Including thoughts on why Andy Burnham is wrong about “austerity” and Brexit, on bonds and the Budget, and on why the construction sector is such a good bellwether of the success of Labour’s policies... Theme of the Week On Tuesday Andy Burnham addressed MPs on the direction in which he hopes to lead the country. This … Continue reading Weekly wrap – No, Prime Minister…
Tag: finance
Weekly wrap – Lies, damn lies, and “Brexit exclusives”
Including thoughts on why young people aren’t working, the folly of rent controls, the outlook for energy bills, the possibility of a 2027 general election, and more “fake news” to call out in The Independent. Theme of the Week I have spent a lot of time over the last few years trying to debunk “fake … Continue reading Weekly wrap – Lies, damn lies, and “Brexit exclusives”
Weekly wrap – is UK productivity finally recovering?
Including thoughts on the latest news from the labour market (not all bad), signs that the economy retains some positive momentum, and what could still go wrong - including autumn hikes in both taxes and interest rates. Theme of the Week This week’s official labour market data were grim. The UK economy continues to shed payroll jobs, … Continue reading Weekly wrap – is UK productivity finally recovering?
A sceptical first take on moving growth policy from HMT to No.10 North
“Treasury Orthodoxy” gets a bad rap. Shuffling responsibilities is pointless unless the policy choices improve. And the fiscal rules, OBR, and bond market vigilantes will all still be big constraints. Andy Burnham has announced that responsibility for national economic growth policy will move from HM Treasury to No.10 North. I am surprised that this announcement … Continue reading A sceptical first take on moving growth policy from HMT to No.10 North
Plain-speaking Economics 