Britain’s global influence will fade if it turns itself into an Atlantic Singapore July 27, 2015 President Obama’s carefully chosen words last week are a reminder of what is at stake in the forthcoming referendum on Britain’s place in Europe. Known to be a cautious and contemplative leader, the President spoke directly to the British people with a very clear message: the UK’s membership of the European Union “gives us much [...]
Donald Trump’s fairy tale economics is bad for his party and terrible for America July 27, 2015 The Republican Party must be tearing its hair out. For years, visitors from the US have extolled the strength of the party’s potential Presidential candidates for 2016. The pack is certainly more impressive than in 2012 and, with the exception of one or two candidates, they are ostensibly advocates of relatively free market policies. In [...]
Tough love: Britain could slash unemployment by time-limiting benefits July 27, 2015 Most talk of welfare is about how much we spend. Far too little is about how we actually spend it, but this is what really determines whether it does what we want or not. Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) is a very small part of the £217bn per year we spend on welfare, costing around £5bn annually. [...]
With his Asia trade mission in full swing, should David Cameron be playing the salesman for the UK? July 27, 2015 Allie Renison, head of Europe and trade policy at the Institute of Directors, says Yes. Ultimately, it is businesses themselves that will increase the volume of the UK’s international trade, but politicians also have a role to play in bringing British firms and foreign governments together to discuss facilitating the flow of goods and services. [...]
Creeping UK isolationism will continue unless we face up to Tony Blair’s dire legacy July 26, 2015 Barcelona – As he frantically tries to stop his party consummating its suicide pact with the highly gormless Jeremy Corbyn, it is suddenly easy to remember why former Prime Minister Tony Blair was a giant among pygmies during his reign as the most talented politician of his generation. Eerily able to comprehend Middle England, Blair [...]
Air pollution is the scourge of the City: We all have a role to play in tackling it July 26, 2015 London’s air pollution is making thousands more people die early each year” and “time to transform London’s air quality” have been some of the more stark headlines in recent weeks. As air quality in London – and the impact on the health of the capital’s residents and workers – continues to pique the interest of [...]
David Cameron’s south east Asia tour: The UK needs a step change in its ASEAN trade July 26, 2015 As David Cameron tours south east Asia this week, he can take heart from the recent experience of an iconic British brand which resonates all over the world. Liverpool football club spent last week in Malaysia, with manager Brendan Rodgers commenting that “it’s been incredible to see the support we’ve received.” This was reflected in [...]
Should the BBA’s warning of a hotting up housing market concern policy-makers? July 26, 2015 Charlie Cadywould, a researcher at Demos, says Yes. Since 2010, housing policy has largely focused on demand-side measures, designed to give particularly first-time buyers a leg-up on the housing market. In reality, these policies may have only served to push up prices further. It is only through increasing supply that the escalating housing crisis plaguing [...]
Bashing buy-to-let landlords will push up rents and hit the UK economy hard July 23, 2015 Buy-to-let landlords have a huge advantage in the market as they can offset their mortgage interest payments against their income, whereas homebuyers cannot.” That’s how the chancellor explained his decision in the Budget to require that landlords, unlike other businesses, effectively pay tax on their borrowings – their buy-to-let mortgage. But the chancellor has made [...]
What struggling Greece can learn from the growth stars of Eastern Europe July 23, 2015 Where are Europe’s fastest growing economies to be found? They are in Eastern Europe. Over the past year, GDP has risen by 4.1 per cent in Romania, 4 per cent in the Czech Republic, 3.7 per cent in Poland, 3.3 per cent in Hungary, 3.1 per cent in Slovakia, and by 3 per cent in [...]