?
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Debt jubilee: will our debts be written off?
Briefings The idea of a "debt jubilee" – general society-wide cancellation of debt – goes back to Biblical times. Could it happen again? And would it really do any good?
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The biggest bailout in history?
Briefings The massive economic shock caused by the coronavirus is forcing governments to take radical action. So what is our government doing and how does it compare?
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Airline industry braces for turbulence
Briefings The economics of airlines make them particularly vulnerable to external shocks, such as the Covid-19 virus outbreak. Flybe was the first to fall. Will there be more?
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Does Britain need more runways?
Briefings MPs thought Heathrow needed a new runway and voted for one; the Supreme Court has now scotched the idea. But there are other ways to increase airport capacity that would cost less in environmental terms.
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Britain’s new immigration system
Briefings Free movement from the EU ends next year and Britain has taken back control of its borders. What will that mean in practical terms? And who benefits?
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What is Britain’s new economic policy?
News At the moment, Britain doesn’t seem to have an economic policy. But radical-seeming announcements and the surprise ousting of the chancellor portend momentous changes.
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Have we reached the end of the road for petrol cars?
News The prime minister has said that all new sales of vehicles with internal combustion engines will be banned from 2035. Is that achievable?
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