This issue has flared up again following the row about the Conservatives’ document that claimed Labour will “increase your taxes by £2,094” (a figure still being cited on X today). There’s a lot to unpick here, so be prepared for a relatively nuanced answer! In case you’ve been lucky enough to miss all this, the … Continue reading Should civil servants be involved in costing opposition policies?
Category: Fiscal Policy
Rachel Reeves’ tax pledges are a hostage to fortune
“Read my lips: no new taxes.” Older readers may remember US Presidential nominee George H W Bush saying those words at the 1988 Republican National Convention. Of course, this pledge was then broken, playing a large part in Bush’s defeat by Bill Clinton four years later. Labour’s Rachel Reeves may just have made the same … Continue reading Rachel Reeves’ tax pledges are a hostage to fortune
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
Six ways Britain can fix its looming retirement crisis
Larry Fink, head of the global investment giant Blackrock, devoted a fair chunk of his latest ‘Chairman’s Letter’ to the challenges posed by an ageing population. As he put it, “America needs an organized, high-level effort to ensure that future generations can live out their final years with dignity”. These challenges are much the same … Continue reading Six ways Britain can fix its looming retirement crisis
Plain-speaking Economics 