George Osborne’s Big Red Book is securing UK prosperity while Maoism gathers dust November 30, 2015 George Osborne set out last week how this government is fulfilling its manifesto promises: delivering financial security on the back of economic growth, and national security in an uncertain world. Coupled with plans to make markets work better for families and firms – like increasing competition so bills come down – he spoke to the [...]
Britain needs a free market energy revolution to keep the lights on February 5, 2016 Over the past decade and a half, Britain’s energy bills have soared. When wages stagnated and demand fell, electricity prices kept going up. Even the recent oil price collapse has barely cut household bills. Why? Politicians like to point the finger at the big six energy providers. They accuse the suppliers of acting like a [...]
Britain isn’t a free market: It’s time to imagine life beyond the state October 28, 2015 One of the most dangerous myths that pervades the political debate today is the idea that “neo-liberalism”, as the left describe it, has a stranglehold over economic policy. Certainly, if we compare the influence of government on our lives today with the early twentieth century, it is very clear that we live in a social [...]
John McDonnell at the Labour Party Conference 2015: Here’s what businesses think September 28, 2015 Newly-appointed John McDonnell made his conference debut as shadow chancellor today – and despite promises of a "stultifyingly boring" speech, it actually turned out to be pretty punchy, with attacks on big business and buy-to-let landlords, as well as a hint that the Bank of England's mandate might be up for discussion. But what did business [...]
Lord Lamont talks Osborne, Varoufakis and the EU referendum December 1, 2015 One wouldn't normally expect a former Conservative chancellor to agree with a controversial left wing ex-finance minister, but Lord Norman Lamont robustly defends his friend Yanis Varoufakis. “Varoufakis was disputing the rules of the European Union, rather than what they had discretion over, whereas the EU was responding by saying these are the rules; you [...]
Autumn Statement 2015: George Osborne’s Help-to-Buy and other housing budget announcements are little more than empty rhetoric November 25, 2015 George Osborne’s big news today was the announcement that the government “chooses to build” and will double the housing budget to £2bn, reforming the housing system and pumping £7bn into building 400,000 more affordable homes. Described as "the biggest affordable housebuilding programme since the 1970s", it's great news for those in desperate need of affordable housing. However [...]
A guaranteed minimum income is not a welfare reform silver bullet October 26, 2015 There is a growing recognition that current social welfare programmes are inadequate at best and counterproductive at worst. The debt and taxes needed to finance these programmes continues to rise, yet far too many people remain trapped in poverty. As a result, there is a growing search for alternatives. One idea drawing renewed interest [...]
July Budget 2015: Pressure mounts on government to back a living wage July 5, 2015 Raising the minimum wage to the so-called “living wage” would lift 6m people out of poverty and generate more than £4bn of additional revenue, according to a new report out today from KPMG. The living wage, as defined by the Living Wage Foundation charity, is £7.85 per hour nationally and £9.15 in London. The national [...]
I’ll give London’s businesses the support and freedom they need to thrive January 27, 2016 From tech startups to street markets, black cabs to global banks, London’s businesses are what make our city great. As mayor, I’ll make it my business to deliver for them. Last week I launched my Action Plan for Greater London: more homes, better transport, cleaner air and safer streets. These are issues that matter to [...]
Pay to return to pre-crisis levels in 2017, think tank predicts, but warns of inflation rise risk September 13, 2015 Pay will return to pre-crisis levels by 2017 if economic trends continue, a think tank predicts, however rising inflation could push that off-course. The latest research by the Resolution Foundation predicts that average weekly earnings grew by between 2.7 per cent and 2.8 per cent in the three months to July, in line with the [...]