The government will switch from the usual 3 monthly growth figures to a one month figure for November as it showed a 0.3% positive advance. The three monthly figure to November was still in the mire at 0.1%. What the figures show is despite all the bad policies dragging down all too many sectors, there remains some life in UK services sufficient to give the UK a slightly higher growth rate than the Eurozone and EU which the government wants us to copy more closely.
The worst news in the figures is the continuing fall in construction output. That was down 1.15 for the three months and down 1.3% in November. You would expect construction of new shops and offices to be depressed by the lack of investment and the high taxes. You would expect private sector housing to be depressed by the squeeze on incomes and by high house prices. What was more surprising from a high spending government was the biggest fall came in public sector housing. A Labour Housing Minister has some explaining to do.
Vehicle manufacture figures have been distorted by the impact of the cyber attack on JLR, with the national figures sharply down in September and recovering somewhat in November. It all helps to disguise the growing impact of the policy of demanding more battery cars and fewer petrol and diesel cars be sold, which will mean a much smaller UK industry going forward if the government persists with its damaging tax/subsidy policy.
Mining and quarrying are well down with the bans on oil and gas having a bigger impact as time passes. The UK is reluctant to get things out of the ground here, preferring to pay the extra price of imports and the loss of tax revenue and jobs that goes with that.
What is perplexing is why the government thinks that it will grow faster when
- It pursues ever higher energy prices
- It bans our oil, gas and coal extraction
- It raises taxes on jobs
- It taxes successful and wealthy people out of the country
- It(along with the Labour Mayor) will not allow much new housing development in London which is where demand for extra housing is strongest and prices are highest
- It tries to stop people buying things they want and tries to get them to buy things they do not want in the name of net zero
- It offers subsidies to farmers to not grow food, and taxes those who dare to grow food
- It wants to adopt more EU rules that will impede innovation and investment at home and cheaper imports from non EU sources
On current policies the government will not be happy until the UK is growing as slowly as Germany, adopting all the same rules and taxes that hold it back.
January 16, 2026
The definition of GDP includes government spending and consumption. Labour is increasing government spending, welfare payments and population increases with spending on accommodation and subsidies. Even imported stuff for government counts such as police cars and NHS equipment. Inflated food prices cause GDP to rise through consumption. Ministers taking trips by plane counts as services. Insurance costs increasing because of labour and materials doubling counts as services and GDP. Even the BBC using their very highly paid staff to produce doctored programmes resulting in libel actions is on the bill.
We can therefore have industries and private entertainment services closing down and loss of jobs while public employment is increasing while GDP bumps along at rates a fraction of other countries which ignore net zero.
January 16, 2026
GDP per capita has been flattening as population increase has outstripped GDP. https://www.statista.com/statistics/970672/gdp-per-capita-in-the-uk/
January 16, 2026
Indeed. The output of government can often be of hige negative value or no value this especially as the money comes for taxes on the largely productive private sector hobbling them. Yet it still counts towards their GDP figure. I say largely productive private sector but much of the private sector that is actually growing is in compliance with ever more largely idiotic red tape and is thus not really producing anything of real value. This in law, employment compliance, landlord compliance, OTT health and safety, net zero lunacy, getting round moronic planning obstacles, tax planning, EV car lunacy…
January 16, 2026
@Lifelogic, regarding trains (from last blog), have you ever read ‘The Railway Children’?!
I thought it was going to be boring – brilliant.
I greatly respect you for your observations (and agree with A LOTS you say, eruditely and with intelligence) but SOMETIMES you come across as if you know the price of everything but the value of nothing / over-UTILITARIAN (where our great country should be far, far more than a just spread sheet that you can analyse financially – it’s also meant to be a HOME of sorts where people feel at home, inspired, safe, patriotic – and full of culture and charm and cheerfulness that you can NOT put a price on – and where, paradoxically, people then, in general, work much harder – work ethic – so more PRODUCTIVITY and less SOCIAL WELFARE and look after themselves better so less health issues – mental and physical – so greatly reduced NHS bills for the tax payer!). So the country pays a big price financially and in terms of happiness when it is governed in an over-utilitarian way (i.e. by just judging the country’s ‘success’ by GDP – complete NONSENSE even though GDP is obviously a crucial factor).
Best to you sir (still respect you a lot!)
January 16, 2026
In other words, if you strip down the UK to just the markeplace alone, then the country loses it’s heart and soul and what it means to be British and patriotic.
Sure, we don’t want to be hippies either just living off the land and WOKE and socialistic. But rather a fine balance where we have great jobs and technology and defence and healthcare and pensions (and low debt and immigration) but also a country with charm, heart and soul – even mystery.
Like the poet John Betjeman who loved his middle class background and middle class Britain. Not something to be ashamed of. But I wonder what the poet would think of over-utilitarian modern Britain which is actually cannabilistic of itself because over-utilitarianism creates psychological depression / dissatisfaction leading to lower work ethic and much lower productivity and so a smaller economy and higher welfare (I’m not talking about the 5% of super rich but the rest of the population both middle class and workung class) and more bad health – physical and psychological, costing the NHS and so the tax payer billions and billions so you pay a big price for being over-utilitarian in government policy – a country is NOT a company nor just an economy but far more and reduce a country to just a marketplace then you pay a big cost for that including financial in the longer term.
(And I think my thinking on this partially derives from my background in advertising / branding and what motivates people psychologically).
January 16, 2026
I agree GDP is a very poor measure. But the best people to just the value of something and decide what to buy is the paying customer. Not government forcing you to pay for wind farms, trains, EV cars, heat pumps, the BBC, the NHS… whether you like it or not! Stop rigging markets and give people freedom to choose in fair markets!
January 17, 2026
@Lifelogic
But private enterprise can’t plan for and pay for most big infrastructure. This is something you just don’t get. Big infrastructure is like the soil and manure that private enterprise grows and flourishes in. Your expertise is in private enterprise. NOT in big infrastructure (which isn’t just about transport and technology but also culture).
And big infrastructure is ultimately about politics working with people in private enterprise as well as with people in culture, branding, psychology, science and health to maximise the quality of living of people in general (including the rich and super rich as well as to helping the poor and vulnerable to be able to stand up better on their own and support themselves instead of over-relying kn the state and welfare and the NHS etc).
January 16, 2026
“can often be” ? you mean “is almost entirely” surely
January 16, 2026
Indeed and things like HS2 have negative impact until finish and even when finish any benefits will have value of a tiny % of the cost plus all the disruption. Circa 10% if generous!
January 16, 2026
Oxford Economics reckons that over 2/3 of GDP growth over 2 years has been from government buying things.
The biggest increase in services is tax accounting and avoidance. What a surprise. Personally I asked Chat to advise on capital gains if I sold my house which I once let for 12 years and it gave me an excellent detailed estimate. [ Which was enormous]
Re Spectator/ Simmons
January 16, 2026
Indeed and no inflation indexation now so your are taxes in money you have never even actually made plus allowance hugely cut and now frozen.
January 16, 2026
Might be worth a column on local councils attempting to delay May elections. It is not limited to Labour alone and seems to me to be another attack on voters’ democratic rights under the cover of boundary changes.
January 16, 2026
Will Trump attack Greenland or Iran after the stock markets close tonight?
He has gone from Peace President to Forever Wars.
Weekends are his best time for military escapades. No immediate effect on share prices.
January 17, 2026
GDP/capita is way behind other countries like Australia.
January 16, 2026
Exactly so Stred
January 16, 2026
Yesterday the clown Milibrain announced a father £1.8 billion for the installation of more useless windmills offshore. Power at a guaranteed price of £91 per mwh. Onshore wind and solar has yet to be announced. This is more money being removed from the economy to subsidise mainly foreign owned companies.
Motor manufacturing is down to levels not seen since the 50s, another major employer about to vanish along with oil, gas and steel.
Major builders are laying staff off because there are no buyers and in London house prices are being discounted at up to 50%
No one sane believes the economy is growing only the immigration and benefits Bill
January 16, 2026
As I type we are currently Importing 22% of our electricity at £92 per mwh which we could generate for £55 per mwh. Again this is removing more money from the economy to subsidise foreign consumers, particularly the French. Madness.
January 16, 2026
Recent Governments have avoided the dreaded “Balance of Trade” metric, with good reason.
January 16, 2026
15/01/2026 gov.uk ‘UK trade: November 2025’.
January 16, 2026
@Ian Wragg – then some suggest that(even comments on this site) the outpouring of UK wealth is the UK saving money and that paying more than the market price also saves money. Along with denying the UK an income saves the UK money.
You missed the bit that the windmills them selves are feeding the Chinese economy not ours, while also increasing global warming
January 16, 2026
Starmer has ordered the UK to follow EU rules for electricity distribution. It immediately caused an increase in energy pricing.
January 16, 2026
It’s a wonder Starmer has not moved his office to Brussels.
January 16, 2026
It might be cheaper for him to charter his own plane with onboard office than keep disappearing round the world to avoid being challenged every day.
January 17, 2026
I think he would prefer the EU to move its offices to London. It would be the greatest achievement of his career.
January 16, 2026
A guaranteed price but not a guaranteed delivery when energy is actually required unless God has signed the contract too! So worth far less than on demand electricity such as gas, coal, oil, nuclear. So these power stations have to back up and run far less efficiently as a direct result. Total economic and engineering illiteracy Ed!
January 16, 2026
Good morning.
This pitiful figure is dwarfed even further by the growth rates coming from the USA. It shows that Liz Truss plan would have delivered prosperity has she been given a chance and not sabotaged in the way she was. Not that is to say she was blameless in her fall, but she was most certainly given a nudge.
We also have to take into consideration the lies of this government and in particular the Chancer of the Exchequer. The £20bn black hole that never was and the tax hikes that followed it, especially employers national insurance contributions have led us to where we are.
And finally, inflation. What ever pitiful gains there are will be wiped out by rampant inflation. Those extra costs on the Private Sector have to passed on.
The May elections this year may prove pivotal. Because if TTK goes, the Reeves goes too.
January 16, 2026
@Mark B – ‘if TTK goes, the Reeves goes too’ correct, but who would replace them?
People hear what they want to hear, Liz Truss is still being blamed for things she had no control or input for. The Media had done its job and responded the back-room manipulators that were under threat.
January 16, 2026
Ian B
It all comes down to the Backbenchers. They only way to bring them into line and do the things that need to be done it to threaten them with and early GE. Trouble is, whoever is PM must mean it or he/she is toast.
I cannot see this government, or the country lasting until 2029.
January 16, 2026
@Mark B – there is the problem, nowadays the backbenches having been chosen as candidates had their election campaign funded by their gang boss only have loyalty to them. That’s the contradiction that has evolved and why it appears odd that when they so-called ‘cross-the-floor’ they immediately then suggest I was selected and elected by my constituents for who I am and not the party – pull the other one. But seriously who in the party in power would anyone want to see replace the sitting lunatics, the Millibrain, Yvette Cooper, Angela Rayner they are the remaining power houses of the party
January 16, 2026
Perhaps it would be clearer if you said backbenchers(aka sheep)?
January 16, 2026
I think point 8. is probably the overriding factor and where all roads lead to….the EU
So many in political circles and all others on their coat tails, never wanted to leave the EU because it suited them.
It suited them professionally, likely financially as well as ideologically. The super state, run by a select few with a veneer of democracy, with perks and well paid jobs for those who wave the flag and sing the anthem and pass down the directives and laws to Joe Public.
Who in the current government gives a fig if private sector jobs are crumbling. The state should own and control all in their world view.
If the figures look dire, well they can just wheel out the tried and tested ‘Brexit is to blame’
January 16, 2026
Yes, point 8 is the one.
We are not allowed to compete with “our friends” in the EU. Therefore, if the EU is doing appallingly, as it is, we will too.
January 16, 2026
@Michelle – it suits Parliament and the Establishment not to have to work, they are lazy free-loaders all they wanted was to be a local council officials with lots of security and more pay. The last thing they needed was to serve and manage on behalf of an electorate and a nation.
January 16, 2026
the public give a full and comprehensive list of reasons the government is wrong and doomed in their replies on social media to starmer, wes, and friends. there are no supporters visible. a sensible opposition would suck the replies up into a database, analyse them, and summarise them, which would be a far better way of tackling the government than current opposition parties and their focus group etc approaches.
January 16, 2026
One of the puzzling things about the last election was the really huge swing to Labour, despite having an uncharismatic leader in Sir Kier Starmer and no recent experience of government.
Here, in the 5th richest country in the world, 6 million folk were forced to use foodbanks at least once in 2024. A quarter of our schoolkids qualify for free school meals. The Labour government has had to roll out breakfast clubs to thousands of schools across the country. The amount of child poverty in Britain has reached levels not seen since the Poor Laws forced the destitute into workhouses.
Many of these kids have parents where both had two or even three jobs. The cuts in working benefit tax credits and the transition to Universal Credit have made them destitute, as the payments have not kept up with food and rent inflation. Many of these families are being forced out of their homes regularly under no fault evictions, as landlords are forced to pay higher interest on their buy-to-let mortgages.
A generation ago, under a Conservative administration, 350,000 families had their homes repossessed. They voted for Blair’s New Labour in 1997. 6 million hardworking but destitute folk voted Labour in July 2024 because they saw a change of government as their only hope for a better life.
Sunak’s hard-right manifesto was a disappointment to these people. It will be a very long time indeed before the country votes Conservative again.
Reply Labour polled badly at the last election. Many voters declined to vote either Labour or Conservative. In the next election they will vote for big changes from the policies of this hopeless government.
January 16, 2026
reply to reply…..Many of those declining to vote will continue to ‘not waste my time, they all have nonsense policies’ apart from the more concerned who are even less likely to vote Labour. All the polls and discussion in the wild tells us that Reform is viewed to be the horse worth betting on.
January 16, 2026
Pity it has only 3 legs.
January 16, 2026
meow…meow …you really hate with a passion, don’t you!
Fear is a terrible thing.
January 16, 2026
Your usual made up figures. UK isn’t 5th richest country in the world on any known metric. On a GDP per capita basis it’s somewhere around 21st to 39th. 6 million people didn’t use foodbanks once during 2024, the correct number is around 2 million. I could go on. Do you get these numbers from the same place as your Net Zero “facts”.
January 16, 2026
Labour got 20% of the available votes. There was not a huge swing to Labour.
The swing was to “a plague on both their houses” with the 40% who didn’t bother voting, including a large number of former Conservative voters who sat on their hands out of disgust with the Johnson/Sunak betrayal.
A great many Constituencies now held by a Labour MP have very small majorities. The Labour landslide was a consequence of the FPTP electoral system and the proliferation of smaller parties, including the SNP and Plaid which amplify votes in the devolved countries because of the concentration of their voters in a relatively few Constituencies.
January 16, 2026
Labour did not win the last election SG, the Conservatives lost it. Starmer had less votes than when Corbyn he lost.
“We are the 5th RICHEST country..” I very much doubt that. We may be the 5th or 6th largest economy but we are not rich. The Rich certainly use debt but they clear their credit cards every month and are not buried in (controlled by) it. We (and many others) are living well beyond our means and that cannt continue forever. It’s well past time to make hard decisions or feel the consequences.
January 16, 2026
Universal credit is an incredibly generous benefit for those who receive it. Do not be fooled by the narrative that those on benefits are in poverty. They get free school meals, dentistry prescriptions plus free money and housing paid for.
The real hardship is for those who don’t get taxpayer largesse
January 16, 2026
NS
Absolutely agree, No Debts, try to live within your means, have a job of sorts, have moderate savings,
You are on your own, no help no encouragement, just more and more tax to pay.
No wonder Millions are on Benefits, and if they work at all it’s only Part time, spend all the money so no savings, and the Government will provide, will even pay most of the rent if you ask nicely.
No wonder we have a productivity problem.
Many now saying why bother to try and improve my life by working harder and longer when the State takes most of the extra in tax.
January 16, 2026
@Sakara Gold – “Sunak’s hard-right manifesto” when and were was that. he moved the party so far left it was undistinguishable from Labour & the Liberal Democrats. As in he continued the morphing in to the Uniparty.
He and his predecessors moved the Party so far away from the countries conservatives that they disenfranchised them, so they didn’t vote. At a stretch it is possible to suggest at the GE the largest vote(or non vote) was for the none of the above Party.
January 16, 2026
+1
January 16, 2026
@Reply – I can see at the next election a hunger and a desire from the mainstream electorate to break away from the Uniparty. Any party that wasn’t them, would be the ‘others’ and would win hands down as they say – then the problem the ‘others’ as far as the electorate are concerned are morphing into also being the Uniparty.
Here in Wokingham I don’t think we even have anyone wanting to be seen as Conservative, MP gone, Council gone. The others, the protest vote ‘heavens forbid’ has become the LibDems.
I don’t see any party emerging wishing to serve, work with or for the electorate or the nation. The best case scenario would be for none of the incumbents of this Parliament to be allowed to serve another term. A clean slate is required no outcome could be worse than what we have are are being offered now.
January 16, 2026
+1
In the BDI, uniquely (but legally, our patrons included Alfred Sherman, Norris McWhirter etc) we envisioned a Contract between MP and his constituents. If he deviated from his manifesto, it was an automatic resignation, thus empowering the MP against the Whips. Also no recall required, it was automatic.
It means that MPs of varying politics can be elected but will be patriotic House.
That’s what we should start with.
Constituencies proposing and choosing their (signed up) candidate.
January 16, 2026
Wages have not moved in real terms in the last 20 years or more. A result of low wage immigrants coming in, the population has increased by 10 million over that period and they wonder why our services are struggling. Also, low wages being paid even by big employers with huge profits are being subsidised by benefits. This should not happen – if a firm cannot afford to pay its staff it should not exist. Many profits going abroad. As Jenryck said yesterday, we are broken. The only winners are the already rich and big corporations who are allowed to get away with not paying their fair share.
January 16, 2026
If companies were not taxed until the pips squeaked they could afford to compete for the best employees, by offering higher wages.
January 16, 2026
SG:
If you believe that Sunak’s manifesto was “hard-right” where does this place you on the political spectrum? Does this explain your desire for Net Zero and renewables?
January 16, 2026
hard right? about as hard as a soaked dishcloth.
January 16, 2026
Reply to reply
In my borough, in 2024, the Lib Dems took over from the Conservatives. Looking at the votes compared with the previous general election… The Lib Dems got almost exactly the same number of votes. But they got in because far fewer people voted conservative. Much as the national vote which allowed Labour in.
Voter apathy really has had some painful knock on affects!
January 16, 2026
@Sharon – voter apathy is now the trend, its hard to see anyone in this Parliament remotely interested in their constituents or the Country. Most are away polishing personal ego and trying to find the next wheeze to maliciously damage the Nation and its people’
January 16, 2026
No apathy. A decision to sack your own party is courageous.
January 16, 2026
You need to get out more and talk to the peasants in the towns and villages.
January 16, 2026
There is no poverty in the UK; it’s just the way it’s measured, which defines poverty as households earning less than 60% of the median income. So it is impossible to get out of so-called poverty.
There isn’t a food crisis; in fact, people are massively overeating. Adult and child obesity is rising at an alarming rate.
• Overall Prevalence: Approximately 64.5% of adults in England are classified as overweight or living with obesity.
• Obesity Rate: About 26.2% of adults are considered obese, with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher.
• Gender Differences: Obesity rates are slightly higher among men (26.4%) compared to women (26.2%).
Childhood Obesity Statistics
• General Prevalence: Around 15% of children aged 2 to 15 years are classified as obese.
• Age Breakdown: Obesity rates are 12% among children aged 2 to 10 and 19% among those aged 11 to 15.
Trends and Projections
• Rising Rates: The prevalence of obesity has been increasing over the years. For instance, the rate of adult obesity has risen from 22.6% in 2015-2016 to 26.2% in 2022-2023.
• Future Projections: By 2030, it is estimated that around 29% of males and 31.9% of females in England could be classified as obese.
Also, the obese are mainly in the poorer sections of the community. So the percentage of poorer people who are obese is even higher.
January 16, 2026
the UK government is at least 3 Trillion quid in debt.
the only way to view the UK financial picture as in credit is by including the balances of the richer individuals, people who could choose to move abroad any time they liked, leaving behind the benefit dependents with the national debt.
as for being in the top ten richest countries, that is very unlikely given the oil rich states (with governments that actually allow them to extract it from the ground) and so on…
January 16, 2026
1 £trillion of that is police pensions …..the police just spend too much money ‘not on policing’, its being reported by the BBC that Surrey Police spend £16,000 on a private jet to transport a ‘car traffic accident’ criminal from Spain back to UK https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3r140redx9o
January 16, 2026
The U.K. is 31st richest in the world ppp (which is the only comparator).
https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/rankings/gdp_per_capita_ppp/
January 16, 2026
cannot believe that the opposition parties are not making a bigger deal of the water supply failure in Tunbridge wells and the massive failure of the water company. in the same way as west mids police are complete failures, not to mention Rotherham and Bradford police. we need a big statement about the complete failure of many big organisations we rely on, and some vision on how quality is going to be ramped up.
January 16, 2026
@iain gill – ever thought, there is no opposition. No one that wishes or desires to work with those that empower and pay them
January 16, 2026
there are so many examples of public sector low performance
it takes so long to get security clearance that roles needing it are now a closed shop. the whole defence world can only hire from people already within it. this is not good for defence projects, the workforce, or the country.
its the same as the probate office taking 2 years to handle a simple case, leaving empty house that cannot be sold, and families destitute because they need their inheritance.
in none of these cases do heads fall. we have accepted poor performance as the norm, the complaints systems are all a joke and deliver no real improvements.
the country needs a complete reset.
January 16, 2026
Iain
Indeed last time I was involved with Probate, simple Will, no house, Estate worth a total of £27,000 so no Liability for IHT, it took 6 months to go through from the date they were sent the completed forms.
Given many Wills and finances can be a bit more complicated, and if a house is involved, the Executor has to pay any IHT due within 6 Months after the end of month of Death, otherwise financial penalties are accrued by HMRC against the value of IHT Estimated.
It takes at least 6 months to clear and ready a house, put it on the market, and find a buyer, so odds are that you will need to enter into a finance arrangement with HMRC which Imposes an interest rate (think it is currently 8%) from day one on the sum it calculates the IHT you owe.
Add on all the work involved in putting all of the deceased finances in order, and you could be talking of many months to get paperwork in order before initial submission and eventual house sale.
Employ a Solicitor and you are talking at least a year, plus their costs !
January 16, 2026
Oh I was/am fully lawyered up. The problem with the lawyers is they are so used to poor service from the probate service that they are dulled to it and have come to think its normal. It is not it is worst performing service of its kind IN THE WORLD. There are lots of public forms online where lawyers discuss the failings of the probate service amongst themselves, it is staggering reading.
It is nothing to do with complexity or inheritance tax, if is inefficiency and incompetence.
January 16, 2026
Well this time a far-right turncoat Tory MP was fired before he had time to jump – as Badenoch demonstrated a surprising, decisive, streak. The dreadful Nigel Farage had to pull his latest press conference forward, to welcome Robert Jenrick into Richard Tice’s anti-swans Reform limited company
One thing British politicians are noted for is rampant opportunism. And naked ambition.
Jenrick should resign his seat, force a by-election and stand as a Reform candidate. This he won’t do – he might lose. Reform’s standing in the latest polls has tanked again
January 16, 2026
SG
You suggest that the polls say Reform has tanked again, but they are still top !
Does not say much for the others does it !
Yes there are certainly question marks against Reform, but fewer than there are about the direction of the New Greens.
However I do agree any member who moves Party should stand again at a by-election, but few ever do !
January 16, 2026
Yesterday polls tracker had Reform on 33% and that’s the Guardian. Hardly tanking. You di maje things up.
January 16, 2026
Oh no …..they may only win 400 MPs with a poll like that ! its almost rock bottom
January 16, 2026
Farage didn’t pull his Press Conferences forward yesterday; both were planned. The second one, where Jenrick was introduced, had been planned to notify the Press about the Judicial Review into Labour and Tory cancellation of democracy.
Reform’s membership has increased by 600 since yesterday afternoon.
January 16, 2026
as often the case – Fake news from detractors.
January 16, 2026
I do not doubt Jenrick’s ambition and it seems he also has (had?) a good team behind him.
Farage clearly needs more people with real experience of Government in his team and these will most likely come from the Tories…
During the Tory leadership contest, I preferred Badenoch to Jenrick on balance. She was more measured in her approch. I did wonder if she would survive, as the schemers had not gone away. Yesterday, she acted quickly and her main challenger disappeared. So her position is strengthened. However the right of the Tory Party is being depleted and Kemi is going to find herself leading an alternative to the Lib Dems. I’m not sure she can purge them easily.
Meanwhile, Farage will not stand any challenges to his authority (as others have discovered). Can Jenrick toe the line and behave himself? Maybe the game is to look beyond Farage and see who might succeed him?
January 16, 2026
Yes, Jenrick should resign his seat but if I am right the only politician in my lifetime who has called a by-election when he switched parties was Douglas Carswell. David Davis also called a by-election on principle over ID cards but did not switch parties.
It is just not done because (generally Sir John) MPs have no honour despite being referred to as the honourable
Reply The 2 Conservatives who switched to UKIP fought by elections
January 16, 2026
@Sakara Gold – the man who voted remain, wanted to stay on the Socialist gravy chain and you say that makes him right-wing? His actions having him drawing level on the same platform as 2TK
January 16, 2026
Where’s your outrage for Labour and Conservatives cancelling elections?
It’s clear to all that you hate Reform and Nigel Farage.
Rather than making up allegations and statistics, come up with some valid arguments because nobody believes a word you say.
I wouldn’t hold a by-election because all the other parties would band together to defeat Reform, and it would take away resources they need to fight the 7th May elections.
January 16, 2026
@SG. What’s the “anti swans” jibe? Have I missed something?
January 16, 2026
Jenrick need not resign his seat. He was the one who was elected. I vote for the person not the party. The person can make sense if the party doesn’t.
Reply Most people vote for the person and the party. Of someone tears up their promises to electors and announces they have a big change of view surely they should submit to a by election. Many of his constituents voted Conservative more than Jenrick
January 17, 2026
Sir John, I agree with the sentiment, can you send a note to Starmer and tell him? His views and policies were presented in the Labour Manifesto in 2024, he got elected and has so far broken every one of his promises and is now cancelling our democratic right to vote out failed councillors, He most certainly should call a general election.
January 16, 2026
the US state department continually slagging off the British government as if UK is a tin pot banana republic is quite something.
there is no way to defend starmer and his cancelling elections, stopping free speech, and so much more.
January 16, 2026
The economic policies this government and indeed the previous government follows are designed to scale back our capacity to produce. It does not matter what words are used to justify this the pursuit of Net Zero is used to justify the scale back of manufacturing claiming new technologies will provide replacement work and opportunities. The facts do not support that story. We are being deindustrialised and left vulnerable as a consequence.
That reality does not get enough coverage or challenge in the media but there is something far worse happening at the same time.
The active degrading of democracy by cancelling ever more local elections is not a casual policy. The excuse for denying voters there right to choose who oversees local government, is councils could not manage an election and reorganisation. Those of us who have experience of local politics know the councillors will not be the ones involved in the reorganisation they will simply be overseeing it and asking questions. The permanent staff are the ones doing the reorganisation. The lame excuse that holding elections and doing their day job will be too demanding is risible. The truth is Labour will be wiped out of local government if elections are held. That and only that is the reason Labour are abandoning democracy, they know they will be thrown out and can not stand the political fall out from that.
January 16, 2026
Correct.
January 16, 2026
Yes John, our Country is in one God almighty mess, as individuals most of us are trying to do our best, but are being totally frustrated and limited by government policies and ever rising taxes over many years.
Most of our Politicians have lost the plot completely, and that is why in desperation people are looking at Reform, and some even thinking that the Greens are the answer.
One thing is absolutely clear, we need a change of direction, and quickly.
January 16, 2026
I often wonder what can happen that will force an early election JA – but I haven’t come up with anything yet… 🙁
January 16, 2026
TRUMP ? he might?
January 16, 2026
Nobody will even challenge Starmer. Nobody wants to have the prospective May losses on their watch.
January 16, 2026
Agree ….we’re in for a long ride
January 16, 2026
@Berkshire Alan – ah but!, 2TK says his agenda (not his manifesto) that hasn’t been followed correctly, but will from no on. Will ’cause a change of direction’
His words me being sarcastic
January 16, 2026
“What is perplexing is why the government thinks that it will grow faster when…”
I don’t think it believes what it is saying. The Labour Party has a programme driven by socialist ideology. Growth of the private sector and wealth creation are not part of the plan. We just get told we are better off in the hope we suck up more of the programme.
January 16, 2026
It is hugely concerning that one company (Jaguar Landrover) turning back on productions can make quite such an impact. Is our economy so small that a few cars and components makes that much difference.
I’d better keep my milk order consistent I fear.
January 16, 2026
“The Government Celebrates” that’s the problem with spin and the political ideology around a week being a long time in politics. Its also the problem for people like me who are the detractors of this Parliament.
If the Government does nothing between now and the election (3 plus years) they will be able to show things have improved. In fact if they carry on wreaking the country up until 6 months before the election, then do nothing they can demonstrate things have got better. The natural cycle causes that to happen not Governments, not Parliament. A reminder Jeremy Hunt rose NHI by 1.25% (calling it a levy) in 2022 only to drop it back for the election, although the end result due to fiscal drag was an overall tax increase, the electorate got to hear about the drop in tax! The highest tax and borrowing in 70 years and it was spun as a great saving to the nation
The story will be exactly as the media release the government sends out, it will be lazy journalist and the media that will print it unedited of massive growth and things have changed and all the detritus that went before it will be swept under the carpet. Welcome to the World of the UK Parliament versus the truth.
Reply The electorate spotted the higher taxes and stopped voting fir the Conservatives in big numbers
January 16, 2026
reply to reply… don’t be coy, the electorate spotted all manner of failures, not just taxes. You used to talk about them here.
January 16, 2026
@Reply – you know that, I know that most of the commentators on your wonderful website know it. But the Country at large? they appear to be more attune with the latest narrative without thinking. The thinkers may not take a risk next time out and risk abstaining once more, but that is still a 50/50 gamble. Look at Parliament, look at its MPs – leaders, managers?
The place, the country and communities have gone to rack & ruin. As you maybe aware HSBC locally had all its windows trashed/smashed, still awaiting repair. It would appear the lack of action over the many thousands of pounds in the criminal damage caused, is down to it being a done by UK Palestine terrorist group, not louts or right-wing fascists. Maybe the authorities are to busy on the internet looking for what they personally see as an out of place comment. It is hoped HSBC will fund the repairs and the situation will go away. The local MP who doesn’t live locally like others of his ilk appears to be in tune with the thinking that left-wing terrorism is not his business. Clearly this situation is coming from the top, the Government, Parliament and my point is how could anyone vote for those that just sit on their hands free-load and inflict this same sort of damage to a whole country?
January 16, 2026
The ‘country at large’ did the spotting and withholding of their vote-ing.
Wh6 do you despise the electorate when they answer every question correctly (apart from the 72 referendum when they were EXPLICITELY lied to for the first time)
January 17, 2026
Is that the 05/06/1975 referendum you are trying to quote? (commonslibrary.parliament.uk)
January 16, 2026
Ah yes SJ but the Tories left them a terrible mess and listening to R Jenrick yesterday he maintains as much – the country is bunched and you all played your part.
January 16, 2026
I noted that Jenrick did not specify his high profile role and apologise for it.
I would NEVER vote in any way that might give Zahawi any power at all. He was terrifying and still is. Unapologetic too.
January 16, 2026
Rupert Lowe makes most sense at the moment. If Reform and Conservatives formed around him as candidate for PM it would wipe Labour and others off the map. The Liberals in the Conservative party would have to go. A lot of key polices would have to change, mainly so that immigration was properly stopped. A proper plan to fix the country needs sketching out, Dom Cummings style. Decent people need lining up for key roles, as Trump did before his election, so that useless layers of the public sector can be replaced. That would be the best thing for the country. But politicians being politicians it is unlikely.
January 16, 2026
This is a dire list of failures and miss-steps, but few if any of them are surprising from a Labour Government. What I do find surprising is how little we hear from the Conservatives about how they plan to change things
January 16, 2026
“On current policies the government will not be happy until the UK is growing as slowly as Germany, adopting all the same rules and taxes that hold it back.”
Of course! Socialism depends upon making and keeping people poor. Policies like Net Zero by 2050 can only be implemented by an authoritarian state. Look at the history of socialism in the last century to see the end result.
January 16, 2026
Germany still has the break on.
Soon we will be counting contraction in Germany rather than growth, and therefore in the EU too.
January 16, 2026
Interesting –
‘Mercedes-Benz is moving production of its entry-level A-Class from Germany to Hungary, a decision driven largely by cost savings and manufacturing’ https://www.autonews.com/manufacturing/ane-mercedes-a-class-hungary-production-cost-cutting-0106/
January 17, 2026
Germany is being “levelled down” to the living standards of eastern Europe. And, because we are not allowed to compete with “our friends,” so are we.
January 17, 2026
If ther is one thing Germans do understand it is money, preferably other people’s. But Hungary is one of the most stable countries in Europe – so long as Orban remains PM – so it is sensible to invest there. Also it eschews Left wing wokery so it’s great for education of children. Mercedes investing there is good commercially and for employees families.
January 17, 2026
commonslibrary.parliament.uk 06/01/2026 ‘GDP international comparisons: Economic indicators’.
January 16, 2026
The only growth I see is the rise in the taxes I’m paying. Fiscal drag is taking a terrible toll on the middle class. The number of individuals now falling into the higher tax bracket has increased significantly. This Government is living off the wealth generated by past generations, but when my generation has gone, there won’t be much left.
January 16, 2026
Starmers idea to call up 65 year old ex servicemen and send them to fight in Ukraine is not going to work. For one they are cheesed off their friends are being prosecuted for doing their jobs. For two they are unlikely to leave the streets of this country to the out of control child rape gangs. It is also noticeable that the publicity for the kinds of people they want is all white working class men, the whole DEI thing disappears when real fights are there. etc ed
January 17, 2026
DEI, wokery and the socialist objectives of Starmer’s Gang are precisely why there is a shortage of recruits. Starmer’s Gang would probably require the pensioners to supply their own kit.
January 17, 2026
Wouldn’t it be a refreshing change if instead of saying how wonderful its policies are for the economy and Britain’s cultural well being, Starmer’s Gang gave us a Churchill style of blood sweat and tears to achieve a nobel goal, a new socialist nirvana. They would tell us how noble is our sacrifice to fulfil the hopes of millions of diverse aliens, ganbgster, drug pushers and rapists suffering at the hands of European despots, like Macron and the colonialist oppressors of Israel; how noble of us it would be to give up our legal entitlements to the rich fishing grounds around Britain to enrich the fishing industries of our brothers in Europe; how noble it is to sacrifice our industry and our domestic comforts to enrich the industrialists of oppressed Communist China; how noble of us to forego our right to self-determination so that the prototype of global socialist rule, the EU, can expand its jurisdiction across the UK, and eastwards into Ukraine to herald in a Brave New World; how enlightened and liberated we would be to give-up the stifling myths of Christianity and the ancient mytholgy of Judaism; how easy and peaceful it would be to cease resistance to Islam, and to relax in the embrace of the religion of peace.
We need to calm our hostility and breathe deeply of the soma, courtesy of our benevolent state and the thought police. (Brave New World, Aldous Huxley)
At least it would be honest.