Including thoughts on the latest news from the labour market (not all bad), signs that the economy retains some positive momentum, and what could still go wrong - including autumn hikes in both taxes and interest rates. Theme of the Week This week’s official labour market data were grim. The UK economy continues to shed payroll jobs, … Continue reading Weekly wrap – is UK productivity finally recovering?
Category: Digital economy
Politicians should not play at being ‘tech bros’ with taxpayers’ money
The British Business Bank's much-hyped £25 million (yes, “million”) investment in Kraken is a perfect example of spin over substance. The Business Secretary, Peter Kyle, has long been on a mission. In January, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, he promised to “bet big” and “pick winners” when taking direct government stakes in growing businesses. … Continue reading Politicians should not play at being ‘tech bros’ with taxpayers’ money
‘Can we solve the productivity puzzle?’
In case they might be of wider interest, here are the slides from a presentation I made today to A-level students of economics... presentation-on-the-productivity-puzzle-june-2023Download
An online sales tax would be more trouble than it is worth
The UK government has been consulting on the concept of an ‘online sales tax’, or OST, which could raise £1-2 billion annually to help pay for a reduction in business rates for physical retailers. I submitted a response to the consultation, which is available here... ost-consultation-response-20-may-2022-julian-jessopDownload
Plain-speaking Economics 