You may have noticed that last weekend the paywall on our website was temporarily opened, allowing people to read what they liked, either from the latest edition or our extensive archive. Out of curiosity, I looked at my back catalogue, and it struck me how gloomy the columns were, particularly in recent months. Perhaps the gloom was justified. The economy has been flatlining and the chancellor has struggled to put a foot right. Many people remain downbeat, but maybe there can be too much of

Source: The Times March 23, 2025 22:45 UTC