Tag: Andy Burnham

The ‘missing’ trillion-pound UK sovereign wealth fund is pure fantasy

Hopefully, whoever suggested the line about a ‘trillion-pound wealth fund’ to the person in charge of the UK's public finances will be suitably embarrassed by now. But I suspect not. One of the Burnham government’s most rational decisions so far has been to green light production from the Jackdaw gas field. The UK will need … Continue reading The ‘missing’ trillion-pound UK sovereign wealth fund is pure fantasy →

Weekly wrap – Budget fears might ease, but Brexit uncertainty is back

Including thoughts on the Budget, government bond yields, the folly of reopening the Brexit debate, some better news on UK growth, the OBR 15 years on, and Zack Polanski’s grasp of basic economics... Theme of the Week Labour sources are suggesting that the new Chancellor, John Healey, is set to delay ‘difficult choices’ with a … Continue reading Weekly wrap – Budget fears might ease, but Brexit uncertainty is back →

Burnham’s U-turn on the EU is political and economic folly

Reopening the Brexit debate is likely to prove toxic for Labour, while reviving uncertainty about Britain’s future relationship with the EU could undermine investment again - notably in the tech sector. Andy Burnham’s comments on Brexit in his conference speech on Tuesday have at least been welcomed by those who want the UK to rejoin … Continue reading Burnham’s U-turn on the EU is political and economic folly →

Six takeaways from John Healey’s “Growth Speech”

The Chancellor’s speech had some positives as well as negatives, and perhaps revealed something about interdepartmental rivalries too. But the chasm between rhetoric and reality seems as wide as ever. Six points struck me about John Healey’s first major speech as Chancellor on Monday. The first was that he was giving it all. This is not … Continue reading Six takeaways from John Healey’s “Growth Speech” →