Category: Labour markets

Tough times ahead, but Britain is still doing better than the EU

It is astonishing how many people are willing to claim that the UK would not be facing a cost of living crisis if Brexit had not happened, or if the Tories were not in power, and that the Chancellor has done nothing to help. This is – to use a technical economics term – cobblers. … Continue reading Tough times ahead, but Britain is still doing better than the EU →

Some French lessons for Rishi Sunak

Here’s something you might not expect to read: ‘chapeau’ to the French economy, which has been one of Europe’s star performers since the pandemic. But what, if anything, can we in the UK learn from this? First, some numbers. The French economy has bounced back relatively quickly. GDP was about one per cent higher in … Continue reading Some French lessons for Rishi Sunak →

Consensus is too pessimistic on the UK economy (again)

I’ve just updated my UK GDP forecasts with today’s data for November. Here are ten key points, including some international comparisons. 1. UK economic growth in 2021 is likely to be just shy of 7½%, 1% higher than assumed in the October Budget and 3% higher than the consensus in the Treasury survey at the … Continue reading Consensus is too pessimistic on the UK economy (again) →