The UK interest rate decision this week is finely balanced – so much so that I was not even sure which way I would vote. Nonetheless, over the course of writing this piece I have persuaded myself to switch to ‘no change’, even though the actual decision is still likely to be a cut. This … Continue reading Why the Bank of England should sit tight this week
Category: Monetary policy
Budget speculation kills growth
The further contraction in the UK economy in October confirms that Budget speculation has killed growth, with GDP falling by 0.1% on both the single month and three month on three month comparisons. What’s more, the weakness was broad based (so not just the fallout from cyber attack at JLR). But this leaves some important questions to … Continue reading Budget speculation kills growth
Will Rachel Reeves’ second Budget land any better than her first?
This is the final instalment of a short series previewing the Budget. It discusses how the statement might be received and what could - or should - be done differently. The first instalment began with a primer on the fiscal framework and a guesstimate of the size of the new financial hole, which could be as large … Continue reading Will Rachel Reeves’ second Budget land any better than her first?
The Chancellor is set to raise taxes again – by as much as £30 billion
It has felt like an eternity, but Chancellor Rachel Reeves will finally unveil her second Autumn Budget on Wednesday 26 November. This blog begins with an explanation of how the Budget process works, then attempts to estimate the size of the new financial hole. The next instalment will look at how she is likely to … Continue reading The Chancellor is set to raise taxes again – by as much as £30 billion
Plain-speaking Economics 