On Thursday the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), the government’s independent fiscal watchdog, published its latest annual report on the long-term sustainability of the public finances and the fiscal risks facing the UK. This made for grim reading, as these reports always do. But this time, the report has been widely interpreted as a warning … Continue reading Is the OBR right to warn against tax cuts?
Category: NHS
National Insurance is still the wrong tax, at the wrong time
Sajid Javid has made a good attempt at defending the increases in National Insurance rates for workers and businesses, arguing that they are both right and fair. But he is still wrong. Speaking to Sky News, Javid said that “when we spend money on public services, whether it’s NHS or anything else for that matter, … Continue reading National Insurance is still the wrong tax, at the wrong time
Why economists should sit on SAGE
Throughout the pandemic, our politicians have been urged to “follow the science” or, more accurately, the advice provided by medical scientists. Other disciplines play only a bit part. There are Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) sub-groups assessing the impacts of Covid on the provision of social care, or minority ethnic groups, but what about … Continue reading Why economists should sit on SAGE
“Lies, damned lies, and statistics on NHS pay”
To be frank, I don’t have a strong view on what nurses should be paid, though I probably wouldn't begrudge them a bigger increase than 1%. Instead, this blog seeks to draw attention to some of the pitfalls in how others are presenting their case. For a start, it seems odd to make up your … Continue reading “Lies, damned lies, and statistics on NHS pay”
Plain-speaking Economics 