James Ball
19 July 2025
How the Epstein scandal broke MAGA
Trump’s supporters were promised revelations about a horrifying conspiracy. Instead, they’re getting denials and abuse from the president they helped elect
Read the full article14 July 2025
Exclusive: the Southport riots and Twitter’s failure
A new investigation shows how the moderating system on the social media network broke down at the worst possible time
Read the full article12 July 2025
The fight for Africa’s media
Trump has cut all funds to US media outlets across the continent. As the west takes itself off the airwaves, others are moving in
Read the full article07 July 2025
The Labour MPs giving up on Starmer
The government benches in the Commons are packed with ambitious young people who think their careers are hitting a dead end
Read the full article04 July 2025
Trump’s army makes America poor again
The Republican party used to have principles. Not any more
Read the full article02 July 2025
The deadly old men who rule half the world
In a draining digital age of new problems and new tech, the planet’s most powerful leaders are all in their 70s – and increasingly at war with reality
Read the full article27 June 2025
Starmer risks blundering into disaster with ECHR reform
While trying to outflank the right, Labour risks relighting a highly flammable issue
Read the full article26 June 2025
The welfare rebellion shows there’s no one driving Labour’s train
The effectiveness of Keir Starmer’s No 10 operation is being openly questioned as another U-turn is confirmed
Read the full article25 June 2025
Climate change will burn the insurance markets
As temperatures rise and insurance markets get spooked, voters and populist politicians still want to spend less on the environment
Read the full article20 June 2025
Labour’s devastating disability benefits cuts are a time bomb
Many of its own MPs won't support measures that could see some people lose £10,000 overnight
Read the full article18 June 2025
March of the symbolic capitalists
American sociologist Musa al-Gharbi thinks woke protesters are sincere – but they’re equally committed to being wealthy
Read the full article11 June 2025
Rachel Reeves’s best day still doesn’t feel like enough
The chancellor is spending billions – but the moment demands far more
Read the full article11 June 2025
The ugly truth about Farage’s baby boom
After a bruising few days, Reform’s leader is joining other populists in embracing nativism – encouraging the ‘original’ population to have more children while immigration is restricted
Read the full article06 June 2025
The exit that lays bare Reform’s fatal flaws
Zia Yusuf’s resignation deepens concerns over Islamophobia and Farage’s obsessive grip
Read the full article05 June 2025
Helen Lewis: ‘Is Musk a genius? Look at his tweets’
Lewis’s new book, The Genius Myth, skewers rebel innovators who come to believe they can do no wrong. Remind you of anyone?
Read the full article04 June 2025
The chancellor has the worst job in government
Rachel Reeves’s fear of tackling the big issues means she is repeating the mistakes of the past, and summoning up memories of Tory austerity
Read the full article31 May 2025
Donald Trump’s digital landgrab
His attempt to grab control of the internet is perhaps the biggest threat of all
Read the full article28 May 2025
If universities sink, then so will Starmer
Some Labour figures believe Britain has too many unis. But if they start failing, local economies – and Starmer’s re-election prospects – will go with them
Read the full article27 May 2025
Why is Kemi Badenoch so bad at politics?
The Tory leader has put her foot in it again by peddling one of Putin’s talking points
Read the full article21 May 2025
The ‘secret plan’ to dim the sun
Conspiracy theorists blame vapour trails on a strange experiment endorsed by Keir Starmer. And the craziest thing is… they’re half right
Read the full article20 May 2025
It’s taken a Remainer to fix the Brexiteers’ mess
Keir Starmer’s pragmatic deal is nowhere near as good as rejoining - but it is good news for British companies, consumers and tourists
Read the full article14 May 2025
Will the welfare cuts rebellion finish Morgan McSweeney?
Keir Starmer's key advisor is the most influential invisible man in British politics - and is being blamed for a backbench revolt that has weakened the PM
Read the full article09 May 2025
The ‘Brexit benefit’ trade deal shows we’re weaker out of the EU
Keir Starmer has done the best he could at a relatively low cost, knowing Britain lacks the backing to fully stand up to Trump
Read the full article07 May 2025
This shameful dogwhistling over the India trade deal
Robert Jenrick has disgraced himself with an attempt to outdo Nigel Farage
Read the full article07 May 2025
Labour’s lunacy and asylum policy
Taking migrants out of hotels into private rented housing is another socially conservative move destined to blow up in the government’s face
Read the full article05 May 2025
Labour’s right-wing are obsessed with culture wars
Transfixed by the culture wars, the government’s immigration policy is being driven by Labour’s right wing – it’s going to blow up in their faces
Read the full article02 May 2025
Labour’s Reform copycat act has backfired
Following Farage on immigration while cutting money from OAPs and the disabled has been a disaster
Read the full article30 April 2025
Goodbye Mr Globalism
Klaus Schwab, the man who founded the Davos summit, had a vision for the world. But things haven’t turned out the way he wanted
Read the full article29 April 2025
Should Labour copy Carney’s Trump strategy?
Despite the Canadian PM’s stunning win, it does not follow that being tough with the US will be good for Starmer or Britain
Read the full article23 April 2025
Facebook’s free speech battle
The oversight board Mark Zuckerberg set up has criticised him, and ruled that anti-Muslim content should be removed. Will he now silence them?
Read the full article18 April 2025
MAGA are the real enemies of free speech
Judge Trump and Vance by their assaults on those they disagree with, not First Amendment babble
Read the full article17 April 2025
Douglas Murray: shallow book, narrow mind
Reducing the complex history of Israel and Palestine to a battle of good vs evil is wilfully misleading. No wonder Trump has endorsed it
Read the full article