Richard Thomson

The UK's Child Maintenance Service is criticized for calculating payments primarily from the paying parent's income, ignoring the receiving parent's finances, using an inflexible 25% income-change threshold and failing to account fairly for near-equal shared care. The Great British PAC calls for both parents' financial circumstances to be considered, income data to be updated promptly, genuine shared care of 156 nights or more to generally end routine payments subject to safeguards, and manipulation or errors to be addressed decisively. The piece argues that the current system contributes to debt, hardship, mental health problems and family conflict, and urges meaningful reform during Westminster's review.

Argues that replacing Keir Starmer with Andy Burnham would not change Labour’s direction, warning of continued high taxes, expanding state control and economic stagnation. Ed Miliband is portrayed as even more damaging due to his Net Zero focus. Rising fiscal pressures and reluctance to cut public spending are said to make further tax increases likely, with potential consequences such as capital flight and reduced investment. The piece contends that Labour’s approach prioritises redistribution over growth, leaving Britain weaker and more divided unless the party fundamentally shifts its economic philosophy.