As we enter a nationwide quarantine, CapX brings you the definitive guide to thriving in self-isolation. Our writers and editors share their tips on how to cope when cooped up, and recommend what to read, watch or do in order to stay sane and enjoy yourself. From Boccaccio to Mantel, Paw Patrol to virtual pubs, […]
Does the economic shockwave of coronavirus mean we are destined for a re-run of the Great Depression, as some are musing it might? It’s possible, yes, but it really depends what policy levers the politicians try to pull. You can talk about the Wall Street Crash till the cows come home, but what caused the […]
I promise that this isn’t one of those schmaltzy “Look on the bright side”/”There is a silver lining to all this” articles. Coronavirus has no bright side, and there is no silver lining. But over the past couple of days, I have become a bit more grateful for the technologies and technology-based services that are […]
People have started accusing the Government of ‘making it up as they go along’ of late, implying that ministers should have had a hard-baked plan in the locker outlining precisely what to do when a global pandemic hits our shores. The truth, as anyone who has spent time in Government knows, is that you can, […]
If there were an Olympic competition for the historical importance of British financial announcements, then Rishi Sunak would already be occupying the entire podium. Friday’s astonishing 80% wage guarantee announcement is bigger and more important than last Tuesday’s £330bn support package, which in turn was bigger and more important than his first Budget the prior […]
In terms of my political risk career, betting against Europe rising to superpower status—as many left-leaning commentators blithely predicated in the early 2000s—has, to put it mildly, not hurt me any. This is not due to some hateful, xenophobic prejudice against Europe; I have lived in the place for two-thirds of my adult life, and […]
“I’ve been waiting for this for a generation, for Christ’s sake don’t waste it!” John McDonnell’s words might have been about the 2008 crash, but his reasoning has been taken on once more as a new crisis strangles the country. The former Channel 4 journalist and Corbyn supporter Paul Mason, for instance, wrote earlier this […]
This season’s ‘in’-word for policy wonks is ‘Superforecasting’. It is the science, or rather social science, behind trying to nail down the percentage likelihood of a given event happening. What we are witnessing now shows just how important getting this kind of thing right. But when the dust eventually settles, rather than reflect on simply the […]
John McDonnell’s response to the Government’s emergency financial measures this week gave a frightening glimpse into how a Labour government might have handled this crisis. The Shadow Chancellor’s demands, other than those related to sick pay and renters, were an unreconstructed shopping list drawn from Labour’s defeated manifesto last December. He had a go at […]
The Coronavirus crisis has relegated all other issues to the fringes, becoming a truly universal crisis for us all. Despite this, politics never stops. Even in the Virus Times, there are politicians happy to use newly-acquired powers, both for personal gain and to reshape their alliances, which could look starkly different in the post-virus world. […]
Until last month, China had not expelled a journalist since 1989 and the nation-shaking tumult of Tiananmen Square. Until now, Beijing has limited itself to refusing visas to certain reporters, such as Melissa Chan of Al Jazeera and Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian of AFP – presumably for offending the authorities with their coverage of China, though no explanation […]
Washington, DC, is grinding to a halt. Last week, it was possible to leave your home, see restaurants with customers and streets only slightly emptier than usual, and convince yourself that life as we know it was not about to be put on hold. Not any more. The list of legitimate reasons to go out […]
The latest package of emergency measures announced by the Chancellor is welcome and well-judged. It is worth reiterating that the aim is no longer to prevent a recession: a collapse in normal economic activity is inevitable and even, in these circumstances, desirable. Instead, it is to protect the most vulnerable households and businesses and to prevent a temporary […]
Black swan. These were the two words that came to my mind when the first case of coronavirus was detected in Spain less than two months ago. Of course, I’m not saying I saw it coming. Not even last week could I have anticipated that the coronavirus would force Spain’s government to declare a state […]
A matter of weeks ago, there was only one story in town: Brexit dominated everything. Now, the same is true once again, but with all eyes focused on the coronavirus outbreak. In fact, the global pandemic has reached a level of salience unprecedented in Britain. The weekly “Top Ten Most Noticed” poll from Populus asks […]
‘I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our Island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary […]
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