The UK interest rate decision this week is finely balanced – so much so that I was not even sure which way I would vote. Nonetheless, over the course of writing this piece I have persuaded myself to switch to ‘no change’, even though the actual decision is still likely to be a cut. This … Continue reading Why the Bank of England should sit tight this week
Tag: government borrowing
The Chancellor’s gaslighting has reached new lows
When in opposition, Rachel Reeves claimed that “the Conservatives are gaslighting the British public". When she became Chancellor, she insisted that she would not “gaslight” working people herself. This can surely now be added to the long list of broken promises. The prolonged uncertainty ahead of the Budget had already harmed the economy. But confirmation … Continue reading The Chancellor’s gaslighting has reached new lows
Rachel Reeves gambles on a ‘make do and break promises’ Budget
After months of damaging speculation, the Chancellor delivered yet another ‘tax and spend’ Budget which will do little to tackle any of the UK’s deep-rooted economic problems. The Chancellor’s biggest challenge was to persuade enough people that she will not just be coming back again for more next year. Only time will tell whether this … Continue reading Rachel Reeves gambles on a ‘make do and break promises’ Budget
Will Rachel Reeves’ second Budget land any better than her first?
This is the final instalment of a short series previewing the Budget. It discusses how the statement might be received and what could - or should - be done differently. The first instalment began with a primer on the fiscal framework and a guesstimate of the size of the new financial hole, which could be as large … Continue reading Will Rachel Reeves’ second Budget land any better than her first?
Plain-speaking Economics 