# The Ideas Lab Innovative thinking about politics, business and society, with historical reflections Page: Feed: --- ## [Sunday round-up 16 August 2026](https://theideaslab.substack.com/p/sunday-round-up-16-august-2026) _2026-08-16 · Eliot Wilson_ 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 ## [They haven't gone away, you know: the House of Commons and control of the executive](https://theideaslab.substack.com/p/they-havent-gone-away-you-know-the) _2026-08-15 · Eliot Wilson_ 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](https://theideaslab.substack.com/p/the-lessons-from-clacton) _2026-08-15 · Eliot Wilson_ 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](https://theideaslab.substack.com/p/anger-the-most-difficult-emotion) _2026-08-11 · Eliot Wilson_ 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](https://theideaslab.substack.com/p/sunday-round-up-9-august-2026) _2026-08-09 · Eliot Wilson_ 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](https://theideaslab.substack.com/p/sunday-round-up-2-august-2026) _2026-08-02 · Eliot Wilson_ 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](https://theideaslab.substack.com/p/sunday-round-up-26-july-2026) _2026-07-26 · Eliot Wilson_ 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](https://theideaslab.substack.com/p/first-field-notes-on-the-burnham) _2026-07-25 · Eliot Wilson_ 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](https://theideaslab.substack.com/p/sunday-round-up-19-july-2026) _2026-07-19 · Eliot Wilson_ 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 ## [Chovy's Blog: Agentic Coding (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/YdfGKUsDuQZR) _2026-07-19 · **Sponsored**_ Personal posts on agentic coding, moshcode CLI, and security findings. ## [Government doing business, now Burnham will have a go](https://theideaslab.substack.com/p/government-doing-business-now-burnham) _2026-07-19 · Eliot Wilson_ The incoming Prime Minister has big plans for the Department of Business and Trade, but what could they mean and will they work?