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Articles by Allison Pearson
High streets will feel impact of Poundland demise, warns founder
“Poundland brings in four to five million people every week to either shopping centres or the high streets” Speaking on the latest Planet Normal podcast, which you can listen to using the audio player above, Steve Smith, who founded Poundland in 1990, says the consequences of the retailer's potential collapse could extend further than its own workforce. “It's not just about 12,000 jobs.
Anti-white racism in the police is laid bare by the treatment of Henry Nowak’s family
If there was ever a case so horrifying that it should have shamed the police into renouncing the diversity cult, shamed them, indeed, into the flame-cheeked self-knowledge of shame itself, it is the murder of Henry Nowak.
‘I’ve analysed almost 50 Budgets. I’m struggling to recall one quite so dull.’
Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey poses for photographs as he leaves 11 Downing Street, London, before delivering his first Budget to the Houses of Parliament. - Press Association/Stefan Rousseau On the latest Planet Normal podcast, which you can listen to using the audio player above, columnists Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson are joined by economist and Telegraph columnist Roger Bootle to give their immediate reactions to the Chancellor’s Budget.
Labour is forcing me to prepare for a disaster of its own making
Are you prepping? I am. In fact, call me the headmistress of the Prep School of Prepping. For months, I have been warning family and friends that Armageddon is just around the corner. Once Poundland falls, then England falls. And, no, I'm not paranoid.
Labour is forcing me to prepare for a disaster of its own making
Are you prepping? I am. In fact, call me the headmistress of the Prep School of Prepping. For months, I have been warning family and friends that Armageddon is just around the corner. Once Poundland falls, then England falls. And, no, I’m not paranoid.
Professor Robert Tombs: If Le Pen wins the presidency there will be further riots in France
Professor Robert Tombs: If Le Pen wins the presidency there will be further riots in France Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson Thu, October 22, 2026 at 1:00 AM EDT Professor Emeritus of French History, Robert Tombs, tells Planet Normal that Marine Le Pen will struggle to unite France in this moment of national uncertainty - REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq "There are two possibilities. One is that Le Pen will turn out to be like Meloni and not as extreme as people think.
The horror of Aberfan will never die, but neither will the humanity
It could have been any of us. On the morning of October 21, 1966, I was one of the thousands of boys and girls in South Wales who woke up as usual, got dressed, grumbled a bit, asked to stay at home (refused), took their lunch money off their mothers and walked – laughing, chatting and jumping in puddles – to school. Our fringes had been trimmed by our mams, and the new shoes we had for the start of term (Clark's T-bars, our only pair of shoes) were worn in by then and no longer pinched.
Nigel Farage: Ignoring threats to my safety is 'outright prejudice'
“ I begged Conservative Home Secretaries for some help, and got none.” On the latest Planet Normal podcast, Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan and are joined by Nigel Farage to discuss what he sees as an establishment blind spot towards his security, the small boats crisis and what the Reform UK leader calls a “national security emergency.” Speaking candidly about threats to his security in the wake of Ann Widdecombe's murder , Mr Farage argues that while all public figures face risk, he is in...
Suspending asylum is the only way to save the country
Britain's benefits dependency is so embarrassingly bad it is starting to attract global derision. The Wall Street Journal has just published a piece explaining how claimants with disabilities in the UK can give up part of their welfare cash for a new car every three years. "Among those who got cars last year: 40 people whose primary medical condition was tennis elbow, 50 with wheat intolerance and 320 with dyslexia, according to government figures," gasped the WSJ.
Labour faces bond market test ahead of October budget
“Every single sentence uttered by the chancellor or the prime minister is scrutinised closely by bond market participants” On the latest Planet Normal podcast columnists Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson are joined by finance expert John Banerjee to discuss the UK's public finances and the pressures facing government borrowing. “Markets will be very concerned to see Andy Burnham and John Healey's real plan,” Mr Banerjee says, with the Chancellor due to set out his plans in the October Budget.
The horrors of Oct 7 are still seared into my mind. Why won’t the West wake up?
What is wrong with people? Seriously, how grotesquely insensitive is it possible to be and still retain your membership card for the human race? When I heard that students were planning a pro-Palestinian march through London on the third anniversary of the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, I experienced a surge of anger followed by this feeling of immense helplessness.
Is Richard E Grant a Machiavellian schemer or a giddy fool?
The big bombshell of the compelling first episode of The Celebrity Traitors was actor Richard E Grant announcing to the assembled company that he was a Traitor. This was a plot twist no one saw coming, including Grant. From the moment the 21 celebrity schemers were first assembled in the castle, the Oscar-nominated thesp was bubbling over with jubilation at taking part in his favourite show. Some participants affect nonchalant cool to wrong-foot competitors. Not Grant.
Burnham’s social care plan is ‘just rhetoric’
Burnham’s social care plan is ‘just rhetoric’ Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson Thu, October 1, 2026 at 1:00 AM EDT "All Burnham has done on social care is put it on the rhetorical map." On the latest Planet Normal podcast columnists Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson discuss Andy Burnham's proposals for social care and Shabana Mahmood's immigration plans. Mr Burnham's proposal would make social care a branch of the NHS, with the cost put at around £18 billion a year.
Now more than ever, we must stand up for the SAS
As Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, confirmed a “very serious” incident at RAF Fairford directed by an as yet unnamed “foreign actor”, and Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, revealed a plan to import more Afghans and Palestinians – thanks, Shabana, just what we need – our special forces, who are our praetorian guard against domestic and international terror threats, were accused of... wait for it... swearing.
Now more than ever, we must stand up for the SAS
As Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, confirmed a "very serious" incident at RAF Fairford directed by an as yet unnamed "foreign actor", and Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, revealed a plan to import more Afghans and Palestinians – thanks, Shabana, just what we need – our special forces, who are our praetorian guard against domestic and international terror threats, were accused of... wait for it... swearing.
Strictly won’t survive if it carries on selling out for the youth audience
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Strictly won’t survive if it carries on selling out for the youth audience
A cardinal rule of showbiz: never insult your audience or take them for granted. Judging by last Saturday’s launch, the producers of Strictly Come Dancing seem to have forgotten that wise mantra (if they ever knew it, which I doubt).
Britain’s energy grid is ‘one failure away’ from blackout
Britain’s energy grid is ‘one failure away’ from blackout Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson Thu, September 24, 2026 at 1:00 AM EDT "We were one generating station away from a national blackout. Had one of our generators failed, we would then have been into blackouts." On the latest Planet Normal podcast columnists Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson are joined by energy expert Richard Lyon to discuss the fragility of Britain's energy system and the future of nuclear power.
Britain’s energy grid is ‘one failure away’ from blackout
"We were one generating station away from a national blackout. Had one of our generators failed, we would then have been into blackouts." On the latest Planet Normal podcast columnists Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson are joined by energy expert Richard Lyon to discuss the fragility of Britain's energy system and the future of nuclear power.
Make no mistake, Earl Spencer is on a mission to destroy the King
Imagine you had to tell your children their mummy had died in an accident. Imagine standing in your son’s bedroom, watching him sleep his blameless boyhood sleep and knowing that, once he wakes, his life will be changed forever. It would be a terrible ordeal for any parent as it surely was for Prince Charles on the morning of August 31, 1997, when he had to break the news to William and Harry.
Net zero is a national suicide pact
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Net zero is a national suicide pact
Greenhouse gas effect, global warming, climate change, global heating (a new one on me), climate emergency, net zero. The terms for the forthcoming apocalypse change every few years. Who now remembers the briefly famous “hole in the ozone layer” caused when an entire generation of teenage girls tried to copy Farrah Fawcett’s iconic 1970s feathered hair and used several trillion cans of hairspray to unsuccessfully (in my case anyway) keep the flicked-back sides in place?
Net zero is a national suicide pact
Greenhouse gas effect, global warming, climate change, global heating (a new one on me), climate emergency, net zero. The terms for the forthcoming apocalypse change every few years. Who now remembers the briefly famous "hole in the ozone layer" caused when an entire generation of teenage girls tried to copy Farrah Fawcett's iconic 1970s feathered hair and used several trillion cans of hairspray to unsuccessfully (in my case anyway) keep the flicked-back sides in place?
These OAPs want to save their town from a flood of migrants – the Left calls them ‘far-Right’
At first glance, you would not guess that the pensioners enjoying coffee and cake outside the Yumy Café in Braintree, Essex, on Monday morning were far-Right thugs. Two of the ladies, Valerie and Chrissie, who are celebrating their 80th birthdays, are wearing matching tiaras. The group is in high spirits and there is lots of teasing and laughter.
These OAPs want to save their town from a flood of migrants – the Left calls them ‘far-Right’
At first glance, you would not guess that the pensioners enjoying coffee and cake outside the Yumy Café in Braintree, Essex, on Monday morning were far-Right thugs. Two of the ladies, Valerie and Chrissie, who are celebrating their 80th birthdays, are wearing matching tiaras. The group is in high spirits and there is lots of teasing and laughter.
Spare us the righteousness, Ed Miliband. You’re a disgrace
The US ambassador to Israel didn’t mince his words. “The Brits have lost it,” thundered Mike Huckabee. “The Jew hate of their government knows no boundaries and knows no facts.” That distinctly undiplomatic language came after Ed Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, posted a video recounting “stories” he had been told by people who had been in Gaza. “It is horrifying what is unfolding,” emoted Miliband, with the coal-black, staring eyes of the fanatic.
Spare us the righteousness, Ed Miliband. You’re a disgrace
The US ambassador to Israel didn't mince his words. "The Brits have lost it," thundered Mike Huckabee. "The Jew hate of their government knows no boundaries and knows no facts." That distinctly undiplomatic language came after Ed Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, posted a video recounting "stories" he had been told by people who had been in Gaza. "It is horrifying what is unfolding," emoted Miliband, with the coal-black, staring eyes of the fanatic.
Spare us the righteousness, Ed Miliband. You’re a disgrace
The US ambassador to Israel didn't mince his words. "The Brits have lost it," thundered Mike Huckabee. "The Jew hate of their government knows no boundaries and knows no facts." That distinctly undiplomatic language came after Ed Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, posted a video recounting "stories" he had been told by people who had been in Gaza. "It is horrifying what is unfolding," emoted Miliband, with the coal-black, staring eyes of the fanatic.
Burnham faces fiscal test as Labour’s economic outlook worsens
"Whatever Andy Burnham's personal views, he is very much in hock to Labour backbenchers" On the latest Planet Normal podcast columnists Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson are joined by journalist and author Ross Clark, to discuss Andy Burnham's approach to public spending and the challenges facing Labour's finances.
Burnham faces fiscal test as Labour’s economic outlook worsens
On the latest Planet Normal podcast columnists Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson are joined by Ross Clark, a journalist and author, to discuss Andy Burnham’s approach to public spending and the challenges facing Labour’s finances. Mr Clark says the current Government is “very, very much to the left” of the Blair and Brown governments when it comes to fiscal policy, but says Mr Burnham remains an “unknown quantity” until his first Budget.
The ‘poison’ on Britain’s streets is a failure by the political class
I claim no particular gift of prophecy, but it's almost exactly a year since I wrote in this column about John, the lovely man who comes to help me with all the jobs I can't manage in the garden. With more than 1,200 illegal migrants billeted in a former military base in our county and bussed regularly into nearby towns, John was worried about the safety of his teenage daughter. Like a lot of fathers, he despaired of the failure of successive governments to stop the boats.
The ‘poison’ on Britain’s streets is a failure by the political class
I claim no particular gift of prophecy, but it's almost exactly a year since I wrote in this column about John, the lovely man who comes to help me with all the jobs I can't manage in the garden. With more than 1,200 illegal migrants billeted in a former military base in our county and bussed regularly into nearby towns, John was worried about the safety of his teenage daughter. Like a lot of fathers, he despaired of the failure of successive governments to stop the boats.
The Church of England has abandoned its mission in the UK
Here's a Sunday brainteaser for you – how many fictional vicars can you think of? Top of many people's list: the obsequious, simpering Mr Collins in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (immortalised by the brilliant actor David Bamber in the BBC's 1995 adaptation).
The Church of England has abandoned its mission in the UK
Here’s a Sunday brainteaser for you – how many fictional vicars can you think of? Top of many people’s list: the obsequious, simpering Mr Collins in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (immortalised by the brilliant actor David Bamber in the BBC’s 1995 adaptation).
The Church of England has abandoned its mission in the UK
Here's a Sunday brainteaser for you – how many fictional vicars can you think of? Top of many people's list: the obsequious, simpering Mr Collins in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (immortalised by the brilliant actor David Bamber in the BBC's 1995 adaptation).
Burnham is a ‘fair-weather PM’ facing an economic storm
Burnham is a ‘fair-weather PM’ facing an economic storm Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson Thu, September 3, 2026 at 1:00 AM EDT "We need proper grown-up, no-holds-barred, steely-eyed leadership now." On the latest Planet Normal podcast columnists Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson discuss Andy Burnham's first appearance at Prime Minister's Questions after becoming Prime Minister in June.
Burnham is terrified Badenoch will expose him as a third-rate court jester
Please, God, whatever happens at PMQs at noon on Wednesday, don’t let Our Andy produce his guitar and launch into a song by the Smiths as he did so spontaneously last week on his official visit to Ukraine. A soldier handed him an instrument and Burnham modestly claimed to be “out of practice” before playing a riff from Rusholme Ruffians by the Manchester indie band. “Na, na-na, na-na, na-na. This charming man.” It could be Burnham’s theme tune.
Burnham is terrified Badenoch will expose him as a third-rate court jester
2 hours ago Andy Burnham has taken questions from MPs in the House of Commons for the first time since taking over as prime minister. The statement on his future plans for power comes six weeks after he took over from Sir Keir Starmer in July, just before Parliament's summer recess. Here are the main points from …
My top 10 tips to avoid paying Burnham’s spiteful mansion tax
Not content with driving just-about-affordable, much-loved prep schools out of business (and distraught children into overcrowded, underfunded state classrooms), Andy Burnham's Government is now going full steam ahead with a "mansion tax" on properties worth more than £2m. Punishing the workers to reward the shirkers may excite the snarling class warriors on the backbenches, but it won't end well.
Britain is no longer safe for women and children
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Britain is no longer safe for women and children
I'm sorry, but I have finally reached a point where I am so angry I can barely compose myself to write. Scarcely a day passes without learning of some unbearable new abomination. Please consider this column a prolonged and anguished scream in the style of Edvard Munch.
The Sussexes’ selfish return spells peril for the Royal family
“Please, boys. Don’t make my final years a misery.” The words of the future King Charles III as he pleaded with his two sons to patch things up at their grandfather’s funeral in April 2021 have just acquired a whole new resonance. The “boys”, better known as Prince William and Prince Harry, never did make up. Indeed, their feud only darkened and deepened as the elder brother fumed at the younger’s treachery towards the Royal family in general, and his wife, in particular.
Planet Normal: More memorable voyages from the Rocket
Planet Normal: More memorable voyages from the Rocket Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson Thu, August 20, 2026 at 1:00 AM EDT The summer voyage continues on Planet Normal, with the co-pilots once again heading back into the archives to bring you two more memorable conversations from the rocket of right thinking. On this latest Planet Normal special, Allison revisits her February interview with Siobhan Whyte, whose daughter Rhiannon was murdered by an asylum seeker.
Britain must pop the welfare balloon or face ruin
I am not a numbers person. While I carry reams of poetry around in my head, statistics seldom stick. So if a figure stays with me, there has to be a reason – something of historical significance or great importance. One number I learnt recently is so vast, so deafening, that I can't stop thinking about it. Take a minute to ponder this. If the number of people claiming disability benefits were merely to return to what it was before Covid, the country would save upwards of £12bn a year.
The wit, wisdom and words of Rod Liddle
The co-pilots have diverted the rocket of right thinking for a short summer break, but before normal service resumes they open the archives to pay tribute to journalist, author and longtime friend of Planet Normal, Rod Liddle, following his death.
The Cambridge fantasist is proof that stupid intellectuals are poisoning Britain
Exciting news. I am applying to be professor of sociology of education at Cambridge, as there may shortly be a vacancy. On paper, my qualifications could look a little underpowered for such a prestigious position, but recent stories in the press suggest that university leaders are now taking a much more relaxed approach to vetting and a proven track record may actually be considered something of a drawback.
My friend Rod Liddle was a great British freedom fighter
According to George Orwell, a journalist should always be a guerrilla on the flank of the regular army “never marching in lockstep”. At a time when too many in our trade fall into line for an easy life, and invitations to the right dinner parties, Rod Liddle embraced the role of guerrilla with matchless gusto. Rod was a sharp-shooter taking aim at the latest fashionable nonsense from his home in Middlesbrough, and he rarely missed.
I won my case against Roger Hirst, but the war for British free speech is far from over
I am a conservative sort of person. I was brought up to respect and value our institutions. If you'd asked me 20 years ago for a list of implausible things I might do in my life, suing the police for libel would not have been on it. In fact, it would have been unthinkable.
We want a properly dressed statesman in No 10, not a mate
Say what you like about Nigel Lawson, he never debated the merits of pork scratchings versus scampi fries with Margaret Thatcher. When Lawson took over as chancellor, and Mrs T was prime minister, matters rather weightier than pub snacks were on the agenda. In 1983, Britain was still recovering from a deep recession, and unemployment was approaching three million.
Burnham’s cost of living plans face economic test
Burnham’s cost of living plans face economic test Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson Thu, July 23, 2026 at 5:00 AM UTC Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.
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