The Why? Curve

Is our democracy broken? We have a new prime minister - but who elected her? When a few Conservative party members have the choice of who holds the top job in the country, has something gone wrong with the system? When the last holder of that job (also chosen by the Tory membership) leaves with the appointment of his choice of his friends and supporters to the House of Lords, does it smell a bit o...

Is the national broadcaster moving towards some kind of closedown? With the likely next prime minister challenging the BBC’s accuracy, and one of its most prominent former presenters questioning its impartiality, while the frozen licence fee and inflation mean it can do less and less, is there a better model of public service broadcasting? A century after its foundation, should the corporation ced...

The world knows we’ve got to break our addiction to fossil fuels, and we need to move to a future where we no long pollute our atmosphere. But how quickly can we reach this utopian future? How far are current worries about being able to afford to heat our homes going to delay Net Zero? Can we still enjoy the benefits of a growing economy without destroying the planet? Can we reach it quickly...

UK inflation is now in double digits. We got there faster than expected and the Bank of England is likely to keep raising interest rates because they believe that’s the only way to contain prices. Not long ago the same bankers were arguing that there was no need for a change in their monetary policy because the problem was a transitory lack of supply. That’s still the case, of course, so why do th...

As prices rise everywhere, and poverty looms for many, whatever happened to the levelling-up that was supposed to equalise the more-deprived parts of Britain with the wealthy southeast? Almost 3 years after Boris Johnson won a stonking majority, winning-over former Labour seats in the “Red Wall”, have those areas seen any improvement in health, transport, skills-training and opportunities? There I...

Winter is coming, and Europe is looking at a chilly one. Germans are told – take a cold shower or turn down the thermostat and use 15% less gas. And the European Commission is looking at EU-wide measures to deal with what could be a major crisis. It’s all because Russia is tightening the valves on the gas pipeline into the EU. Moscow says it’s technical problems but few doubt it’s pushback for the...

When did flying become such a grim experience? Endless queues. Cancelled flights. Airport chaos. And stacked like sardines when you do eventually get aboard. With Heathrow capping the number of daily passengers and tickets shooting up in price, plus the harm to the environment, is it time to disembark from flying? At the same time, with huge waits at Dover and Folkestone to get across the Channel...

The Tory party leadership challenge is down to two players – Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss. Sunak wants to keep taxes where they are, preaching fiscal conservatism, and fearing releasing more money into people’s pockets will only add to inflation, which is already at 9.4 percent. Truss wants to help people navigate the cost-of-living crisis, by reversing the recent hikes in national insurance. So whic...

Who are the least trusted people in society? Journalists? Car-sellers? Bankers? Nope. Politicians are top of the list. And you only have to look at the headlines to see why: Partygate here, Donald Trump’s false election fraud claims in the US, the claims of WMD before the Iraq war in 2003, and of course the original “gate” – Watergate. But surely politicians have ALWAYS lied? Isn’t it just what ha...

The most toxic issue of our times – why have trans rights become such a bitter question in politics, sport, and even bathrooms? Some feminists say allowing those born biologically male to identify and be treated as female risks rolling back hard-won rights for women. Trans activists say it is a matter of human rights, and another aspect of the battle for recognition and acceptance already largely...

No longer “brain-dead”? NATO leaders have been meeting in Madrid at one of the most important - and dangerous - points in the alliance’s 70-year history. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has given NATO a new purpose, and new members, after it seemed to lose its way in the post-Cold War era. But can NATO stay united? What if Vladimir Putin offers a ceasefire that lets him keep his conquests? Will NATO...

The largest rail strike in 30 years is crippling the train network, causing disruption for millions as tens of thousands of staff walk out, demanding more money and better conditions. But is this a wider issue than a simple industrial dispute? After all, even in normal times we rarely stop moaning about late-running and ticket prices, and comparisons with trains in Germany and France leave us look...

Today the Bank of England lifted interest rates again, for the fifth time in a row. Earlier this week interest rates in the US were raised by 0.75%, with much to follow. The reason for the hikes? It’s because inflation is shooting up, largely because of supply chain problems resulting from the war in Ukraine and COVID lockdowns in China. We’re also seeing a shortage of people to fill jobs, giving...

The first batch of asylum seekers to be sent to Rwanda are due to fly out next Tuesday. There are likely to be delays, possibly indefinitely, as lawyers challenge the legality of the government’s plans to send those who arrive by boat offshore to Rwanda, with no right to claim asylum in the UK. In this first edition of ‘The Why? Curve’ Roger Hearing says the question of legality is one issue – the...

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