https://www.stateoftherealm.org Weekly in-depth articles on the issues facing the United Kingdom. en-gb https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/who-pays-when-britain-gets-old https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/who-pays-when-britain-gets-old Fri, 02 Oct 2026 10:30:00 GMT Britain’s ageing population is turning social care into an unavoidable fiscal choice. Who should contribute, what should be guaranteed, and how can reform protect families, workers and dignity? The State of the Nation https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/should-childhood-be-offline-until-sixteen https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/should-childhood-be-offline-until-sixteen Fri, 02 Oct 2026 10:30:00 GMT Britain’s proposed under-16 social media restriction may reduce harm, but age checks, isolation and weak offline alternatives make implementation the harder test. The State of the Culture https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/when-the-algorithm-becomes-your-boss https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/when-the-algorithm-becomes-your-boss Mon, 28 Sep 2026 20:32:49 GMT Software now allocates shifts, scores performance and flags workers for review. It can make management fairer and faster, but a score is an argument wearing a lab coat. Britain needs a settlement that keeps a named, answerable person behind every decision that matters at work. The State of the Culture https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/can-britain-still-feed-itself https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/can-britain-still-feed-itself Mon, 28 Sep 2026 20:32:11 GMT Drought, a poor harvest and fragile global supply chains are testing a food system most of us take for granted. Britain cannot and should not grow everything at home, but it can protect the domestic capacity, water, diverse trade and household access that keep the country fed when several things go wrong at once. The State of the Nation https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/what-britains-asylum-system-really-costs https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/what-britains-asylum-system-really-costs Sun, 27 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMT The £4.9 billion asylum bill is real, but delay drives much of the cost. An examination of accommodation, appeals and returns, and what a lawful, financially credible reform would require. The State of the Nation https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/english-identity-migration-social-cohesion https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/english-identity-migration-social-cohesion Sun, 27 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT England faces a problem of confidence as much as a problem of migration. This paper argues for a confident civic English identity rooted in language, history, law, democratic government and England's Christian inheritance, open to people of every race and faith, but carrying meaningful obligations. The State of the Culture https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/can-britain-afford-its-promises https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/can-britain-afford-its-promises Sun, 20 Sep 2026 07:00:00 GMT Britain is not about to run out of money, but it is steadily losing the freedom to choose. Pensions, health, welfare, defence and debt interest are pressing against the revenue available to honour them, and a credible settlement must put every promise in the same account. The State of the Nation https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/what-is-the-bbc-for-now https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/what-is-the-bbc-for-now Sun, 20 Sep 2026 07:00:00 GMT As Charter review approaches and the BBC cuts the services it asks the country to preserve, Britain must decide which public purposes still require a national broadcaster and build an institution and funding settlement capable of delivering them. The State of the Culture https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/the-right-to-speak-to-a-human https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/the-right-to-speak-to-a-human Sun, 13 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMT When essential services put automated systems between customers and help, a route to a competent person must remain available. This paper argues for human escalation where delay, vulnerability or a disputed decision can cause real harm. The State of the Culture https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/who-should-control-britains-essential-services https://www.stateoftherealm.org/papers/who-should-control-britains-essential-services Sun, 13 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMT Who should control Britain’s water, rail, buses, energy and housing? Public ownership may address failures that regulation cannot, but every proposal must account for cost, investment and performance. The State of the Nation