Jenny · March 10, 2026
For much of the post-war era, the United Kingdom was regarded as one of Europe’s most flexible and dynamic labour markets. Today, that reputation is under strain. Vacancy rates have reached historic highs, sectoral shortfalls are widening, and the pressures driving these disruptions—demographic ageing, post-Brexit migration restrictions, and a scarred post-pandemic workforce—show no sign of [...]
Jenny · March 9, 2026
The Office for Budget Responsibility estimates Brexit will reduce long-run UK productivity by 4% relative to remaining in the EU — equivalent to roughly £40 billion in additional tax revenue forgone since 2019. Goods exports to the EU sit 18% below their 2019 level in real terms. Around 440 financial services firms have relocated activity [...]
Evelyn · March 9, 2026
In 2024, 93.3 million people — 21% of the EU population — lived at risk of poverty or social exclusion. The gender pay gap stood at 11.1% and the gender pension gap at 25%. Against this backdrop, the EU has deployed its most expansive social toolkit in history: €142.7 billion in ESF+ funding, a binding [...]
Evelyn · March 9, 2026
In 2024, renewable sources generated 47.5% of EU electricity — up from 34% in 2019 when the European Green Deal was launched. The EU Emissions Trading System has cut power and industry emissions by 50% from 2005 levels and raised €245 billion in cumulative revenue. Yet reaching net-zero by 2050 requires an annual investment gap [...]
Evelyn · March 9, 2026
Between 2020 and 2026, the European Commission enacted the most concentrated burst of strategic industrial legislation in its history. Three shocks drove the shift: COVID-19’s supply chain exposure, Russia’s weaponisation of energy dependency, and the US IRA’s $370 billion subsidy challenge. Brussels moved from market-liberal orthodoxy to what von der Leyen calls ‘open strategic autonomy.’ [...]
Jenny · March 9, 2026
On 22 October 2014, Christophe de Margérie — Pouyané’s predecessor and mentor — died when his jet struck a snow plough on a Moscow runway. Within days, Pouyané was named CEO of one of the world’s largest energy companies, at the moment the oil industry was entering its most disruptive decade since the 1970s. Over [...]
