Ed Miliband goes to war for 1.7 billion barrels

Forty-four years after the Falklands War, tensions between Britain and Argentina are rising again. This time, the prize is oil. With up to 1.7 billion barrels at stake, Argentina is threatening legal action against companies developing the Sea Lion field, while Britain is standing firm. Sam Volkering examines the escalating dispute, Ed Miliband's surprising defence of offshore drilling and the potentially enormous energy resources that could explain why neither side is backing down.

The £35bn hole with a BMW parked in it

Britain faces a £35 billion Budget black hole, yet its welfare bill continues to balloon. With working-age benefit spending up nearly £50 billion since 2019/20, Sam Volkering questions why taxpayers are being asked to shoulder more of the burden while government waste goes unchecked. From Motability cars to asylum hotels and an expanding public sector, he argues that Britain's problem isn't a lack of money, but a lack of political courage to spend it wisely.

Springtime for flimflam

Britain and America face the same uncomfortable problem: mounting government debt, stubborn inflation, and rising borrowing costs. Bill Bonner explains why attempts to inflate away debt could backfire – and what the lessons of Weimar Germany mean for UK investors.