We’ve changed. The British used to be the people who didn’t complain. The steak was overcooked, the wine too cold and the cheeses stale. ‘Was everything OK?’ asked the waiter. ‘Oh, fine,’ we nodded. Not any more. These days, complaining has embedded itself into our culture. It fulfils a social function, in that when we […]
Although books on socialism and its variants would fill many libraries, surprisingly little has been written about the philosophy of conservatism. In part this is because many of those who have written books on conservatism do not believe it has an underlying philosophy. They present it as a series of attributes, even prejudices, a collection […]
Although some commentators regard criticism of the NHS as calls for ‘privatisation’ or the introduction of US-style private healthcare, there is scant indication that anyone supports this. Indeed, the one thing that the NHS has in common with US healthcare is no that other country wants to emulate either of them. Some point approvingly to […]
The Bank of England’s decision today to un-necessarily hike interest rate by 25 basis points is disappointing, but not surprising. The recent performance of the Bank has been the worst since it received its independence 25 years ago. Charged with keeping inflation at 2% annually, it allowed it to rise into double figures. It raised […]
In the UK, we have tended to treat rough sleeping as being solely an accommodation problem. Ostensibly it is, in that we would prefer rough sleepers to be spending their nights indoors and in safety. Most of them would probably prefer this themselves. However, it is not just a housing issue, but a medical one. […]
Nigel Lawson left a huge legacy. Under his stewardship Britain went from being the sick man of Europe into becoming an economic powerhouse and one of the world’s leading economies. He is regarded by many as the finest Chancellor of the 20th century, and was certainly one of the most influential. Lord Lawson held the […]
Tax Freedom Day is usually a cause for celebration, but not this year. It marks the day when we start earning for ourselves instead of for the government. We calculate what percentage of our income the Treasury takes in tax, and express that as a percentage of the year. The bad news is that this […]
At a time when a battered UK is desperately in need of bold initiatives, very little is being done. There is quite an eerie atmosphere within the Westminster bubble at the moment. We seem to be in a bizarre twilight zone of partisan struggle and policy stasis. Events, many of them trivial, have put policy […]
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries has finally announced the intention to end the compulsory BBC licence fee. This should have been done years ago, but each time the BBC has managed to pressure the government of the day into extending a system that has long outlived its practicality and its justification. Even now, although Dorries has […]
Earlier this week President Biden made the bold declaration to Congress that “trickle-down economics has never worked” and used it to justify what might well be the biggest government spending spree in history. Not surprisingly, Sir Keir Starmer takes a similar view. His version is that “The free market economic model has failed. Trickle down […]
So, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize to the World Food Programme for its efforts to combat hunger and to prevent it being used as a weapon of war. They did not give it to Greta Thunberg, one of the favourites. This is quite right, too, since she did not […]
Often in a recession, there is a shakeout of businesses that cannot quite cut it. Unemployment rises as marginal businesses fail and capital is redeployed to firms that can succeed. Eventually, the recovery sets in and expanding firms take on more labour. The shock is sharp and unpleasant, but as productive firms push on into […]
