Tag: government borrowing

Weekly wrap: Labour still isn’t working

Keir Starmer’s government is wasting its remaining time and your money playing at being a tech investor, while failing on everything from job security to national security. Welcome to the latest weekly wrap of the key points from my social media posts, with comments on the UK and global economies, the markets, and occasionally on … Continue reading Weekly wrap: Labour still isn’t working

Three quick points on the economics of defence spending

Raising defence spending will be a hard sell. But politicians must not shy away from this fight, and innovative "defence bonds" may help to win it. John Healey’s resignation as Defence Secretary today may well be the fatal blow to Keir Starmer’s premiership, leaving Andy Burnham to deliver the last rites. Everything that has happened … Continue reading Three quick points on the economics of defence spending

Why Reform’s tax-free overtime plan is a bad idea

Reform’s proposed tax break on overtime is likely to feature prominently in the Makerfield pitch. But it is also yet another example of a policy that is both good politics and terrible economics. The Reform party is proposing that people who earn less than £75,000 and work overtime above a 40-hour week will pay no income tax … Continue reading Why Reform’s tax-free overtime plan is a bad idea

Weekly wrap – the UK is heading for “stagflation-lite”

Although not as bad as the dark days of the 1970s, the UK economy is heading for a period of falling activity, rising inflation, and higher unemployment. Government tinkering with prices won't help. By overwhelming popular demand (Sid and Doris Bonkers), I’m launching a weekly wrap of the key points made in my social media … Continue reading Weekly wrap – the UK is heading for “stagflation-lite”