Simon Wilson

With US states decriminalising the use even of hard drugs, and legalising the recreational use of cannabis, this could be the beginning of the end for…

A vaccine that appears so far to be safe and effective is making its way through the final trials before commercialisation. There are reasons to be ch…

The prime minister is laying out plans that will see carbon emissions reduced to net zero by 2050. Do they make sense?

If the polls are right, Donald Trump will not be president of the United States for much longer. But right or not, what did he manage to achieve in th…

American regulators are slapping record fines on firms that cheat the markets using techniques such as “spoofing”. Even tougher action looks to be on …

Fancy new apps have become popular for everything from making a payment to buying insurance and shares. Should the big banks be worried? Simon Wilson …

Donald Trump’s illness has rattled markets as investors try to understand the implications of an incapacitated American president or a bitterly contes…

For decades, consumers have been led to believe that recycling plastic saves on waste. Unfortunately, it’s not true, says Simon Wilson. And that could…

Britain’s system of testing for the virus that causes Covid-19 collapsed just when we needed it most. What went wrong?

Governments around the world followed the authoritarian example of China in dealing with the emergence of Covid-19. Was that a wise choice?

Simplifying the tax system promises to cut incentives for evasion and avoidance, and boost work and entrepreneurship. Could it give post-Covid-19 Brit…

Boris Johnson says the time has come to be brave and shake up the rules over what is built and where. Reform would indeed be welcome, but has the PM g…

The dominance of the big four technology giants has attracted the attention of politicians determined to humble them. But what real harm are they doin…

Russia’s kleptocrats have grown used to laundering their money and reputations in London. The government has promised change, but how serious is it?

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, acco…

The Conservatives want to revolutionise further education and apprenticeships. But can Britain ever make a German-style model work? Simon Wilson repor…

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 re…

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 regu…

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 in…

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 o…

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.

The Russian president had been looking forward to a spring of triumphs, including a new constitution that strengthens his hand. Now he faces multiple …

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 d…

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 befo…

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 f…

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…

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 d…

The coronavirus crisis will surely mean radical changes in global politics and economics, but predictions of the inevitable supremacy of China or the …

The NHS is the beating heart of this country, the prime minister told the nation. Perhaps, but major surgery is needed.

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 th…

The coronavirus crisis has led to a massive expansion of the state into all areas of daily life. Should we be worried?

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 …

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 co…

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…

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 …

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?