One of the biggest social and economic challenges facing the next government will be the rising costs of caring for people living with dementia. Dementia is a general term for a group of related symptoms, rather than a single disease, and too many cases go undiagnosed. But the statistics are brutal. Last year, the ONS … Continue reading Soaring costs of dementia care demand urgent action
Author: julianhjessop
Thoughts on inflation, interest rates – and a surprise July election
Some personal reflections on today’s news (as usual, all views here are my own only). First, the economics. The fall in UK inflation from 3.2% to 2.3% in April was slightly smaller than expected, but still another big step in the right direction. Admittedly, the ‘core’ rate excluding food and energy, at 3.9%, was still … Continue reading Thoughts on inflation, interest rates – and a surprise July election
Could the economy still save Rishi Sunak?
Voters will obviously need to believe that the "economic plan" is working if the Conservatives are to have any chance of winning the General Election. But while it's not yet showing in the polls, some essential parts of the jigsaw are now falling into place. Indeed, Labour’s Rachel Reeves appeared worried enough to launch a … Continue reading Could the economy still save Rishi Sunak?
UK economy ‘turns the corner’
First, the good news (and the news is mainly good today). The unexpectedly large 0.6% bounce in GDP in the first quarter of the year means that the UK economy has officially exited ‘recession’, after declines of 0.1% in Q3 and 0.3% in Q4 2023. This has already led to some more positive headlines, which … Continue reading UK economy ‘turns the corner’
Plain-speaking Economics 