UK recovery picks up speed as growth hits 0.8pc April 29, 2014 A little softer than expected, but nonetheless an acceleration in UK growth. GDP growth has come in at 0.8 per cent for the first quarter of 2014, up from 0.7 per cent, according to the Office for National Statistics. Consensus forecasts suggested that we'd see even stronger growth – of 0.9 per cent – this [...]
A revue of reviews – everything you could ever want to read about Piketty’s Capital April 28, 2014 You may not have read French Economist Thomas Piketty’s near-700 page long Capital in the Twenty-First Century, but there’s no need to worry – neither have some of the people who’ve reviewed it. Below are some of the biggest reviews of the work so far, ranging from praise to scorn, and with a wide range of [...]
A revue of reviews – everything you could ever want to read about Piketty’s Capital April 28, 2014 You may not have read French Economist Thomas Piketty's near-700 page long Capital in the Twenty-First Century, but there's no need to worry – neither have some of the people who've reviewed it. Below are some of the biggest reviews of the work so far, ranging from praise to scorn, and with a wide range [...]
Letters to the Editor – 23/04 – Labour’s spending, The West’s decline, Best of Twitter April 22, 2014 Labour’s spending [Re: The cost of living crisis isn’t over – but Ed Miliband still won’t solve it, yesterday] It is difficult to see how Labour intends to deal with high childcare costs, while also promising to raise the national minimum wage or introduce a (much higher) living wage. Unless the intention is just to [...]
Wage growth is back with a bang as unemployment falls below 7pc April 16, 2014 Perhaps finally an ease to consumer budgets, and a chance that the "cost of living crisis" meme may start to fade away. For the first time since July 2009, the Office for National Statistics' measure of average earnings growth may now exceed headline inflation. Yesterday saw headline consumer price inflation fall to a four and [...]
Relief for renters as forecasters point to faster increase in wages April 9, 2014 RISING wages are set to outstrip rent increases during the summer for the first time in more than four years, according to a new forecasts from LSL property services. The estate agents indicate wages will rise by 2.2 per cent this year, based on the projections of the Office for Budget Responsibility and the Office [...]
The real reason you should be depressed by political soundbites April 7, 2014 POLITICAL sound-bites can be excruciating. They hang around for a year or two before disappearing when they become untenable. Who can forget Labour’s “too far, too fast”, or the Conservatives’ “global race”? With just over a year to go before the general election, you’ll be depressed to hear the current offerings look entrenched. The Conservatives [...]
The great British wage squeeze should be about to end March 26, 2014 A FASTER growing economy is key to improving living standards. This very simple claim rests on a more complex point – how closely linked are wages, productivity and economic output? For the government, its chances of success at the next General Election could largely be determined by the answer to this question. The most recent [...]
Budget at a glance: Osborne’s plans for Britain’s economy March 19, 2014 As growth bounces back, the focus turns to reforming savings THE ECONOMY UK growth for this year is now expected to be 2.7 per cent, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said yesterday – up from its previous estimate, made in December, of 2.4 per cent GDP expansion. A year ago the OBR expected growth [...]
Reactions to the chancellor’s statement March 19, 2014 THINK TANK’S TAKE Director at the Adam Smith InstituteEamonn Butler The libertarian think tank applauded the freedom granted to pensioners. “At last Britain's private pension savers will be treated like responsible adults. As lifetimes have lengthened and financial uncertainty has abounded, annuity rates have fallen, leaving savers much worse off then they expected. The rule [...]