The UK's Cycle to Work scheme, a flagship active travel policy, is an economically inefficient and socially regressive tax break that primarily benefits high-income, white men, rather than effectively promoting cycling. To a large extent, addressing cycling uptake effectively requires targeted investment in infrastructure, safety and equitable access. I love to hate the cycle-to-work scheme. Popular and politically untouchable, it has become what critics call a “sacred cow” o

January 2026. Ofwat set to be abolished in what could be the most radical overhaul of the water sector since privatisation. The operations of England and Wales’ privatised water and sewage systems are murky in more ways than one. Polluted rivers and untreated sewage, opaque finances, blurred accountability, a regulatory system that struggles to see clearly beneath the surface. ‘Murk in every sense’ Does the government’s “New Vision for Water” genuinely cut through the fog, or

For over a decade, the UK has struggled with a persistent productivity gap- workers here produce less output per hour than in many comparable countries. This isn’t just an abstract economic problem: it affects wages, living standards, and even public services. Understanding why productivity lags and how we might fix it is vital. One major factor is investment, or the lack of it. Many UK businesses, especially smaller firms, insufficiently invest in new technology and employee

The Return of Stagflation: How The Cost-of-Living Crisis is Preparing a Vulnerable UK Economy to Face its Coldest Winter on Record. Could...