Inside Politics

Monday, 2 June, 2025

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Friday, 30 May, 2025

Labour party UK

Starmer’s curious swing at Farage

With no overarching theory of change, the government is hell-bent on avoiding unpopular decisions to improve the state

Thursday, 29 May, 2025

UK public policy

The broader problem behind Labour’s nonsensical welfare cuts

Benefits reform is urgently needed, but cost-cutting government lacks clarity on what is driving higher spending

Wednesday, 28 May, 2025

Labour party UK

Lessons for policymakers on interpreting ethnic differences of opinion

New poll shows varying views among ethnic groups, but that is not the whole story

Tuesday, 27 May, 2025

Labour party UK

Farage seizes his opening with benefit cap under pressure

Labour risks ditching its irreconcilable tax and spend pledges in chaotic, not coherent way

Friday, 23 May, 2025

UK politics

Labour’s agenda on criminal justice stands apart from the policy fog

Government’s political and communications management is stronger here than in other areas

Thursday, 22 May, 2025

UK Government

Labour U-turn on a modest policy could hit credibility hard

Surprise announcement and mismanagement of MPs undermine its ability to win support for difficult measures

Wednesday, 21 May, 2025

Labour party UK

Rayner memo shows fault lines in Labour tax and spend philosophy

Push for higher taxes revealed as No 10 debate over winter fuel cuts bursts into public view

Tuesday, 20 May, 2025

Brexit

Labour’s small wins fail to ease tight fiscal spot

Party’s position on free movement limited by domestic political constraints and misses potential aid to growth

Monday, 19 May, 2025

Brexit

Labour’s EU deal eases trade barriers, but minimises any political pain

Low-risk logic of leadership leaves space for party’s opponents to shape post-Brexit debate

Friday, 16 May, 2025

UK immigration

Starmer’s immigration speech fits with Labour tradition, but so does losing

Party leadership’s echo of precedent should hardly justify current policy given record of drift and defeat

Thursday, 15 May, 2025

UK immigration

Fixing UK workforce should be a goal in itself, not a means to cut migration

Solving deep domestic problems demands reform and political honesty

Wednesday, 14 May, 2025

UK politics

Ethnic minority leaders and the Tory vote

Conservative collapse in support cannot be explained by Kemi Badenoch’s background, but it cannot be ignored either

Tuesday, 13 May, 2025

Social affairs

Labour’s immigration curbs come with noticeable cost to public realm

Scrapping care worker visa was right but it is unlikely voters will stomach higher taxes to fund struggling sector

Monday, 12 May, 2025

UK immigration

UK immigration debate ignores the real questions

Policymaking should focus less on numbers and more on why people arrive, how they are treated and the impact on Britain

Friday, 9 May, 2025

UK trade

Win for UK cars will not cushion the probable blow to taxpayers

Government’s haste in striking limited US deal risks missing out on better terms

Thursday, 8 May, 2025

Global trade

Yvette Cooper’s shadow looms over UK trade ambitions

Deal with India signals progress, but Home Office still sets terms on government’s immigration strategy

Wednesday, 7 May, 2025

Labour party UK

Labour’s electoral front frays as its historic support in Wales slumps

Keir Starmer risks losing strategy focus if he loses seats to Plaid Cymru and the SNP in 2026 elections

Tuesday, 6 May, 2025

UK local elections

Routed Tories may not have a path back from this

Labour and the Conservatives need to work on their popularity — a harder task for a badly-hit opposition party

Friday, 2 May, 2025

UK local elections

Multi-party politics heightens danger for muddled Labour

Runcorn by-election points to risk of fragmented voter preferences and timidity in grappling with UK public realm

Thursday, 1 May, 2025

UK local elections

Local elections 2025: What to look out for

Electoral system may throw up unexpected results, with voters seeming less driven by party differences

Wednesday, 30 April, 2025

UK local elections

Doncaster mayoral race tested by voter frustration

Reflections on the slow pace of regeneration ahead of crucial election this week

Tuesday, 29 April, 2025

UK politics

Win by Canada’s new liberal darling sends message to Westminster

Election partly turned on fear of Trump, a similar playbook Starmer hopes to use against rightwing challengers

Monday, 28 April, 2025

UK politics

Why you cannot govern by the polls

Leadership without a guiding political philosophy poses real risk to Labour

Friday, 25 April, 2025

UK politics

A Tory-Reform pact now would lock in Reform’s weakness

Nigel Farage lacks leverage needed to secure favourable terms but gains at the next election would shift balance of power