The growing difficulty in getting on the housing ladder isn’t just down to rocketing interest rates – a lack of supply has also squeezed the market. And no matter how many times politicians present us with new schemes to address the UK’s housing shortage, somehow there never seem to be enough new homes.

At the same time supply has lagged demand, UK housebuilders have continued making money and receiving support from the government. Chris Foye of the University of Reading and Edward Shepherd of Cardiff University trawled through decades of earnings call transcripts to find out why. They believe these housebuilders are able to use their market heft to control land and secure state support through mortgage schemes. This has boosted their profitability, even while targets for new homes remain unmet.

Elsewhere, we ponder the ancient Romans' concept of sexuality to consider whether a museum was right to classify teenaged Roman emperor Elagabalus as a transgender woman.

And if, like Boris Johnson, you sometimes find yourself bamboozled by charts, here are some important questions you should ask the next time you’re looking at one.

Our latest series Should I have children? contains pieces that will help you answer this big question – the latest consult the philosophers and consider why everyone should discuss fertility. We’ll continue the discussion at a live, in-person event tomorrow night at Waterstones Tottenham Court Road in central London. If you’re able to join us, come along to hear our expert panel explore the social, financial, health and environmental implications of parenthood, as well as the joy that comes with the decision either to have a child or to be childfree. Tickets available here.

Contact us here to have your event listed.

For sponsorship opportunities, email us here