The reluctance of both the Chancellor and the Prime Minister to confirm that non-pensioner benefits (notably Universal Credit) will be uprated next year in line with inflation has fed speculation that the Government is considering a real-terms cut. My advice would be to squash this idea as soon as possible – mainly because it is … Continue reading The case for a real-terms benefit cut is weak – and it would be political madness
Category: Fiscal Policy
‘Morning after’ reflections on the mini-Budget…
It may well take some time for the dust to settle on Kwasi Kwarteng’s first Budget (yes, ‘Budget’: if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it’s fair to call it a duck). The initial reaction from most economic commentators and in the financial markets has been … Continue reading ‘Morning after’ reflections on the mini-Budget…
The cap on energy prices is a gamble that is about to pay off
Critics of ‘Trussonomics’ – and there are many – have been quick to claim that the new energy price plan puts its economic credibility at risk. Indeed, early estimates suggested that the ‘Energy Price Guarantee’ could cost the taxpayer £150 billion or more over two years, making it the most expensive economic policy in history. … Continue reading The cap on energy prices is a gamble that is about to pay off
Why the bankers’ bonus cap should be scrapped
The new Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, is said to be considering scrapping the EU’s cap on bonuses in the financial sector. This would be hard to sell to the public, but is still the right thing to do. The ‘bankers bonus cap’ is part of the Capital Requirements Directive IV that was first applied to credit … Continue reading Why the bankers’ bonus cap should be scrapped
Plain-speaking Economics 