Dusty Wentworth

When the pandemic forced the country indoors, remote working was hailed as a breakthrough. Productivity held steady, families thrived, and air quality in major cities improved. Ministers called it modern, efficient and sustainable. Only a few years later, the message has flipped. Politicians and business leaders now insist that people return to the office. The claim is that productivity and collaboration depend on physical presence, yet the evidence does not support that. The real motive appears far more financial than social: a government addicted to tax revenue and control, not progress. The commuting economy Commuters are profitable. Every journey generates tax, from fuel duty to public transport fares and VAT on takeaway food. When millions began working from home, that entire system faltered. The government’s push to “return to normal” was not about team spirit but about restoring lost revenue streams. The truth is simple: home workers are efficient but less taxable. C...

Presented as a gesture of gratitude and convenience, the digital ID for ex-service personnel is in reality the perfect low-resistance pilot for universal digital identity . The UK Government’s new Digital ID Card for Veterans , launched this month, has been presented as a triumph of modernisation. Ministers describe it as “a secure and convenient way for former service personnel to prove their status.” In practice, it may prove something else entirely: how effectively a government can test compliance on its way towards a universal digital identity system. The digital card, stored within the GOV.UK One Login app , is intended to replace the physical HM Armed Forces Veteran Card introduced in 2018. It displays a veteran’s name, photograph and service branch, allowing access to healthcare, welfare support or veteran discounts. Eventually, officials say, it will link to a wider GOV.UK Wallet – a system designed to hold digital versions of passports, driving licences and other...