Category: Politics

Schools presentation on fiscal policy

Here the slides from a presentation I gave last week to A-level students of economics at a schools conference in Portsmouth. They include primers on the UK fiscal framework and the bond markets, the importance of confidence and credibility, and a comparison of the fallouts from the fiscal events in September 2022 and October 2024. … Continue reading Schools presentation on fiscal policy →

Is Rachel Reeves about to break another tax pledge?

The Financial Times is reporting today (15 February) that Rachel Reeves is ready to break another promise by extending the freeze on personal tax thresholds (one of the UK's least stealthy 'stealth taxes') beyond 2028 in next month's 'not a Budget' Budget. Here are four quick points. First, this report is plausible. The current freeze … Continue reading Is Rachel Reeves about to break another tax pledge? →

Trump’s new tariffs are bad for the US – and probably for Britain too

A recent survey by the pollsters Opinium found that, whatever they may think of Donald Trump as a person, a majority of Brits actually like his policies. In most cases this made sense. But the new-found enthusiasm for trade protectionism is worrying and, if I may say so, distinctly un-British. The downsides are already showing. … Continue reading Trump’s new tariffs are bad for the US – and probably for Britain too →