The Chancellor has a taxing job (pun intended), but we all deserve a break occasionally. So, I’m going to be positive about her latest Mansion House speech. Admittedly, there is nothing here to justify the hype about a new ‘Big Bang. The so-called ‘Leeds Reforms’ (in a nod to Reeves’ constituency) are little more than a … Continue reading One and a half cheers for Rachel Reeves!
Category: Capitalism
The Government should not be telling pension funds where to invest
The Pension Schemes Bill (recently introduced for its second reading in Parliament) continues some sensible reforms which should tidy up the industry and boost returns for savers. However, these measures have been overshadowed by a pointless row over plans to direct more investment towards “private assets”. Most strikingly, in an interview with the Financial Times last Monday, the chief executive … Continue reading The Government should not be telling pension funds where to invest
Letter to the FT on proposals for a ‘wage inflation tax’
The wage inflation tax proposed by Sushil Wadhwani (‘Time for the UK to tax inflation’ 5 September) would be inappropriate, impractical, and ineffective. It would be inappropriate because it would prevent markets from working properly. The wages paid by each company to each employee, like the prices of any other good or service, should be … Continue reading Letter to the FT on proposals for a ‘wage inflation tax’
The OECD’s minimum tax plan is dangerous showboating
On Wednesday, Liz Truss will use the Margaret Thatcher memorial lecture in Washington to call the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) a “global cartel of complacency” whose high tax policies are holding back growth. I fear she is right. In particular, Ms Truss will warn against the OECD’s plan for a minimum 15 … Continue reading The OECD’s minimum tax plan is dangerous showboating
Plain-speaking Economics 