Seven years on, we need to finally stop blaming Brexit – just look at the numbers
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Two quite contradictory messages have been given about Brexit over the past few days or so. First, Makoto Uchida, the chief executive of Nissan, a company originally very critical about the UK’s exit from the EU, pronounced that the impact of Brexit on its UK operations is now negligible. He urged the country to be […]
We can’t subsidise or incentivise away the pain of a transition to renewable energy
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The Scottish Nationalist Party has become notorious for their inconsistency. The latest example is its hapless health minister, Michael Matheson, who submitted a bill for £11,000 for the use of his iPad whilst on a family holiday in Morocco. He first claimed it was all incurred on official business between Christmas and the New Year. […]
Sluggish global growth cannot be an excuse for Britain ignoring opportunities
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With Labour currently looking to win the next election by a mile, the centre-left think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) is growing in both influence and attention. But did the IPPR set a new world record last week for the speed of getting its recommendations translated into actual policy decisions? Last Friday […]
From Alison Rose to water exec bonuses, massive payouts are killing productivity
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The last week has been momentous on various fronts. The decision by the NatWest board to scrap £7.6m of former chief executive Alison Rose’s potential leaving payout was almost buried in the avalanche. But it offers a glimmer of hope amidst the overall gloom. The decision itself has all the hallmarks of a classic corporate […]
Brits are afraid of failure, and the flop of WeWork will deter future entrepreneurs
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The conviction of Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), founder of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, on multiple charges of massive fraud last week throws the spotlight once again on the risks of investing in high-tech ventures. FTX attracted vast amounts of investment from venture capital and grew spectacularly. But from being feted in the financial press and courted by […]
What lessons can Labour learn from Conservative housing policy since 2010?
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After what will have been fourteen years of Conservative rule, there is an increasing likelihood that a Labour government will be elected in 2024. Recent polls indicate that Labour are currently 20 points ahead of the Conservatives.[1] This shift in public sentiment signifies a significant moment for change, diverging from the continued Conservative leadership that has […]
We’re fighting over-regulation with yet more regulations in an insane spiral
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The policy of the Welsh government to impose a 20mph speed limit in towns and villages across the country has been controversial, to say the least. One of its impacts has been completely contrary to the aims of Mark Drakeford’s government, which is very keen to promote public transport. The new speed limit has led […]
If economic experts wield political power, we’ll get dragged into fiscal groupthink
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Even before the double win in last week’s by-elections, Labour was behaving like a government-in-waiting. Apparently the party has begun drafting the bills for the initial pieces of legislation it will enact after the election. When George Osborne was at the Treasury, the Conservatives created the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). This meant responsibility for […]
Without a recession, Bailey won’t wrest back control over inflation
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Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England, admitted last week that interest rates will remain higher for some time to come. The boss of the Old Lady said he stood by the target inflation rate of 2 per cent, but to get there, higher interest rates were necessary in the arsenal for the “last […]
Daunting task of improving public services is the real challenge for next government
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Scotland has featured prominently in the media following Labour’s massive victory over the SNP in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election. The sheer incompetence of the Nationalist government in Edinburgh is sinking in with the Scottish electorate. Voters in England are increasingly dissatisfied with the quality of public services they receive. But it is worse […]