UK Politics

MRP poll puts Reform ahead of Labour and the Tories – here’s why the finding should be treated with caution

— A recent MRP poll hints at a shock Reform UK surge, but weakening class ties and modelling flaws mean predictions are shaky — voters now prioritise potholes over politics.

Pope Francis

How the next pope will be elected – what goes on at the conclave

— Following Pope Francis’ death, 138 cardinals from over 90 nations will gather in the Sistine Chapel for a historic, secretive conclave to elect the most globally representative pope ever.

British Steel

What caused the crisis at British Steel?

— British Steel’s Scunthorpe blast furnaces face closure — a supply chain crisis, geopolitical tensions and ageing infrastructure threaten the UK’s last virgin steel-making capability and future self-sufficiency.

US Politics

Have Trump’s tariffs affected his popularity?

— Donald Trump’s trade war rattled markets and voter confidence — bond sell-offs and rising prices dent approval ratings, especially among independents, risking Republican losses in 2026 midterms as Democrats gain favour.

EU-Turkey Relationship

Inaction from Brussels over the arrest of an opposition leader in Turkey may be a strategic mistake

— The EU’s silence on Turkey’s authoritarian shift — marked by opposition leader İmamoğlu’s arrest and President Erdoğan’s grip — risks eroding democratic credibility, emboldening autocracy and sacrificing long-term stability for short-term security.

Disability Benefits

Why financial hardship is more likely if you’re disabled or sick

— UK plans to tighten Personal Independence Payment rules could leave 1.2 million disabled people up to £6,300 worse off annually — deepening poverty and worsening health while failing to boost employment.

Trump's Tariffs

Jitters in the US bond market look like the main reason Trump hit pause on higher tariffs

— A historic US Treasury sell-off spooked investors, triggered by Donald Trump’s surprise tariff plans. Soaring yields and inflation fears forced a 90-day tariff pause — exposing fragile fiscal confidence and mounting debt woes.

Trump's Tariffs

Trump thinks tariffs can bring back the glory days of US manufacturing. Here’s why he’s wrong

— Trump’s tariffs revive a nostalgic fixation on manufacturing, but they ignore automation, service-sector precarity and global economic shifts. Economists warn: protectionism won’t bring back America’s industrial golden age.

French Politics

Marine Le Pen’s victim narrative is already being constructed – but there are ways to stop her criminal conviction benefiting her

— Marine Le Pen has been found guilty of EU fund embezzlement — banned from office, derailing her 2027 presidential bid. Her fall sparks far-right turmoil, but opens chance to refocus France on democracy and reform.

US Politics

A 1930s movement wanted to merge the US, Canada and Greenland. Here’s why it has modern resonances

— Elon Musk’s vision echoes 1930s technocracy—an expert-led, tech-optimised society replacing politicians with engineers, slashing bureaucracy, and managing resources through data, automation, and scientific efficiency.

European Union

The paradox of democracy’s success: Behavioural science helps explain why we miss autocratic red flags

— Democracy’s success may fuel its undoing, as rare risks are ignored. Simulated experiences of autocracy could help Europeans grasp what’s at stake before complacency invites collapse.

Benefit Reforms

Labour says benefit reforms are a ‘moral mission’ – it looks more like moral panic

— Labour’s welfare reforms, framed as a “moral mission,” tighten benefit eligibility while promoting work. Critics argue cuts risk poverty, prioritising taxpayer concerns over genuine support, sparking debate on morality in welfare policy.

Benefit Reforms

Cutting welfare goes against Labour’s core values

— Labour’s welfare cuts spark outrage, but history shows such moves are strategic. By sacrificing party principles, leaders signal fiscal discipline to markets and voters — proving cruelty, ironically, is intentional.

Welfare System

Cuts and caps to benefits have always harmed people, not helped them into work

— Keir Starmer’s government plans cuts to sickness and disability benefits, despite evidence such austerity harms vulnerable people. Critics argue work conditions, not welfare, hinder employment. The government’s proposed reforms face strong opposition.

UK Foreign Aid

What are Labour governments for? Why aid budget cuts are an existential matter

— Keir Starmer’s aid cuts to boost military spending mark a pivotal moment for Labour, challenging its progressive values. Critics see it as betraying core principles, echoing past controversial decisions on global conflicts.

Trump 2.0

What happens when leaders have loyalists in charge of men with guns: Lessons for the US from Nicaragua, Syria and other authoritarian countries

— Donald Trump’s Pentagon purge and appointment of loyalists to security agencies raise concerns about personalising U.S. security forces — echoing strongman tactics worldwide, potentially undermining democracy, and entrenching power through repression.