Why QE alone won’t stop the Eurozone’s descent into the deflation trap January 7, 2015 We’re caught in a trap” is the opening line of Suspicious Minds, a song most memorably sung by Elvis Presley, born 80 years ago today. However, it could well be the latest conversational ice-breaker for Mario Draghi, president of the European Central Bank (ECB), with colleagues or other policymakers across the continent. Europe risks entering [...]
8.6m Londoners is a sign of the capital’s success: It’s now time to plan for 10m January 7, 2015 Any day now, the glitter cannons will be fired and the corks popped as London reaches a new milestone, surpassing its 1939 population peak of 8.6m. This isn’t just a number, it’s a validation of London’s success as the world’s business and talent hub, as well as a centre for creativity and innovation. But even [...]
After talks with Angela Merkel, is David Cameron’s quest for EU renegotiation doomed to failure? January 7, 2015 Ruth Lea is economic adviser to the Arbuthnot Banking Group, says Yes Very little was expected from Chancellor Angela Merkel’s latest visit. But putting that aside, there have to be major doubts that any renegotiation of the terms of the UK’s EU membership would amount to much, however badly some of us would like to [...]
Revealed: The Treasury’s key role in the UK’s EU policy – and why it matters now January 6, 2015 Living up to its billing as the perennial “awkward partner” of Europe, Britain is once again articulating its unease with European economic integration. And previous decades contain plenty of examples of where defiant rhetoric has been swiftly followed by defiant action. The common explanation for this frequent uncommunautaire behaviour has been that UK governments have [...]
Prospect theory: Why the Greeks (and the Scots) may keep hold of Nurse January 6, 2015 Will 2015 be the year in which fantasy economics in Europe is finally put to the test? Somewhat to the surprise of many commentators, in December, the Greek political class failed to elect a new president even after three attempts. Parliament has now been dissolved and an election will take place on 25 January. The [...]
General Election 2015: This NHS spending arms race will not deliver the health service we need January 6, 2015 The NHS is unsustainable in its current form, but the remedy is reform rather than more money alone. This was the conclusion of the landmark report by Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, late last year. He argued that radical reform was needed to treat people quicker and prevent illness in the first place. [...]
As PMI figures show services growth slowing, should we be concerned by the UK economy? January 6, 2015 Rob Harbron is managing economist at the Centre for Economics and Business Research, says Yes Slowing UK growth is worrying for two reasons. First is the source of the slowdown: the latest ONS figures show business investment slumping in the second half of 2014, and falling business confidence levels suggest that this could continue in [...]
The City must make the case for EU reform – for the sake of all Europe January 5, 2015 The General Election looms large at the start of this New Year. For practical reasons, business prizes stability and places a premium on calm trading conditions, as major changes in policy have an unsettling effect on potential investors. And few decisions will have such a far reaching impact on the UK economy as what we [...]
General Election 2015: Back to the 30s? How Labour is misleading the electorate January 5, 2015 Friday 19 December 2014 was a happy day for many Londoners, marking their last in the office before Christmas. Yet amid all the festivities, you’d have been forgiven for missing something equally joyous. That Friday also marked the official start of the “long” UK general election campaign. Mercifully, the parties struck something of a [...]
The Walkie Talkie has opened its Sky Garden to the public, but is it the City’s ugliest building? January 5, 2015 Christopher Costelloe is director of the Victorian Society, says Yes Despite tough competition – the new UBS HQ in Broadgate promises to be quite remarkably ugly when completed – the Walkie Talkie is probably the ugliest building in London. We owe its architect, Rafael Vinoly, a great debt for demonstrating precisely why almost all buildings [...]