AUTHOR
Simon Wilson
Yet another big shake-up for the NHS – will this one do any good?
UK Economy
Yet another big shake-up for the NHS – will this one do any good?
The government plans to “take back control” of the health service, ending the market-based reforms and reintroducing central command and control. Is t…
20 Feb 2021
Can the government's proposals fix the residential cladding crisis?
Property
Can the government's proposals fix the residential cladding crisis?
In the wake of the Grenfell fire disaster, many homeowners have been left stuck with huge bills to make their properties safe. The government is stepp…
13 Feb 2021
How long will it be before the world is vaccinated?
Global Economy
How long will it be before the world is vaccinated?
The vaccine rollout is going well in the UK, and in some other countries. But ultimately, this is a global problem, and the situation worldwide is not…
6 Feb 2021
The looming global battle over semiconductor supply
Tech stocks
The looming global battle over semiconductor supply
A shortage of semiconductors – essential components in electronic devices – has spooked businesses and governments. It could even spark future geopoli…
30 Jan 2021
The Arab Spring ten years on: a revolution that failed to blossom
Global Economy
The Arab Spring ten years on: a revolution that failed to blossom
Ten years ago, the Arab world was rocked by mass protests and popular uprisings that ousted long-reviled dictators. For the most part, the end result …
23 Jan 2021
Leasehold reforms promise the end of a nightmare for many homeowners
Property
Leasehold reforms promise the end of a nightmare for many homeowners
Horror stories about unscrupulous landlords profiting from a legal relic of the feudal era are about to get a happy ending, says Simon Wilson.
16 Jan 2021
Brexit deal: what's changed between Britain and the the EU
UK Economy
Brexit deal: what's changed between Britain and the the EU
After years of wrangling and political scraps, Britain is now outside the EU and has secured a free-trade agreement with the bloc. So what’s changed?
9 Jan 2021
How Asia's RCEP deal has brought the return of free trade
Global Economy
How Asia's RCEP deal has brought the return of free trade
While Britain and the EU struggle to come to terms, 15 Asia-Pacific countries quietly signed the biggest free-trade deal in history. That’s a welcome …
25 Dec 2020
Britain mulls a wealth tax again – can it ever work?
Tax
Britain mulls a wealth tax again – can it ever work?
A Covid-19-ravaged government needs to raise more revenue and some propose that a wealth tax could fit the bill. It’s unlikely to happen, but one way …
19 Dec 2020
Should Britain really be cutting foreign aid now?
UK Economy
Should Britain really be cutting foreign aid now?
Faced with a black hole in the public finances, chancellor Rishi Sunak has targeted the foreign aid budget. Is he right to do so? And will it save us …
5 Dec 2020
Donald Trump’s next moves
Donald Trump
Donald Trump’s next moves
The outgoing US president is deep in debt and he will need new sources of income now that he is out of a job. Don’t expect him to go quietly, says Sim…
28 Nov 2020
US states declare a ceasefire in the war on drugs
Global Economy
US states declare a ceasefire in the war on drugs
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…
21 Nov 2020
Is the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine the big Covid-19 breakthrough?
Biotech stocks
Is the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine the big Covid-19 breakthrough?
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…
12 Nov 2020
Britain’s green revolution: can we become carbon neutral by 2050?
Renewables
Britain’s green revolution: can we become carbon neutral by 2050?
The prime minister is laying out plans that will see carbon emissions reduced to net zero by 2050. Do they make sense?
7 Nov 2020
Trump’s economic legacy
US election
Trump’s economic legacy
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…
29 Oct 2020
The US clampdown on firms “spoofing” the markets
US stockmarkets
The US clampdown on firms “spoofing” the markets
American regulators are slapping record fines on firms that cheat the markets using techniques such as “spoofing”. Even tougher action looks to be on …
24 Oct 2020
Will fintech change the face of banking?
Alternative finance
Will fintech change the face of banking?
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 …
17 Oct 2020
The riskiest election in US history
US election
The riskiest election in US history
Donald Trump’s illness has rattled markets as investors try to understand the implications of an incapacitated American president or a bitterly contes…
8 Oct 2020
Why it’s not worth recycling plastic
Global Economy
Why it’s not worth recycling plastic
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…
3 Oct 2020
What's behind Britain's coronavirus testing disaster?
UK Economy
What's behind Britain's coronavirus testing disaster?
Britain’s system of testing for the virus that causes Covid-19 collapsed just when we needed it most. What went wrong?
26 Sep 2020
Covid: were the lockdowns worth it?
UK Economy
Covid: were the lockdowns worth it?
Governments around the world followed the authoritarian example of China in dealing with the emergence of Covid-19. Was that a wise choice?
12 Sep 2020
The case for a flat tax
Income tax
The case for a flat tax
Simplifying the tax system promises to cut incentives for evasion and avoidance, and boost work and entrepreneurship. Could it give post-Covid-19 Brit…
29 Aug 2020
Planning reform: rip it up and start again
UK Economy
Planning reform: rip it up and start again
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…
15 Aug 2020
Should Big Tech be broken up?
Tech stocks
Should Big Tech be broken up?
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…
8 Aug 2020
How Russia’s dirty money sullies Britain
UK Economy
How Russia’s dirty money sullies Britain
Russia’s kleptocrats have grown used to laundering their money and reputations in London. The government has promised change, but how serious is it?
1 Aug 2020
How the dearth of babies will affect the global economy
Global Economy
How the dearth of babies will affect the global economy
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…
25 Jul 2020
Can we fix further education?
UK Economy
Can we fix further education?
The Conservatives want to revolutionise further education and apprenticeships. But can Britain ever make a German-style model work? Simon Wilson repor…
18 Jul 2020
The truth about Boris Johnson’s “New Deal” package of infrastructure spending
UK Economy
The truth about Boris Johnson’s “New Deal” package of infrastructure spending
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…
11 Jul 2020
What exactly is going on in the Wirecard scandal?
European stockmarkets
What exactly is going on in the Wirecard scandal?
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…
4 Jul 2020
Should the pensions triple lock be scrapped?
Pensions
Should the pensions triple lock be scrapped?
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…
27 Jun 2020
How coronavirus is killing off the theatre
UK Economy
How coronavirus is killing off the theatre
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…
20 Jun 2020
The tug of war over Hong Kong
China's economy
The tug of war over Hong Kong
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.
13 Jun 2020
Putin’s grip on power is slipping
Emerging markets
Putin’s grip on power is slipping
The Russian president had been looking forward to a spring of triumphs, including a new constitution that strengthens his hand. Now he faces multiple …
6 Jun 2020
Why children suffer most from lockdowns
UK Economy
Why children suffer most from lockdowns
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…
30 May 2020
Saudi Arabia slips on cheap oil
Emerging markets
Saudi Arabia slips on cheap oil
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…
23 May 2020
What's the best way to end the neglect of our care homes?
UK Economy
What's the best way to end the neglect of our care homes?
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…
16 May 2020