Everything government, Parliament, the statistical agencies and the major policy institutes published — read, summarised and ranked so you can skim the day in a minute.
754 articles · 26 live sources · updated Just now
The Government is consulting on ending exploitative zero‑hours contracts, prompting conflict between unions urging guaranteed hours rights for workers on variable‑hours contracts and employers pushing back against such reforms amid a public debate.
Presents Learning and Work Institute’s analysis of the ONS labour market statistics published on 18 August 2026, offering commentary on employment, unemployment and labour market trends for August 2026.
Argues the UK–US medicines deal will cause the NHS to pay more for new drugs and presents this as an unrecognised cost of Brexit, outlining the deal’s implications for UK healthcare spending.
Drawing on Spain’s experience of regional fiscal devolution, the analysis highlights practical lessons and pitfalls for the UK about revenue‑raising powers, asymmetric transfers and fiscal coordination between central and subnational governments.
Carbon Brief examines a Conservative report on ‘cheap power’, identifying ten flaws in its analysis and challenging claims about UK electricity prices and proposed policy remedies.
A random sample of 10,000 webpages from July 2026 finds about 10% show signs of being written or substantially edited by AI, indicating notable AI-generated presence across the observable web.
Argues for cutting duties on tobacco and alcohol, claiming seven tobacco duty rises since 2020 left rolling tobacco duty 115% higher while tobacco duty revenue fell from £10.4bn to £7.9bn and legal cigarette sales dropped 46% (2021–25).
Explains what long‑duration energy storage (‘super batteries’) are, how they can store energy for extended periods and why the UK needs them to smooth variable renewable output and strengthen grid resilience.
The world is entering what is expected to be the strongest El Niño on record; Carbon Brief explains how this ‘super El Niño’ will alter global weather patterns, with implications for extremes and seasonal forecasts.
Learning and Work Institute chief executive Stephen Evans gives an immediate response to the Office for National Statistics' latest labour market data for August 2026, analysing implications for employment, vacancies and policy priorities.
Argues that Whitehall incrementally narrows personal choice through small regulatory moves, citing the Department for Transport’s dislike of private cars and scooters and the Segway ban as an example of rule‑making that excludes novel devices.
Around half of Americans now say they feel more concerned than excited about artificial intelligence, with worry rising particularly among young adults, who report increasing anxiety that AI could cost jobs and harm prospects.
Argues UK state investment institutions underperform compared with European counterparts because outdated fiscal accounting rules constrain scale and effectiveness, limiting the government's ability to use public investment for strategic economic goals.
Emissions from land‑use change — including deforestation, peatland loss and forest degradation — have declined by about a third since 2000, with Carbon Brief illustrating drivers and regional trends across six charts.
Two longstanding institutions — pubs and independent prep schools — are shrinking: 161 pub closures in Q1 2026 (up 26% year‑on‑year) and prep schools squeezed by a 20% VAT on fees from January 2025 and lost charitable rates relief.
Reports that the two largest US reservoirs have reached record‑low water heights within days of each other, highlighting acute drought stress and potential implications for water supply and electricity generation in affected regions.
Explains the sampling approach using Common Crawl web-archive data—monthly ‘crawls’ of the observable internet—to estimate prevalence of AI-authored content and underpin the study’s webpage sample and analysis.
Sutton Trust analysis and comment on 2026 GCSE results, offering the charity’s interpretation of attainment patterns and implications for social mobility and schools following Results Day.
Argues that a proposed UK government move to weaken electric vehicle targets could raise costs for households, potentially costing UK consumers up to £3bn a year by 2030.
China’s 15th five‑year plan for coal is analysed in a Q&A, assessing what new coal targets and policies mean for emissions, domestic energy policy and international climate action.
Learning and Work Institute publishes a monthly interactive labour market dashboard, offering detailed, timely analysis of the latest ONS statistics on employment, unemployment and related labour-market indicators.
The Fabian Society examines the dominance of US technology firms across email, social media, payments and workplace software, arguing the ubiquity of US tech has concentrated control over many aspects of daily digital life.
With wildfires becoming more frequent, the National Fire Chiefs Council reported 11 major incidents simultaneously and 43 wildfires in 24 hours, leaving services stretched and prompting calls for increased equipment and staffing.
Brief argues synthetic natural gas could be a viable, dispatchable low‑carbon option, noting Rivan claims production at below £10/MWh and urging market‑driven solutions such as carbon pricing to deliver diverse climate technologies.
Episode two of the Institute for Government’s series on mid-term prime ministers, titled ‘The transition’, examines how incoming mid-term leaders manage the handover and early days in office; published 13 August 2026.
Contends that calls for Andy Burnham to prosecute firms over widespread bogus self‑employment are ironic, while noting a Fabian Society and Joseph Rowntree Foundation report warning that millions—including four million gig workers—miss out on statutory employment rights.
Social Market Foundation’s analysis of 2026 Level 3 results highlights growth in T Levels, noting this supports Andy Burnham’s push for technical education while emphasising the scale of challenges for university access and skills policy.
Thirteen water firms have been allowed to raise bills to fund extra projects, prompting political anger and debate that cleaner, greener water systems will require higher charges or public funding regardless of ownership model.
Third episode in a series on mid-term prime ministers examining how they adjust to the premiership, published 20 August 2026 as analysis of challenges and behaviours facing MPs who take office between elections.
Public opinion of India across 36 countries varies sharply: favourable views range from 79% in Sri Lanka down to just 7% in Pakistan, showing wide international divergence in perceptions of India.