As expected, John Healey delivered a low-key ‘first do no harm’ pre-election Budget, with a few treats for voters and no nasty surprises for investors. But a ‘do some real good’ Budget was needed... The only ‘rabbit’ was a £100 ‘household energy payment’ for 20 million households in council tax bands A–D, costing £2.6 billion. … Continue reading Wary Chancellor presents a Ming Vase Budget
Tag: inflation
Seven things to watch for in the Budget
Including thoughts on the OBR’s new forecasts and old Brexit assumptions, PuFIns, bank ‘windfall’ taxes, youth minimum wages, and why we actually need a ‘do some real good’ Budget. John Healey will probably be aiming for a low-key ‘first do no harm’ Budget: a few treats for households and businesses, with no nasty surprises for … Continue reading Seven things to watch for in the Budget
Weekly wrap – A letter from France
Some thoughts on why contagion from France should be limited, what businesses really think about Brexit, and the latest on the UK labour market, inflation, consumer confidence and the public finances... Theme of the Week I’m recently back from a lovely break in southern France, where we experienced all the culture the region has to … Continue reading Weekly wrap – A letter from France
Two cheers for Kemi Badenoch’s inheritance tax plans
Inheritance tax is a fundamentally bad tax and raising its threshold makes economic as well as political sense. But exempting “family homes” entirely is more problematic and potentially distortionary. Kemi Badenoch announced today that the Conservative Party “would abolish Inheritance Tax on the family home and raise the individual threshold to £500,000. This will mean … Continue reading Two cheers for Kemi Badenoch’s inheritance tax plans
