The battle of ideas is more important than ever December 11, 2024 One of the features of modern politics is just how reactionary it is; political leaders jump from issue to issue as the agenda dictates while the media (understandably) follows or leads this trend. For those who keep a close eye on politics it can therefore feel as if life is a series of tactical battles [...]
All hail Rayner, destroyer of NIMBYs December 10, 2024 Since Christmas is a time for hope, it’s worth appreciating the good news when we see it. The business community’s frustrations with Labour are well documented and easy to understand, but even its fiercest critics tend to concede that one area stands out as a bright spot in an economic landscape marred by tax increases: [...]
No Christmas cheer for employers as 2024 draws to a close December 9, 2024 There are plenty of reasons to be cheerful at this time of year, but the state of the economy isn’t one of them. As Christmas trees go up and celebrations get underway, there are worrying signs that large parts of corporate Britain are preparing to end the year in a state of nervousness and pessimism. [...]
Could Elon Musk and Nigel Farage upend British politics? December 5, 2024 Labour’s majority is enormous, but it only gives us the appearance of stability. All the evidence suggests their support is broad but shallow and their victory was as much a question of good luck and good timing as it was a literal vote of support for Labour’s policies. The Tory party is basically neck and [...]
Starmer needs a rethink, not a relaunch December 4, 2024 It doesn’t take a huge stretch of the imagination to picture a communist bureaucrat issuing a decree: “Comrades, I can announce today that four years from now 92 per cent of routine operations will be carried out within our new national target of just four and a half months – realising a goal that has [...]
The City needs to fall in love with risk again December 3, 2024 Back in March, in a meeting room somewhere in the labyrinth of offices that makes up the Square Mile’s political headquarters at the Guildhall, the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen and the Communications and Corporate Affairs Sub Committee met to consider a report on a potential area of focus for a potential new Lord Mayor [...]
Business leaders brace for a cold winter December 2, 2024 Temperatures are set to fall again as a mid-week cold snap muscles in, bringing icy winds to accompany the latest batch of chilling economic data. Several business organisations have just released their latest research, and the findings ought to chill the blood of complacent government ministers. Since the Budget, City AM has reported daily on [...]
Ministers are in denial over the Budget’s impact on jobs and growth November 28, 2024 Well, that didn’t last long. Barely 48 hours after the Chancellor told the CBI conference that the tax-hiking Budget was definitely a one-off, Keir Starmer declined to echo her comments and instead left the door wide open to another round of tax increases and borrowing. We ought to have some sympathy; no Prime Minister can [...]
Critics circle under-fire watchdog November 27, 2024 What unites firebrand socialist MPs and stalwarts of the Tory establishment? The answer – somewhat unbelievably – is the state of our main financial regulator. The Financial Conduct Authority is heading into a cold winter with storms swirling on all sides. It faces fury from parts of both the Square Mile and Westminster for hamstringing [...]
Reeves played fast and loose with business leaders’ trust November 26, 2024 Not long ago, Rachel Reeves would have been right at home in a room full of business leaders and employers. During the election campaign it was comfortable territory for the aspiring Chancellor who reassured the private sector at every turn that Labour would be “the most pro-business government the country has ever seen.” Now, just [...]
