The Case for Self-Employment by Richard Kirtley, Nov 14th 2025 Unemployment is on the rise. According to a recent BBC News article, the number of people out of work in the UK is climbing again, with hundreds of thousands classed as “economically inactive.” It’s a familiar story where people who want to work but can’t find something that fits, or who’ve given […]
Why fear-driven language about migration collapses under evidence, economics and basic humanity By Richard Kirtley, Feb 13th 2026 Sir Jim Ratcliffe says Britain has been “colonised by immigrants.” “Colonised” is a powerful word. It is designed to be. Colonisation evokes the thought of invasion, takeover, loss of control. It stirs something visceral and once that image is planted, […]
What the Budget Missed and Why It Matters by Richard Kirtley, Nov 28th 2025 This Tuesday’s first Reith Lecture of 2025 by the Dutch Historian Rutger Bregman stood in startling contrast to Wednesday’s budget. Although the Reith Lecture has received most coverage for the BBC’s censoring of Bregman’s judgment on Donald Trump, far more interesting […]
The cost-of-living crisis we rarely talk about and what belief-backed microbusiness support really looks like by Richard Kirtley, Nov 21st 2025 The other cost-of-living crisis Across the UK, much of the public conversation about the cost-of-living crisis centres on households turning down the heating or skipping meals. But behind closed doors — behind the shutters […]
Why Regional Partnership Outperforms Isolation By Richard Kirtley, Feb 20th 2026 There is an long held belief in business that growth is forged in competition and that sharper positioning, tighter margins, and stronger branding will ultimately win the day. Competition has its place. It disciplines, it clarifies and it forces continuous improvement, but it is no longer the whole […]
Why Microbusiness Still Matters When the System Feels Stretched by Richard Kirtley, Dec 12th 2025 Every winter in the UK reveals the same fault line: those with margins to spare can absorb rising costs, and those without begin to slip. The headlines this year feel familiar with councils at breaking point, stretched public services, small […]