Including thoughts on the PM's “everyday fixes”, why we shouldn’t pick on mandarins, the downsides of emergency alerts, seasonality in the GDP data, and who is really “queuing up” to join the EU… Theme of the week Andy Burnham’s latest big idea is a series of “everyday fixes” to help with the cost of living. … Continue reading Weekly wrap – Has Andy Burnham already run out of ideas?
Tag: interest rates
Bank of England edges closer to an autumn hike
A small rate rise soon could be preferable to larger increases later - a case of “a stitch in time saves nine”. However, subdued money growth and strong competition should help keep inflation down. The Bank of England’s MPC left UK interest rates at 3.75% today, as expected, but the 6-3 split was more hawkish. … Continue reading Bank of England edges closer to an autumn hike
Weekly wrap: a perfect 10 for stagecraft, a shaky 3 for substance
My regular review of news over the past seven days, including thoughts on Burnham’s first policy announcements, overseas aid, “anti-social businesses”, and the latest economic data (good, in parts). A week may be a long time in politics, but the new team at No.10 has navigated it well. A polished sequence of flashy policy announcements … Continue reading Weekly wrap: a perfect 10 for stagecraft, a shaky 3 for substance
Don’t bank on a “Burnham bounce”
Andy Burnham's first week as PM has coincided with some better economic news. The more positive tone from No.10 may help a little further, but the inflation and fiscal risks haven't gone away. Andy Burnham’s first week as Prime Minister has coincided with some better news on the UK economy and especially on business and … Continue reading Don’t bank on a “Burnham bounce”
Plain-speaking Economics 