The Government should focus on preparing for extreme risks rather than trying to predict them
The UK has a dangerous level of self-confidence in its ability to predict and mitigate the risks that we face. The coronavirus pandemic is an archetypal example…
Free speech must be protected
The case of HRH the Duchess of Sussex v Associated Newspapers Ltd has been running for almost three years and may not be over yet. At the…
Hang on a minute … Jacob Rees-Mogg has the blighters on the run
Watching Jacob Rees-Mogg in full flow at Business Questions sometimes feels like tuning in for an episode of Just A Minute – but with the rules in…
Europe’s omicron panic has left the Continent in a very dark place
It may be tempting fate to say it, but Britain is perhaps the best place in Europe to spend this Christmas. Bavaria’s winter markets have closed, France’s…
48 best Christmas shows to book during winter 2021 in the UK — from theatre to films, plays to pantomimes
‘Tis the season to don your gladrags, pack some popcorn (or mini chocolate santas, perhaps) and skip off to a show – whether that be a theatrical…
You have a right to elect a racist or misogynist, former Tory minister tells voters
Voters have a right to elect racists and misogynists as MPs – and politicians should not be forced to “promote certain attitudes” by a behavioural code in…
Behind the scenes of Boris and Macron’s fractured double act
Over the following months, the two leaders regularly exchanged messages over WhatsApp, sharing private jokes and infuriating officials who wanted all communication done through proper channels. “On…
Snog whoever you wish at Christmas, says Sajid Javid
Mr Javid was forced to clarify official advice on the issue on Thursday, insisting that it was up to individuals who they embraced. “I’ll certainly be kissing…
British travellers will not be asked to take Covid tests before going away, says Grant Shapps
Tourists will not be asked to take Covid tests before they arrive in the UK because the Government does not want to “kill off the travel sector…
Boris beating Labour is no foregone conclusion — it all depends on Keir Starmer
Two years ago today, Jeremy Corbyn launched something of a fashion bombshell: a bespoke suit with the words “For the many, not the few” stitched into it…
Mark Francois self-publishes Brexit memoir, claiming Remainer publishers turned it down
A leading Conservative Eurosceptic MP is on Friday self-publishing his memoir covering the epic struggle to deliver on the 2016 referendum claiming that Remain-biased publishers refused to…
Tory rebels back amendment to allow young Hong Kongers to move to UK
Nearly 30 Tory MPs are backing a rebel amendment to allow young Hong Kongers to come to Britain. The MPs, led by Damian Green, are seeking to…
Letters: The omicron response is based on a flawed understanding of risk
Log-burner lifeline SIR – Phil Mobbs (Letters, December 1) outlines many of the pitfalls surrounding the push for the country to run on electric power, as illustrated…
The new Covid rules set out to curb spread of the omicron variant
England was placed under tighter restrictions from Tuesday in a bid to tackle the omicron variant of Covid-19 that is causing significant concern among scientists, with increasing…
Joe Biden backs off US travel quarantine in favour of negative pre-departure Covid test
The US move adds to the restrictions travellers face as new border rules come into force across France, Spain and Portugal this week amid concerns over the…
BP needs a big deal to become Britain’s wind power champion
BP made its first move into the UK’s offshore wind sector in only February this year. Its joint venture with a German partner will invest less than…
Planet Normal: We should never have been panicking over omicron — or any Covid strain
For Professor Sunetra Gupta, there’s a parallel between December 2021 and March 2020: “Uncertainty regarding this virus was overplayed, as it’s being overplayed now with this new…
Treasury shunts Boris Johnson’s rail revolution into the sidings
Peter Wilkinson, director of rail passenger services at the Department for Transport, did not mince his words on an internal industry call in October. According to others…
Michel Barnier out, hard-Right backer of Eric Zemmour in for final run to lead French conservatives
The winner of Saturday’s runoff will complete the field of candidates looking to take on the incumbent centrist Mr Macron – who has yet to officially announce…
What happens to premium bonds when you die, can they be transferred after death?
The executor will need to fill in a claims form and submit a registrar’s copy of the death certificate. NS&I will not accept a photocopy. The account…
Is my state pension being underpaid? How to check if yours is correct
The state pension is at the core of retirees’ income but hundreds of thousands of women have not been receiving the amount they are due every week,…
How to make your pension last 20 years – and pay less tax
Longer life expectancy, higher costs of living, and the collapse in annuity rates mean careful planning is needed to make even substantial pension pots last. A single…
Buy-to-let mortgage: is it illegal to rent a house out without one?
For every professional landlord with a thriving (and sizeable) property portfolio, there is another who fell into the sector by accident. Frequently those who are upsizing or…
Help your children buy a home – and dodge inheritance tax in the process
The “Bank of Mum and Dad” will help half of all first-time buyers onto the property ladder this year, with parents gifting or loaning an average of…
Help your children buy a property with this tax-efficient plan
However, some lenders will allow borrowers to make monthly payments which effectively freeze the loan size. Ms Clapton said: “I am paying interest of £55 a month…