Insights on government policy, public-sector decision-making, regulation and the political forces influencing business, markets and national priorities.
Geopolitics
A friend of mine runs a boutique consultancy. Recently he told me he's moving to Dubai from the UK. Not for the zero income tax, he said, but he's fed up of taking scrappy projects and being ghosted while his industry suffers and government looks on. In 2000, Professor Ian Angell published
Leadership
Last night I went see Barack Obama at the O2. My takeaways: Obama admitted politics has failed people and there were many mistakes. The West and the left became too comfortable in an echo chamber, taking its eye off the ball in many areas He frequently referred to values-based leadership
Growth
With two weeks to go until Labour’s annual conference, the fiscal cracks on show are looking more like subsidence. The party wants to talk growth: private investment, green jobs and productivity, but is doing so with a chancellor, Rachel Reeves, who is stiffly defined by fiscal caution,
AI
Welcome to the AI Roundup The UK government’s internal trial of Microsoft 365 Copilot failed to deliver the expected productivity gains. Despite Copilot’s ability to generate meeting notes and email drafts, the pilot found no measurable improvements in efficiency. Micro1 raised $35 million
Geopolitics
“Please miss, can we leave school early today? It’s election day.” “I beg your pardon, Jimmy? Oh, yes voting, of course. Off you go, but don’t forget your plimsolls and make sure your mother is at the gate to collect you.” Pokemon cards and ballot slips don’t mix. Giving the vote to
Leadership
Every time financial pressure rises, ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) is binned. It is the twitchiest of government policies and company strategies. It comes in and out of fashion faster than a MasterChef TV host. The UK just scrapped its green investment taxonomy and pulled
Growth
In the FT today, Charlie Nunn, CEO of Lloyds Banking Group, argues that despite recent UK GDP contractions and warnings from the OBR about diminished economic resilience, the country is poised for growth if can avoid a decade of drift. He highlights rising business confidence, backed by
Geopolitics
I was at an event last night led by some of the people behind the UK government's Strategic Defence Review. If you haven't read it yet, I urge you to do so. If you’re a CEO, you’re no longer outside the blast radius. You're in it. The review redefines what war - and therefore operational
Geopolitics
For those of you who never make it to page 19 of the newspaper, the Labour government launched its industrial strategy this week. This represents a long-overdue reset as a ten-year plan to focus government support on eight high-growth, high-productivity sectors: advanced manufacturing,
Geopolitics
America is facing a hard truth - it no longer leads in mining. China controls more than 70 percent of the world’s rare earth mineral production and the US imports nearly three-quarters of its supply from there. In response, President Trump’s March 2025 executive order aims to reshore
Geopolitics
The global trade stage is now Global Squid Games. 'Red light to green light' as to who is friend or foe to the US - or how to grow a business - is flickering faster than a disco strobe. One day, we know there is a problem. The next it has disappeared. CEOs must play this game of musical
Growth
Entrepreneurs and CEOs are wincing at the critical hacks the bludgeoner budget slasher took to the economy yesterday. Rather than show any adherence to a growth narrative on establishing trade and bolstering inward investment , Rachel Reeves kicked the can down the road and instead took
