Israel and Palestine Take a break The two-state solution is still the only one that makes sense. But it won't happen this time round IT IS a clich: every time a worthy mediator, in this case John Kerry, America's secretary of state, sets about ending...
Germany's public pensions In the wrong direction The government is reversing some of its predecessor's sensible pension reforms AS THE country with the European Union's fastest-ageing population, Germany has repeatedly tweaked its pension system to a...
Solar farms Blue steel British fields adopt a new crop TWO nuclear bombs are among many curious machines which the Science Museum stores at an old airfield in Wiltshire. An early hovercraft stands with a fleet of submersibles and a truck that once ro...
Housing Modest plans The government goes back into housebuilding WHEN George Osborne is spotted outsideWestminster, he is very often making an appearance on a building site, wearing a fluorescent safety jacket. It was no surprise to hear him claim on...
Pensions Pot luck The chancellor hands more freedom to retirees GET out those cruise brochuresretirees may soon be going on a spending spree. Historically, most Britons with personal pensions and those in so-called defined-contribution schemes have b...
Bagehot General Osborne The chancellor's fifth budget was full of trickeryyet utterly serious NOW this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning. Churchill's genius for spin, after El Alamei...
The NHS Health reform in a cold climate The government's reforms to the NHS are viewed as its biggest failure. They are better than that WITH the Conservatives there will be no more of the tiresome, meddlesome, top-down restructures that have dominat...
Overseas students How to ruin a global brand Foreign students are going off English universities BRITAIN'S private schools are one of its most successful exports. The children of the well-heeled flock to them, whether from China, Nigeria or Russia: t...
Official statistics Con census Britain's decennial population count has been saved. Now make it work better WHEN the first results of the 2011 census were published, almost two years ago, the most striking discovery was straightforward. Britain's pop...
Ever-smaller offices Pressed suits Feeling a bit cramped? Blame management theory PROJECT gold and Project Nexus sound like plans for bank heists or military assaults. In reality, they are the names for KPMG's ongoing attempt to squeeze its 6,700Lond...
