Hugo Gye

Europe’s centrist rulers have fallen dangerously short—and are now paying the price bit.ly/4i7W79f

While other Fleet Street traditions have died in the age of the internet, the British parliamentary sketch lives on. We explain the art of writing a good one

Look at this graph of terror arrests in Britain Why the huge leap in the past year? One reason: the proscription of Palestine Action As I write in the @economist.com Blighty newsletter this week, the ban is increasingly ludicrous: www.economist.com/britain/2026...

Don’t panic Britain’s new Dad’s Army economist.com/britain/2026...

When did suicide become an argument? www.economist.com/britain/2026...

The comeback generation is no longer struggling as they once did. Many are out-earning their parents. Growing numbers occupy positions of real power in business, politics and culture. And home-ownership is rising fast

There’s a fine line between righteous anger over the war in Gaza and seeming obsessive/extreme. Big difference speaking to voters in Holborn and St Pancras compared with Gorton and Denton was how many felt the Greens had moved into the second category

Britain’s prime minister will get credit for his willingness to take on problems previous leaders have dodged. The main caveat is none of the changes Andy Burnham wants will be implemented this decade

The crisis suits both of the main parties

Ridiculous behaviour from the Tories. Dealing with unfriendly journalists is a basic requirement for a political party!

Greens slip into fifth place in our poll tracker, while Reform are only two points off third place. Two parties that dominated discourse in 2025 on their way down

www.economist.com/britain/2026...

Buy British procurement policies? Parity of esteem for apprentices? Such radicalism, prime minister www.economist.com/britain/2026...

Richmond has SEVEN branches of Gail's - which helps to explain why it's such a Lib Dem hotbed I've written this week's Blighty newsletter on what makes an orange stronghold: www.economist.com/britain/2026...

Northern Ireland's devolved government is in effect insolvent. It has become an unwelcome UK experiment in what happens when fiscal discipline collapses - and Stormont has little incentive to control its spending. London talks tough, but keeps acting weak.

More Britons are failing to comply what used to be seen as civic obligations. Disparate, sometimes important and sometimes trivial, overlay them and it seems like something has slipped in the relationship with the state

AI does not have to kill every human to bring about a catastrophe. The model-makers’ warnings should be taken seriously. Yet America will struggle to make AI safe while staying ahead of China bit.ly/4xW1W0h

We are looking for a picture editor to source, research and deliver images for news, features and series across print and digital, giving our readers a richer understanding of the world through compelling visuals. Interested? Apply by October 30th

File under: not good. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

A heartfelt plea for a little help from struggling family firms like uh Greene King and Marriott International (market cap: $90bn)

British tech success story Fenix International Ltd briefed its accounts to the FT, boasting it is proud to have paid £600m in corporate taxes to UK Treasury in last decade. I’m sure they’ll be receiving a ministerial visit, given their key role in the UK economy. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

Good story from my esteemed colleagues at @theipaper.com inews.co.uk/news/politic...

Jenrick is improving Reform UK, but not enough My piece this week: www.economist.com/britain/2026...

BRITAIN WOULD BE BONKERS TO DITCH PALANTIR New @economist.com leader from me on Palantir. I most wanted to highlight its critics' troubling illiberalism—many seem far too blasé letting politics determine which businesses governments buy from. You can read it here: www.economist.com/leaders/202...

looks like we might be past the peak of the Burnham bounce. (that was quick!) still leaves Labour in a much better position than two months ago, of course

Last week I wrote about Andy Burnham, the first man in Number 10 to have an accent like millions of his countrymen: a northern English one. Thanks to Amanda Cole, @robdrummond.bsky.social and Geoff Lindsey for their insight. www.economist.com/britain/2026...

How Labour killed its relationship with business, and why Burnham just might be able to revive it: www.economist.com/britain/2026... Labour doesn't understand business but businesses don't understand Labour either - lots of room for better mutual comprehension

The Afghan regime is vile. But America and other democracies should hold their collective noses and talk to the Taliban anyway: bit.ly/4bL7Msl

I've been in Walton-on-the-Naze today, and probably had a better time than Nigel Farage did there since no members of the public followed me around shouting that I'm worse than a bin. www.economist.com/britain/2026...

"The jobs that AI won’t do, like healthcare or the creative industries." An alarming line in an alarmingly shallow piece www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Andy Burnham has passed his first test with Labour's easy win in Greater Manchester The other parties are struggling to deal with his (albeit so far pretty cosmetic) overhaul of govt My article in @economist.com: www.economist.com/britain/2026...

I'm on the @economist.com daily podcast today, talking about Farage vs Binface: shows.acast.com/theintellige...

More Ravens than Duncans Peter tied with Lennox and Phoenix Lauren down, Hallie up I've written the Blighty newsletter for @economist.com on what the ONS baby names release tells us: www.economist.com/britain/2026...

one for the "Rachel Reeves was an orthodox social democrat" file, raising taxes to fund the NHS and doing more borrowing to juice investment spending

Why has Nigel Farage pulled the by-election stunt? Because it's easier than convincing voters Reform is a government-in-waiting. My take on what Clacton tells us about Reform: www.economist.com/britain/2026...

On May as Britain’s first and last woke prime minister www.economist.com/britain/2026...

This week The Economist argues that council house subsidies should be abolished: www.economist.com/leaders/2026... Ditch the subsidy, pay housing benefit to those who need it, end the two-tier regime.

Weather forecasters used to be a national joke (probably unfairly) Now everyone loves them What changed? Let me explain: www.economist.com/britain/2026...

Burnham the smart-casual Starmer: www.economist.com/britain/2026... Next PM needs more flesh on the bones of his radicalism or he'll just be a swisher version of his predecessor

Burnham's first policy speech most interesting for the words it doesn't use, among them: Keir Starmer; prime minister; Labour; America; China; Europe; tax; artificial intelligence

PODCAST 🎙️ What does Andy Burnham really stand for? @hugogye.bsky.social joins @drhannahwhite.bsky.social @alexgathomas.bsky.social @cathhaddon.bsky.social to discuss what happens when power changes hands mid-parliament www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/insi...

Andy Burnham has skills in abundance that Keir Starmer lacked. But that is not an agenda for government. Economist leader www.economist.com/leaders/2026...

Ed Miliband is, and has always been, the prime minister www.economist.com/britain/2026...

What Burnham's book tells us about the next PM - I've written the Blighty newsletter this week: www.economist.com/newsletters/...

Seen from abroad it's hard to make sense of what happened to Starmer. Big majority, centrist, fairly united party, no obvious blunders -- and somehow it went off the rail in just a few years. Political scientists will have their work cut out on this one.

Team Starmer think Burnham is a "joker" making promises of change he can't support But the outcoming PM has forfeited all authority to make the argument My piece for @economist.com today: www.economist.com/britain/2026...