The man to blame for the gig economy

Inside the race to create a hangover-free drink | The Briton fighting for Putin

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Sunday, 10 August 2025 Good morning and welcome to From The Editor. Britain’s gig economy is ever more visible in daily life, from food delivery drivers to taxis, but it has also become a key working route for illegal migrants into the country. As James Titcomb, our Technology Editor, writes below, the stance adopted by David Cameron and George Osborne could well be behind how we got here. I’d love to hear what you think of this newsletter. You can email me your feedback here. Allister Heath, Sunday Telegraph Editor P.S. You can enjoy three months’ free access to The Telegraph. Cancel at any time. Today’s headlines White House ‘considering’ inviting Zelensky to Alaska Ex-Guantanamo detainee Moazzam Begg arrested at Palestine Action protest Social media giants face fines for ‘overzealous’ free speech crackdown British rider Sarah Yorke dies after fall during horse trials competition Benefits claims among over-50s hit record high Major incident as 100 firefighters battle heath blaze Proud to be British Read more from journalists who champion our culture, history and values Enjoy three months’ free access to The Telegraph. Cancel at any time. Subscribe now   The gig economy is David Cameron’s fault James Titcomb Technology editor   Ten years ago, a well-placed source got in touch with details of what I instantly knew would be an explosive story. I was handed a leaked document from Transport for London (TfL), then overseen by mayor Boris Johnson, revealing plans for a potentially devastating crackdown on Uber, the taxi app that was taking over London’s streets. After we broke the story, there was an instant backlash. TfL dropped the plans and Uber became a pioneer of what has since become known as the gig economy. But it was only years later that the full story came into view. A series of leaked emails revealed that Uber executives had lobbied officials within David Cameron’s government to put pressure on Johnson. It was part of a series of close links between the Conservative government at the time and what became known as the gig economy: the ride-hailing, takeaway and package-delivery apps that critics say have created an under-belly of precarious and often illegal work. The gig economy, and in particular delivery apps such as Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats, have come under renewed pressure in recent months amid concerns that they are a key working route for illegal migrants. Two out of five takeaway riders were found to be working illegally in 2023, and critics say the companies have allowed this to happen by using a form of self-employment that also shields them from legal liability. To look at how we got here, I spoke to those involved in the relationship between the gig economy and Westminster, to see whether the stance adopted by Cameron and George Osborne laid the foundations for today’s problems. 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