At last week’s Spectator parliamentarian of the year awards, Nigel Farage took the stage in front of a large chunk of the Westminster establishment, including journalists in need of a story. Honoured with a seat next to the magazine’s new proprietor, he was there to receive the newcomer of the year trophy and deliver a … Read more
Elon Musk has denied he is gearing up to chuck $100m at Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, as it pushes to take on the Tories. But the very fact the question arose is a reminder of the pressing need for political funding reform on this side of the Atlantic. Musk is the living embodiment of … Read more
When I work in the office (the canal flashing down to my left, to my right a desk of conversations that veer between fascinating and deadly, it being part of my job to lean in to catch the former before they dissolve) a piece that might take a morning to finish at home will here … Read more
Keir Starmer has warned local leaders that he will not hesitate to overrule them if they attempt to “dodge their responsibilities” in approving new homes, amid growing concerns among wildlife groups and councils over his plans for a housing revolution. The prime minister has placed a pledge to build 1.5m new homes in England by … Read more
Elon Musk appears to have many obsessions. The world’s richest man is evangelical about electric vehicles, space travel and Donald Trump. Another of his interests may yet have profound consequences for the UK: British politics. The billionaire is reported to be thinking of becoming the biggest donor in history with a rumoured £80m payment to … Read more
For West Ham supporters it was a sense of values betrayed. “The club should be ashamed that things have come to this,” said Michael, a supporter for 80 years, as he became the 20,000th signatory on a petition calling for the club to maintain all concessionary ticketing. For Spurs fans, a similar shock boiled down … Read more
Was it the too-big carry-on bag? Or perhaps a rise in passenger intoxication? Or the “gate lice”? US airlines are attempting a crackdown on passengers’ bad behaviour without anyone being exactly sure what led to the increase in problematic travellers. Last week saw Svetlana Dali, a US resident travelling on a Russian passport, appearing in … Read more
Few vehicles are as emblematic of the American auto industry’s might as the Ford F-150 pickup truck, the nation’s best-selling vehicle for over 40 years. But the F-150 is much less American than its image suggests. A fact that could present unique challenges for the company as Donald Trump moves to “make America great again”. … Read more
Every year, farmers in California’s Central valley heavily rely on the labor of hundreds of thousands of immigrant agricultural workers to grow and harvest their crops. But for many in a region that produces one-quarter of the country’s food, president-elect Donald Trump’s promise to deport millions of undocumented migrants – a move that could result … Read more
The row over the government’s decision to slash winter fuel payments is set to be reignited after new evidence revealed that more than 1 million older people are skipping meals because of financial concerns. The fresh study also suggested that millions are already cutting down on their heating, with warnings about the impact on the … Read more