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House prices may have cooled by a fraction, but that’s not much consolation when the average first property still costs £264,000 and requires a deposit of over £50,000. New builds are a particular problem, selling at a 10% premium to the rest of the market.
Builders blame this on everything from red tape to land prices, which is difficult to disprove because the data is not readily available. To get to the bottom of it, Simon Roberts and Colin Axon of Brunel University have been crunching some very chewy numbers. Their conclusion? UK builders have been merrily pocketing the difference all along. Stand by for some intriguing thoughts on what we should do about it.
Heard the one about the former PM that didn’t seem capable of stooping any lower but then tried to give his dad a knighthood? We explain how Boris Johnson is beginning to look a lot like cavalier cop Jimmy McNulty from The Wire – and what it could mean for Rishi Sunak.
Finally, the Rosetta stone tells of an Egyptian rebellion against the boy pharaoh Ptolemy V around 196BC, whose failure had huge ramifications for history. Archaeologist Jay Silverstein has been trying to discover what really happened, and today explains his findings.
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Steven Vass
Business + Economy Editor
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Fables of the construction.
Pirhani/Shutterstock
Simon Roberts, Brunel University London; Colin Axon, Brunel University London
New builds sell at a 10% premium to the rest of the market.
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Zuma Press/Alamy
Sam Power, University of Sussex
The former prime minister repeatedly calculates that voters don’t care about his rule breaking. But that is not necessarily true.
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Hellenistic soldiers as depicted in the Nile mosaic of Palestrina.
World History Encyclopedia
Jay Silverstein, Nottingham Trent University
We uncovered evidence of a rebellion so significant, that events such as Cleopatra’s affairs and the rise of Christianity may not have come to pass without it.
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Arts + Culture
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Harriet Fletcher, Anglia Ruskin University
Before Swifties or the Beyhive, there were Byromaniacs – fans of the poet Lord Byron.
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Lincoln Geraghty, University of Portsmouth
Ash Ketchum is retiring from the Pokémon franchise, but this doesn’t spell the end of Pikachu.
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Richard Sambrook, Cardiff University
Gareth Jones reported on Moscow’s genocide against the Ukrainian people in the 1930s. His story holds lessons and an example for those reporting on the latest conflict.
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Politics + Society
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James Ryan, Cardiff University
Are comparisons between Vladimir Putin and Josef Stalin useful? It’s a complex question.
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John Strawson, University of East London
The controversial new government of Benjamin Netanyahu is under pressure from massive protests by both Israelis and Palestinians.
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Health
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Sophie Scorey, University of South Wales; James Greville, University of South Wales; Philip Tyson, University of South Wales; Shakiela Davies, University of South Wales
Our research shows that coulrophobia, or fear of clowns, is mainly triggered by being unable to understand their facial expressions.
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Colleen Deane, University of Southampton; Philip J Atherton, University of Nottingham
Just be careful not to drink too much.
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Business + Economy
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Elena Doldor, Queen Mary University of London
Expert tips on navigating office politics and supporting your team, even if you’ve never done it before.
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Environment
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Sarah Lothian, University of Wollongong
It took almost 20 years. but the world has finally agreed on the so-called High Seas Treaty to better protect marine life in unregulated waters
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Science + Technology
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Jonathan R Goodman, University of Cambridge
Signalling theory tells us lots about the way paid-for verification has disrupted the blue tick system.
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7 - 14 March 2023
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Southampton
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15 March 2023
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Birmingham
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30 - 31 March 2023
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Manchester
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