The strong growth in UK GDP reported in the first quarter will not be sustained. At best the economy is set to stagnate again in the second quarter, and possibly in the third too. Some good news for a change. The first official estimate for the first quarter confirmed that the UK economy made a flying start … Continue reading “As good as it gets” (reprise)
Category: Applied economics
Politicians should work with BP and Shell, not demonise them
Many commentators like to pontificate about the profits made by big energy companies. But this grandstanding reveals a feeble grasp of basic economics and numbers, and is ultimately counterproductive. In case you missed it, some big companies selling products which are now in short supply have seen their profits rise because of higher prices. This … Continue reading Politicians should work with BP and Shell, not demonise them
Do Brits really want to rejoin the EU?
Headlines from opinion polls suggest that a majority of Brits now want to reverse Brexit. But a deeper dive shows that this support is shallow and inconsistent, and sentiment could soon shift again. Those seeking closer economic ties with the European Union often claim that this is what the British public want. At face value, … Continue reading Do Brits really want to rejoin the EU?
Explainer – debunking the dodgy stats used by Project Rejoin
There is now a bewildering range of estimates for the harm that Brexit is supposed to have done to the UK economy, or the benefits of rejoining the EU. Indeed, pro-EU accounts often present several inconsistent figures as if each were established facts – even in the same post! Here is a brief rundown of … Continue reading Explainer – debunking the dodgy stats used by Project Rejoin
Plain-speaking Economics 