Tag: fiscal drag

Better UK economic news owes little to Labour’s policy choices

Friday was a relatively good day for UK economic data, with the latest news on the public finances, retail sales, and the PMI survey all better than expected. This followed Wednesday’s confirmation that headline inflation fell back in January. But is this really evidence that the worst is over – and are the Labour government … Continue reading Better UK economic news owes little to Labour’s policy choices

A ‘glass half full’ take on the Budget

There has been the usual blizzard of commentary on last Wednesday’s Budget – most of it negative – which continued over the weekend. For chapter and miserable verse, try the IFS or the Resolution Foundation. This piece will reflect instead on three positives and offer a quick verdict on some of the individual announcements. The … Continue reading A ‘glass half full’ take on the Budget