Every percentage point added to CPI means more people plunged into poverty – that’s the reality of inflation. And, as the IFS and campaigner Jack Monroe have pointed out, it hits those on the lowest incomes the hardest, as they are the most sensitive to even the smallest changes in prices. So it’s right that […]
Channel 4 is rather unlucky in its champions. Claims that independent artists in the regions would no longer get commissions if the broadcaster was privatised, for example, are deeply unconvincing. Meanwhile, arguments that an end to public ownership is the first step on the road to fascism are plainly ludicrous. But that doesn’t mean that […]
It looks highly likely that Rishi Sunak will use the Spring Statement to announce a cut to fuel duty. No doubt such a move will be greeted by cheers in Parliament and praise in the papers and from pressure groups. It would, however, be a mistake. It ignores the fact that, in real terms, fuel […]
As the horrifying war on Ukraine continues, the West is rightly looking for as many ways as possible to hobble the Putin regime. Sanctions and military aid should at least slow down the Russian military and weaken the Russian economy, hopefully making it harder for Russia to wage war and for Putin’s position to become […]
Trade deals have the potential to impact all our lives, but people often feel that the deals are something imposed upon them without any real accountability. So it’s good news that the Government is consulting the public and businesses on updating Britain’s trade deal with Israel. It’s also an opportunity to take stock and rethink […]
Last week the Government announced it was to start negotiations for a trade deal with Greenland. Right on schedule, the continuity remain crowd went into meltdown, pointing out that Greenland has a very small economy and that we already had a deal with them when we were members of the EU. The outcry was so […]
The civil service is an easy target. The media and politicians paint it as an unaccountable blob, completely detached from the real world. If they aren’t deliberately frustrating the Government’s agenda with pettifogging bureaucracy, mandarins are complacently slacking off at home and refusing to get back to the office. Although blaming civil servants for whatever […]
Last week the Government announced the launch of negotiations for a free trade agreement between the UK and India. If we manage to strike such a deal with India then it will be highly significant to Britain, both economically and in terms of diplomacy. Let’s start with the economic benefits. The UK already does quite […]
With prices rising, there is no shortage of commentators proffering solutions to the cost of living. Take James Forsyth, who argues in The Times that the UK should scrap all tariffs apart from those on certain sensitive agricultural goods in order to bring costs down for consumers. While talk of trade liberalisation is always welcome, it’s […]
Energy bills are set to soar in the coming months, increasing the cost of living for millions of households. According to both Labour and a number of Tory backbenchers, the way to head those price rises off is to remove VAT from energy bills. Although it’s certainly welcome to see both main parties talk about […]
As the UK faces up to the fiscal consequences of this crisis, the debate will soon turn to how we go about paying back the huge increase in borrowing we’ve seen in the last few months. You can bet your bottom dollar that calls for a hike in corporation tax will be high on the […]
It’s the idea that just won’t die. Even in the midst of a pandemic there are calls to bring back national service. According to the Times, the Ministry of Defence has even commissioned a report into it. There are several good reasons to hope this particular policy renovation falls swiftly by the wayside. First, it […]
In his first Budget on Wednesday, chancellor Rishi Sunak looks set to announce that the government will be scrapping the 5% VAT rate on sanitary products. The move has been welcomed by women’s rights campaigners and looks as though it will be popular with the electorate. In many ways, this is understandable. As it stands, […]
It’s Valentine’s Day, which means couples all around the world will be giving each other gifts, going out for dinner, and sending cards containing nauseating messages. The rest of us sad singletons will be filled with bitter resentment that everywhere is booked up and that it’s marginally more difficult to get served at the local […]
The outbreak of coronavirus, and the fact the Chinese government has offered a rare admission of culpability over its handling of the crisis, highlights just how important it is to prepare for these kind of potentially deadly epidemics. Of course, we have plenty of precedents: Just over a century ago the Spanish Influenza pandemic of 1918 […]
Christmas is upon us, which means the usual films will be on the box. As well as being thoroughly entertaining, many of our festive favourites also have important lessons for public policy. Let’s start with my favourite: The Nightmare Before Christmas. If you’ve never seen it before (what have you been doing with your life?), […]
It was impossible to not be moved while watching Channel 4’s Dispatches documentary on Monday evening. The show highlighted the plight of families living in poverty in different parts of the UK. It certainly wasn’t an easy watch and contained a few shocking moments, including a pale young boy saying: ‘We try not to eat […]
One of the Conservatives’ key election pledges has been to cut business rates. In many ways, this is understandable, given the significant financial burden they represent for many small companies, especially retailers. Despite the gross value-added from the retail sector being less than 10 per cent, retailers pay 25% of all business rates, equivalent to […]
In its latest gold-plated election offering Labour has announced a plan to provide free broadband to every home and business in the UK by 2030. A fine aspiration, you might well say – but the way Labour want to go about it are misguided for a whole host of reasons. First, take the claim it […]
With the General Election campaign in full swing, we are starting to learn more about the policies of the main parties. On both sides that means turning on the spending taps, although Labour’s plans are far more spendthrift than the Tories’, and both parties have said they will fund the extra commitments through increased borrowing. […]
