As the election campaign draws to a close, has it fundamentally damaged America’s moral standing? November 7, 2016 Brian Klaas, a fellow in comparative politics at the London School of Economics, and author of The Despot’s Accomplice, says Yes. Whether Donald Trump wins or loses tomorrow, he has already done tremendous damage to America’s moral standing in the world, and its ability to promote Western liberal democracy globally. His sexist, racist, and xenophobic rhetoric [...]
Editor’s notes: Think Brexit voters were just angry? Think again. November 4, 2016 The hot topic of the day is the process of Brexit. With the High Court ruling in favour of those who claimed that the government lacks the constitutional authority to trigger Article 50 without parliamentary approval, it’s an absolute field day for legal commentators and armchair constitutionalists. Those who cry that the judgement represents “a [...]
Oil boss needs buyers to Shell out for assets November 4, 2016 A brave face. That's the best way to describe this week's trading updates from Britain's two oil behemoths. It’s now a familiar visage for BP's Bob Dudley and Shell's Ben van Beurden. Oil prices continue to hover stubbornly below $50-a-barrel, raising justifiable concerns about the companies’ ability to cover their dividends without substantial further cuts [...]
The referendum is over: Let’s act like it is November 4, 2016 Brexit is about to be betrayed. Wealthy financiers have coopted unelected judges into a war on democracy, seeking to undermine the will of the people by fair means or foul. Yesterday’s High Court ruling that Parliament must decide on the triggering of Article 50 is an insult to the 17.4m who voted for Brexit, and [...]
There are silver linings to this depressing presidential election – whether Trump or Clinton wins November 3, 2016 After a gruelling year of primaries, scandals, attack ads, FBI investigations, and breaking news day-in and day-out, Americans are only four days away from choosing their next President. Now, more than ever, we all need a dose of optimism. I’m aware that feeling doesn’t come easy right now. Over the course of this election season, [...]
The Bank of England’s response to the uncomfortable dilemma of stagflation will be a key test of its credibility November 3, 2016 The Bank of England faces an uncomfortable time over the next couple of years, if its latest forecasts turn out to be broadly correct. The latest projections in the Bank’s Inflation Report published yesterday show that inflation will be pushed up by the fall in the pound and is likely to remain above the 2 per [...]
Following the High Court’s ruling on Article 50, is an early general election now a distinct possibility? November 3, 2016 Alex Morton, director at Field Consulting, says Yes. Prime Minister Theresa May should call a general election in the spring, and the High Court ruling gives her even more of an excuse to do so. The UK economy is going to turn in the next few years, regardless of Brexit. By 2017, we will be eight [...]
Parliament will now debate whether to invoke Article 50: So what? November 3, 2016 The government has taken one in the eye. This will please many observers, but I’m afraid, if you’re one of the many rejoicing on social media now, this result will be short-lived. I confess to thinking that the decision is an odd one. After all, two previous legal challenges brought by the McWhirter twins (yes, [...]
Why Trump could be in for a thumping victory November 3, 2016 As if 2016 hadn’t already provided enough reasons for investors to panic, a late narrowing of opinion polls ahead of next week’s US election is sending shivers through trading flaws. Could Donald Trump steal an incredible (and, in the opinion of many, terrifying) victory next Tuesday? It remains unlikely – but less unlikely than in recent [...]
National insurance is a complicated relic: Axe it in three simple steps November 3, 2016 If we were designing a new tax system from scratch, would anyone seriously suggest running three slightly different income tax systems at the same time? The fact that the government does precisely this is a relic of the past that has no place in a modern tax system. The combination of charges – income tax, plus employer’s [...]