Latest articles by Simon Wilson
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Dominic Cummings: the "weirdos" take back control
Briefings The prime minister’s special adviser is planning big changes in the way the government machine works. What can we expect? Simon Wilson reports.
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A look at the state of Iran’s feeble economy
Analysis The Islamic Republic is a big player in regional geopolitics, but its economy is weak, its people in revolt and its enemies growing bolder. Simon Wilson reports.
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Investors are experiencing a cannabis comedown
Features Things seemed to be turning out well for pot-heads in 2019 – and for the companies that seek to provide for their needs. Then a new, more depressing reality dawned.
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What's behind the great French pensions revolt?
Features Workers in France are on strike and taking to the streets to protest against President Macron’s reforms. We’ve seen this play before – but this time the ending may be different.
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Will Mexico make progress under AMLO, its controversial president?
Features Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), Mexico’s controversial president, has been in power for a year. Can he solve the country’s chronic problems and help foster faster growth?
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The political battle over the NHS
Features Politicians seeking votes are promising ever more money for the NHS. But there may be better ways to rescue the service from its decline.
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Labour's plan to bring full-fibre broadband to the whole country
Features Labour has a plan to bring full-fibre broadband to all of Britain's homes and businesses. But will it work, and how much will it cost?
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Tories and Labour turn on the spending taps
Features Austerity is officially over as both parties have outlined lavish spending plans. Overseas, too, spending and borrowing are back in fashion. Will the bond markets put up with it?
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The return of the wealth tax
Features The changing political climate, particularly in the US, has put the idea of wealth taxes back on the agenda. But does this make economic sense?
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Quantum computing: a giant leap forwards
Features Quantum supercomputers had existed only in the imaginations of physicists, but now Google says it has built one. What are the implications? Simon Wilson reports.
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Artificial diamonds: a girl’s new best friend
Features Big names such as De Beers are grappling with a cyclical downturn – and a long-term challenge from artificial diamonds. It could change the market beyond recognition. Simon Wilson reports.
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Nuclear fusion – what it is, how it works and when it could be powering our lives
Features Securing unlimited clean, safe and carbon-free energy for the rest of time would be revolutionary for the world economy. Is this now within sight?
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Europe: the bumpy road to a single market
Features The aim of converting the European nations into a unified economic zone remains an ideal to achieve for the EU. Completing the task should be a primary goal, says Simon Wilson
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How Britain became a world leader in wind power
Features Wind power is getting cheaper all the time, making Britain’s aim to curb carbon emissions look ever more achievable. Simon Wilson explains how we got here.
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The future of vaping – the "healthier cigarette"
Features A health scare has thrown doubt on the future of the industry catering for the growing numbers of “vapers”. Has Big Tobacco’s corporate strategy just gone up in smoke?
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The end of the reign of King Dollar
Features The US dollar has dominated global trade since World War II. But the world has changed and its claim on the throne is under threat.
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Can Donald Trump really buy Greenland?
Features The US president’s idea of buying Greenland is not quite as preposterous as it might seem to modern minds, but why buy it when there are so many better options?
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What caused Britain’s blackouts?
Features More than a million households and businesses were left in the dark and commuters stranded when the lights went out earlier this month. What happened? Simon Wilson reports.
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The next race to the moon begins
Features Fifty years ago man landed on the moon – a remarkable technological achievement that seemed to portend great changes. Those transformations didn’t come. They might yet, says Simon Wilson.
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US tech companies face a new tax on revenues
Features American technology companies make billions, yet pay pennies in tax. New levies in France and Britain seek to change that. But will they work as intended?
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Boris Johnson and the sugar tax
Features Our probable new prime minister wants to scrap the levy on sugary drinks introduced by some of his predecessors. Would that be a good move?
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Can the UK eliminate greenhouse gas emissions by 2050?
Features The government wants to cut the UK's greenhouse gas emissions to “net zero” by the middle of the century. Is this realistic – or a staggeringly expensive waste of time?
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Help to Buy: a crazy subsidy for housebuilders
Features The government’s Help to Buy scheme would appear to be a great success in terms of the numbers of people it has helped to buy a property. But it has a darker underside, says Simon Wilson.
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Is the GDPR data protection law working?
Features Last spring’s GDPR is one of the most complex pieces of legislation the European Union has ever devised. But is it achieving what it was supposed to?
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