The trouble with the IMF: Missing one crisis is understandable, missing three is a disaster March 9, 2016 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has played a prominent role in world financial affairs in the post-Second World War period. In the 1950s and 1960s, its main purpose was to support the system of fixed exchange rates. Since then, its activities have evolved to embrace developing economies and both banking and sovereign debt crises. The [...]
Both shoppers and workers back Sunday trading reform: It’s an historic opportunity to help save the high street March 9, 2016 Today, MPs have an important chance to shape the future of our high streets. In the first major opportunity of its kind since 1994, the House of Commons will vote on Sunday trading reform, which could ultimately extend Sunday opening hours and allow consumers more time to shop. High streets all over the country are [...]
As the EU and Turkey outline a deal designed to ease the migrant crisis, are the proposals a good idea? March 9, 2016 Diego Zuluaga, who works for the Institute of Economic Affairs and European think tank EpiCenter, says Yes. The ongoing migrant crisis threatens to permanently end borderless travel within a large part of the EU, and to critically undermine the free movement of labour in Europe. Both are of great economic benefit to EU citizens and should [...]
Remain needs a positive vision of what the EU could look like in 30 years’ time: This could be it March 8, 2016 So far, the Brexit debate has hardly been inspiring. The Remain side has struggled to come out with facts that resonate with the public and that are also accurate. The Brexit side is split: some want to leave the EU because they want a free Britain looking out to the world; others want more protectionism and [...]
Brexit or no Brexit, free movement of capital across Europe is vital to Britain’s success March 8, 2016 Debate over Brexit has reached fever pitch, with the political, economic and social impacts of remaining in or leaving the EU rightly being discussed at length. But stepping back from In or Out, whatever decision the public makes, it’s essential that Britain retains free access to European markets. And this is no less true of [...]
As EDF’s finance chief quits, will the Hinkley Point nuclear power plant ever be built? March 8, 2016 Alistair Mackie, head of Holman Fenwick Willan’s energy and resources group, says Yes. The stakes are high with these projects, and politics can often influence their progress. Thomas Piquemal’s resignation reportedly came after a heated board meeting, yet it was only last week that the French government confirmed that it would continue to back the scheme. [...]
EU referendum: Ex-British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) boss John Longworth is now a martyr to Brexit cause March 7, 2016 As George Osborne and German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble discussed the perils of Brexit on stage at the British Chambers of Commerce's annual conference last week, the organisation's boss was quietly pulling the pin out of a grenade on Sky News. John Longworth, the mild-mannered head of the BCC, gave an interview from the conference [...]
President Trump would mean the end of the western alliance March 7, 2016 Super Tuesday fulfilled its traditional role of determining the two nominees for the US presidency. While Hillary Clinton’s dreary coronation is all too scripted, astoundingly, Donald Trump must be considered the odds-on favourite for the Republican nomination. Yes, if senator Marco Rubio of Florida and governor John Kasich of Ohio were to win their home [...]
Why the City of London Corporation was right to come out in favour of EU membership March 7, 2016 The outcome of last week’s meeting of the highest primary decision-making body of the City of London Corporation, the Court of Common Council, that we are to support the United Kingdom remaining a member of the European Union, has attracted much attention. While a small number of City figures called on us to maintain our [...]
Jail bankers for failure? The new criminal offence is an unworkable paper tiger March 7, 2016 The FCA was criticised earlier this year for going soft on the banking industry after dropping a probe into banking culture and accusations that it is increasingly acting at the behest of the Treasury. The regulator would no doubt counter, however, that 2016 heralds a step-change in its regulatory approach to the UK banking sector. [...]