Matthew Holehouse
@matthewholehouse.bsky.social
British political correspondent at The Economist. Comment journalist of the year, British Journalism Awards 2023.
After having the whip restored after a rebellion on welfare cuts, Rachael Maskell says that a higher tax burden on working people would be an "absolute red line".
November 10, 2025 at 6:02 PM
After having the whip restored after a rebellion on welfare cuts, Rachael Maskell says that a higher tax burden on working people would be an "absolute red line".
Reposted by Matthew Holehouse
Britain's biggest political party...
November 7, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Britain's biggest political party...
Really raher bold of this administration to patronise backbenchers about "Economics 101" and the bond markets, given the backbenchers didn't write the manifesto, or the first budget... www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
November 7, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Really raher bold of this administration to patronise backbenchers about "Economics 101" and the bond markets, given the backbenchers didn't write the manifesto, or the first budget... www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Reform's fiscal rules still a work in progress, it seems. Richard Tice asked at Bloomberg to provide a definition tonight: "We’ve got to keep it simple folks: we must not go bust. We’ve got to starting earning more than we’re spending…. Let’s keep it simple. Basic housekeeping.”
November 5, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Reform's fiscal rules still a work in progress, it seems. Richard Tice asked at Bloomberg to provide a definition tonight: "We’ve got to keep it simple folks: we must not go bust. We’ve got to starting earning more than we’re spending…. Let’s keep it simple. Basic housekeeping.”
fascinating use of the passive voice by Cambridgeshire police. Self-raising crime, perhaps
November 3, 2025 at 3:53 PM
fascinating use of the passive voice by Cambridgeshire police. Self-raising crime, perhaps
Farage's jettisoning of the 2024 manifesto in favour of what promises to be a much more fiscally-conservative approach is a significant moment. My colleague @archiehall.bsky.social ran the rule over the policybook as late as May. It wasn't pretty. www.economist.com/britain/2025...
Nigel Farage’s economic plans are a disaster
Three choices: fiscal implosion, deep austerity or a hasty U-turn
www.economist.com
November 3, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Farage's jettisoning of the 2024 manifesto in favour of what promises to be a much more fiscally-conservative approach is a significant moment. My colleague @archiehall.bsky.social ran the rule over the policybook as late as May. It wasn't pretty. www.economist.com/britain/2025...
Reposted by Matthew Holehouse
Come work for us. The Economist is hiring a Britain political correspondent. Make the sample piece original and Economisty
economist.com/britain/2025...
economist.com/britain/2025...
The Economist is hiring a Britain political correspondent
Join The Economist’s Britain team
economist.com
October 29, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Come work for us. The Economist is hiring a Britain political correspondent. Make the sample piece original and Economisty
economist.com/britain/2025...
economist.com/britain/2025...
Sandringham sounds rather like a Kolyma labour colony
October 31, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Sandringham sounds rather like a Kolyma labour colony
i think it was @joelbudd.bsky.social who coined the analogy of post-Brexit Britain taking the controls of immigration policy like someone flying a plane for the first time - first pulling back hard on the yoke and then pushing hard down. That noise is the stall alarm...
Net migration to the UK is falling rapidly. But how far will it fall? A new, detailed estimate by @jamesbowes01.bsky.social projects net migration in 2026 will be 70K to 170K.
This will have significant consequences, both economic and political.
ukandeu.ac.uk/the-coming-c...
This will have significant consequences, both economic and political.
ukandeu.ac.uk/the-coming-c...
October 29, 2025 at 4:30 PM
i think it was @joelbudd.bsky.social who coined the analogy of post-Brexit Britain taking the controls of immigration policy like someone flying a plane for the first time - first pulling back hard on the yoke and then pushing hard down. That noise is the stall alarm...
Apply for my job
Join The Economist’s Britain team
The Economist is hiring a Britain political correspondent
Join The Economist’s Britain team
econ.st
October 29, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Apply for my job
Imagine explaining to a Gen Z the concept of getting angry about the content of adverts on linear tv
Danny Kruger just told Nick Robinson that Sarah Pochin’s remarks weren’t racist because she was “driven mad” not by seeing Black and Asian people on TV but by their “over-representation”. Robinson didn’t ask what’s so maddening about over-representation. Is there a rule adverts have to reflect life?
October 28, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Imagine explaining to a Gen Z the concept of getting angry about the content of adverts on linear tv
A pro-monarchy case for parliament to step in and fix an institution apparently incapable of fixing itself
🔺UPDATED: Prince Andrew ‘in talks to leave Royal Lodge for Frogmore Cottage’ ⬇️
Prince Andrew ‘wants Frogmore Cottage’ if he leaves Royal Lodge
Prince Andrew ‘in talks to leave Royal Lodge for Frogmore Cottage’
www.thetimes.com
October 27, 2025 at 3:03 PM
A pro-monarchy case for parliament to step in and fix an institution apparently incapable of fixing itself
Reposted by Matthew Holehouse
Delighted to be nominated for comment journalist of the year at the British Journalism Awards, alongside some fantastic peers 🎈🍾 pressgazette.co.uk/press-gazett...
October 23, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Delighted to be nominated for comment journalist of the year at the British Journalism Awards, alongside some fantastic peers 🎈🍾 pressgazette.co.uk/press-gazett...
General election 2028 as a choice of two Powellisms
October 25, 2025 at 10:26 AM
General election 2028 as a choice of two Powellisms
A touch of l’esprit d’escalier as Starmer remembers a bunch of things he meant to say about digital ID two weeks ago
October 23, 2025 at 6:37 PM
A touch of l’esprit d’escalier as Starmer remembers a bunch of things he meant to say about digital ID two weeks ago
Reposted by Matthew Holehouse
Delighted to share that several brilliant colleagues from @economist.com have been shortlisted for the British Journalism Awards 2025 🏆
Congratulations @matthewholehouse.bsky.social, @duncanrobinson.bsky.social and @sondreus.bsky.social!
Read the full shortlist:
pressgazette.co.uk/press-gazett...
Congratulations @matthewholehouse.bsky.social, @duncanrobinson.bsky.social and @sondreus.bsky.social!
Read the full shortlist:
pressgazette.co.uk/press-gazett...
British Journalism Awards 2025: Finalists revealed
Press Gazette is proud to reveal the shortlist for the British Journalism Awards 2025, with links to all of the winning work.
pressgazette.co.uk
October 23, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Delighted to share that several brilliant colleagues from @economist.com have been shortlisted for the British Journalism Awards 2025 🏆
Congratulations @matthewholehouse.bsky.social, @duncanrobinson.bsky.social and @sondreus.bsky.social!
Read the full shortlist:
pressgazette.co.uk/press-gazett...
Congratulations @matthewholehouse.bsky.social, @duncanrobinson.bsky.social and @sondreus.bsky.social!
Read the full shortlist:
pressgazette.co.uk/press-gazett...
The Conservative Party now doing to immigration law what it did to international law. Taking a statement of the constitutionally obvious - that parliament is sovereign - as a permission slip to disregard all other consequences. Can becomes should.
• Defence of the retrospective changing of the rules: "No good parliament can tie the hands of a future parliament."
• No doubts about the morality of it all: "The Conservative party is clear that immigration was too high under successive governments. We need to bring that down."
• No doubts about the morality of it all: "The Conservative party is clear that immigration was too high under successive governments. We need to bring that down."
October 22, 2025 at 1:30 PM
The Conservative Party now doing to immigration law what it did to international law. Taking a statement of the constitutionally obvious - that parliament is sovereign - as a permission slip to disregard all other consequences. Can becomes should.
Reposted by Matthew Holehouse
An opportunity to join the staff of The Economist
Wanted: a new finance writer
An opportunity to join the staff of The Economist
econ.st
October 22, 2025 at 12:10 PM
An opportunity to join the staff of The Economist
Good piece on Labour’s learned helplessness as much as Andrew. “Nobody told us we could do that,” as Sidney Webb said of leaving the gold standard
🚨NEW BLOGPOST🚨
Since the government can't seem to see it, I explain how and why a simple act of Parliament can bring the Andrew affair to the end - and why they should do it.
joxleywrites.substack.com/p/parliament...
Since the government can't seem to see it, I explain how and why a simple act of Parliament can bring the Andrew affair to the end - and why they should do it.
joxleywrites.substack.com/p/parliament...
October 20, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Good piece on Labour’s learned helplessness as much as Andrew. “Nobody told us we could do that,” as Sidney Webb said of leaving the gold standard
good analogy from @georgeeaton.bsky.social
October 20, 2025 at 9:38 AM
good analogy from @georgeeaton.bsky.social
Super obituary for the now-deceased Labour Safe Seat (1906-2024), not least for the mention of Alfred Onions MP.
Caerphilly is on the long list of former Labour safe seats www.economist.com/britain/2025...
Britain’s Labour Party has no more safe seats
A by-election in Wales reveals Labour’s vulnerability
www.economist.com
October 16, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Super obituary for the now-deceased Labour Safe Seat (1906-2024), not least for the mention of Alfred Onions MP.
There's going to be a lot of projection as to the Reform government of one's hopes and dreams over the next four years
www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/202...
www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/202...
Access Restricted
www.telegraph.co.uk
October 16, 2025 at 1:49 PM
There's going to be a lot of projection as to the Reform government of one's hopes and dreams over the next four years
www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/202...
www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/202...
The curtains have been measured and a large order placed at the drapers
October 15, 2025 at 10:28 AM
The curtains have been measured and a large order placed at the drapers
The case for the Tories' pivot from immigration to the economy: 1. Public opinion on tax and spend tends to be thermostatic, and the cycle is on the turn
2. Tax hikes at budget will be unpopuar
3. The Tories have surprising underlying brand strength on fiscal policy www.economist.com/britain/2025...
2. Tax hikes at budget will be unpopuar
3. The Tories have surprising underlying brand strength on fiscal policy www.economist.com/britain/2025...
The stricken Tories reach for the chainsaw
A wise move for a party in a dire position
www.economist.com
October 9, 2025 at 8:44 PM
The case for the Tories' pivot from immigration to the economy: 1. Public opinion on tax and spend tends to be thermostatic, and the cycle is on the turn
2. Tax hikes at budget will be unpopuar
3. The Tories have surprising underlying brand strength on fiscal policy www.economist.com/britain/2025...
2. Tax hikes at budget will be unpopuar
3. The Tories have surprising underlying brand strength on fiscal policy www.economist.com/britain/2025...