In the memorable words of one official statistician, Britain’s economy was “going gangbusters” at the beginning of 2024. Unfortunately, last year appears to have ended with a whimper. The best hope now is that this pattern will be reversed in 2025, with a sluggish start giving way to a strong and sustained recovery. But the … Continue reading Is there hope for Britain’s economy in 2025?
Tag: growth
A manifesto for growth
One positive legacy from the brief premiership of Liz Truss is that politicians are finally talking about the importance of economic growth. Unfortunately, there is little agreement on how to turn this talk into action. My manifesto would be based on four priorities: rebooting productivity; removing blockages that add to the cost of living; improving … Continue reading A manifesto for growth
Is Liz Truss really to blame for £30 billion of austerity?
Sunday’s Observer led with the dramatic headline ‘Revealed: the £30bn cost of Liz Truss’s disastrous mini-budget’. Apparently, the former PM is responsible for half of the estimated £60bn fiscal hole that Jeremy Hunt intends to fill on Thursday with tax increases and spending cuts. But if you are suspicious about this claim, then you are right to … Continue reading Is Liz Truss really to blame for £30 billion of austerity?
Has Brexit Britain turned the corner?
Ever since the 2016 referendum, Brexit pessimists have been highlighting the damage that they think has already been done to UK GDP by the vote to leave. This narrative is looking increasingly tired. Indeed, last year the UK economy actually grew faster than its peers in the rest of the EU. Now that Brexit is … Continue reading Has Brexit Britain turned the corner?
Plain-speaking Economics 