Sunday round-up 16 August 2026
Birthdays for Julie Newmar, Madonna and the late T.E. Lawrence, on the anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre, the Battle of the Spurs and the inaugural British Empire Games
The Ideas Lab
Innovative thinking about politics, business and society, with historical reflections
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They haven't gone away, you know: the House of Commons and control of the executive
The executive does not completely dominate the legislature, nor is it wholly controlled by it. There is a complex symbiotic relationship but the House of Commons could be more assertive
The lessons from Clacton
What can we learn from Reform UK leader Nigel Farage's re-election as MP for Clacton on Thursday?
Anger: the most difficult emotion to exploit in public speeches
Oratory feeds on emotions but has to master and control them: the uninhibited nature of real anger makes it the most difficult of all to channel in a persuasive way
Sunday round-up 9 August 2026
Birthdays for Rod Laver, James Naughtie, Philip Larkin and Whitney Houston; (only) 30 years since Frank Whittle, jet engine inventor, died; and the (Second) Battle of Adrianople
Sunday round-up 2 August 2026
Born this day Isabel Allende, Sir Anthony Seldon, Kevin Smith and Peter O'Toole; the Government of India Act 1858 was granted Royal Assent; it is the Day of Azerbaijani Film
Sunday round-up 26 July 2026
Birthday big hitters include John Howard, Helen Mirren, Sandra Bullock, George Bernard Shaw and Carl Jung; and the anniversary of the Erfurt Latrine Disaster
First field notes on the Burnham government
This week, the seventh Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on six years took office; those granted an audience with the King to kiss hands must wonder if the car should wait
Sunday round-up 19 July 2026
Birthday wishes to Sir Brian May, Dame Evelyn Glennie, Vitali Klitschko, Lizzie Borden and George McGovern, on the anniversary of Ted Kennedy's car crash at Chappaquiddick
Government doing business, now Burnham will have a go
The incoming Prime Minister has big plans for the Department of Business and Trade, but what could they mean and will they work?