There is little doubt that 2025 has been one of the most disruptive years in recent memory. This week’s Insider show will try to put into context the transformational changes the world has seen in the past 12 months. Join us on Thursday at 6pm London time: econ.st/4aqZu9j

The Conservatives are at the sharp end of FPTP. Gain a few points of vote share and they could win 100 seats and challenge Labour/Reform for the top spot. Lose a few and they could be wiped off the map. My Blighty newsletter: www.economist.com/britain/2025...

"The budget was further proof of a strangely overlooked fact in British politics: Ms Reeves is a chancellor in the most economically left-wing government of the past five decades."
www.economist.com/britain/2025...

The bodge-it budget

"With the deficit still gaping at 4.5% of GDP, Ms Reeves succumbed to her own worst instincts and those of her backbenchers by increasing borrowing, relative to her previous plans, for four years"

My leader and our cover story

www.economist.com/leaders/2025...

A handpicked article read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist

3 episodes in to Hostage and while I can just about suspend my disbelief about the overall premise for the sake of telly, what I can't believe is that the Speaker would ever allow an intervention in a Statement or for the PM and LOTO to be repeatedly calling each other "you" in the Chamber 😱

But we now have new names for the overground lines, so this is fine

Mike Godwin, author of Godwin's law: Go ahead and compare Trump to Hitler.
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...