Tag: quantitative easing

End of free money brings the chickens home to roost

The shocks that occasionally batter the UK economy seem to be coming thicker and faster. The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) blew up in 2008. The Brexit vote followed eight year later. But we then only had to wait four years for Covid, and just two more for the cost-of-living crisis. At this rate we are … Continue reading End of free money brings the chickens home to roost

The Treasury should look again at a simple option to save on debt interest

The latest monthly data on the UK’s public finances included the first of many payments from the Treasury to cover losses made by the Bank of England’s Asset Purchase Facility (APF). This may seem like an arcane subject, but the sums are huge and at least partly avoidable, so bear with me. First, the technical … Continue reading The Treasury should look again at a simple option to save on debt interest

Podcast on UK inflation and monetary policy

I recorded a podcast for the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) on Friday 6th May on UK inflation, definitions of 'recession' and 'stagflation', and what more the Bank of England could (and should) have done. You can listen here... https://ieapodcast.podbean.com/e/interest-rates-how-to-control-inflation/

Bank of England needs to act now to tame the inflation tiger

It’s not often I agree with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), but their latest warnings on the risks of inaction from the Bank of England could not have been more timely. The jump in consumer price inflation to 5.1 per cent in November has already taken it well above the figure of 4.5 per cent … Continue reading Bank of England needs to act now to tame the inflation tiger