The global interest rate cutting cycle has begun, but there is little sign that the Bank of England is ready to jump on board. How much longer will the UK have to wait? This question became even more pressing last week when the European Central Bank (ECB) trimmed official rates in the euro area for … Continue reading Has the Bank of England missed the boat?
Tag: interest rates
Should civil servants be involved in costing opposition policies?
This issue has flared up again following the row about the Conservatives’ document that claimed Labour will “increase your taxes by £2,094” (a figure still being cited on X today). There’s a lot to unpick here, so be prepared for a relatively nuanced answer! In case you’ve been lucky enough to miss all this, the … Continue reading Should civil servants be involved in costing opposition policies?
Could the economy still save Rishi Sunak?
Voters will obviously need to believe that the "economic plan" is working if the Conservatives are to have any chance of winning the General Election. But while it's not yet showing in the polls, some essential parts of the jigsaw are now falling into place. Indeed, Labour’s Rachel Reeves appeared worried enough to launch a … Continue reading Could the economy still save Rishi Sunak?
UK economy ‘turns the corner’
First, the good news (and the news is mainly good today). The unexpectedly large 0.6% bounce in GDP in the first quarter of the year means that the UK economy has officially exited ‘recession’, after declines of 0.1% in Q3 and 0.3% in Q4 2023. This has already led to some more positive headlines, which … Continue reading UK economy ‘turns the corner’
Plain-speaking Economics 