Coronavirus: Will rescue package make tax hikes inevitable? In the past six weeks the Chancellor has, quite rightly, announced a far-reaching package of measures to support the economy through the Covid-19 crisis that could cost up to £100bn. He may yet need to do more. Tax revenues will also be much lower than expected due to the hit to economic activity from the [...]
High London house prices are not a bubble waiting to burst History is replete with examples of financial bubbles, from Dutch ‘Tulipmania’ in the 1630s and the South Sea bubble of 1720, through to the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the dot com boom and bust at the turn of the twentieth century. Could London house prices be the next big bubble to burst? To [...]
Don’t be gloomy – but there are still risks to the strong UK recovery Friday’s GDP data took us past a very symbolic landmark. The level of output in the UK is now slightly above its pre-recession peak. However, we should bear in mind that the UK population has risen by more than 4 per cent since early 2008. Average income per person is therefore still some way below [...]