The honey trap: why honey fraud is a health hazard
Vladimir Sukhachev/ShutterstockNaturally sweet, but potentially hiding a criminal past? This is not the plot of a new crime drama. It is about the jar of honey in your kitchen.
UK
The UK government’s risky rollback of financial regulation threatens long-term growth
The financial crisis of 2008 left deep scars on the British economy. The average UK household is now estimated to be 16% poorer than it would have been had that crisis never occurred.
Given that average annual household income is around £55,200, this suggests each one is losing out to the tune of £8,800 per year.
Is there a strong economic case for dropping the two-child benefits cap? This is what the evidence tells us
Millions of British children live in poverty. Jun Huang/ShutterstockAs she carefully prepares the UK’s reaction to her second budget the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has now hinted that she may be ready to scrap the two-child benefits cap.
Tesla’s US$1 trillion gamble on Elon Musk’s ‘visionary’ leadership
Photo Agency/ShutterstockTesla has announced it is offering its CEO Elon Musk a performance-based pay package worth US$1 trillion. That’s right: 12 zeros.
Why the UK should look beyond growth to a ‘new economics’ that works for all
The UK economy is not working for everyone. Ian Francis/ShutterstockThe UK budget is usually a story of growth forecasts, borrowing levels and fiscal discipline. But ahead of this month’s high-stakes event, growth has been slower than expected. At the same time, as households struggle with living costs, the climate crisis intensifies and inequality persists, growth might seem like too narrow a focus.
If the AI bubble does burst, taxpayers could end up with the bill
Xandpic/ShutterstockYou might not care very much about the prospect of the AI bubble bursting. Surely it’s just something for the tech bros of Silicon Valley to worry about – or the wealthy investors who have spent billions of dollars funding development.
Trump’s tariffs threaten the future of innovation – and UK tech could be collateral damage
Gorodenkoff/ShutterstockUS president Donald Trump’s 15% baseline tariffs on EU imports may read like a throwback to old-school protectionism, designed to safeguard American jobs and manufacturing. But in today’s globalised and digitally driven economy, the risk isn’t just to steel or car factories, it’s to innovation itself.
Exhausted employees don’t want it – so why has Greece introduced a 13-hour work day?
Hospitality workers are likely to be hit hard by the law. Mulevich/ShutterstockThe Greek government has passed a law allowing private employers to extend shifts to 13 hours per day in their main job, framed in terms of “flexibility” and “growth”. It’s marketed as voluntary and fairly paid, but effectively it dismantles the standard eight-hour day, despite survey data showing workers overwhelmingly oppose it.
Voters in Hamburg have rejected universal basic income. Many economists would agree with them
Alex Segre/ShutterstockUniversal basic income (UBI) has supporters across the political spectrum. The idea is that if every citizen received a payment from the state to cover their living costs, it this will allow them the freedom to live as they choose.
Bad wealth made good: how to tackle Britain’s twin faultlines of low growth and rising inequality
In the run-up to the 2024 election, future prime minister Keir Starmer labelled wealth creation Labour’s number one mission. “It’s the only way our country can go forward,” he declared. “We should nourish and encourage that – not just individuals but businesses.”
Starmer was right, in theory. But wealth creation is a slippery concept. Essential for economic and social progress, it can also work against both. It’s therefore vital to distinguish between “good” and “bad” wealth.
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