Is the government right to seek to raise revenue by selling NHS services abroad? August 21, 2012 YES David Stout This idea to “sell” the NHS abroad is not necessarily new. But these proposals present an opportunity to do what is already being done in a much more systematic way. We know the NHS is well-regarded internationally, and these proposals mean we can help generate additional income off the back of our [...]
Rapid Responses August 21, 2012 Plain packaging [Re: As Australia confirms a law banning branded tobacco packaging, should the UK follow suit?, Thursday] Whether plain packaging of cigarettes prevents children from smoking is irrelevant. Cigarettes are illegal for under 18s to buy, and draconian and nannying measures like this will likely creep into the alcohol and unhealthy food markets. Liberty [...]
Hollande’s raid on rich is the wrong kind of revolution August 21, 2012 AFTER little more than a hundred days in power, French President François Hollande’s popularity is dropping fast. Recent polls show that 54 per cent of French citizens are dissatisfied with his performance, compared with approximately 40 per cent in July. It’s little wonder – taxes on the rich, which initially attracted voters, are in danger [...]
The Eurozone’s new quick fix risks papering over much deeper cracks August 20, 2012 WITH European politicians still nursing their holiday sunburns, speculation has already returned to the Eurozone crisis. Unsurprisingly, the focus is again on European Central Bank (ECB) intervention, not least because its president Mario Draghi’s commitment to “do whatever it takes” to save the euro may now require him to follow through. The main plan being [...]
The cigarette display ban is a smoking gun in the war on free expression August 20, 2012 THERE’S something odd about my local Tesco. Since April, the kiosk at the entrance has looked incredibly dull. As I was recently trying to work out why, I saw a sign saying that all cigarettes and tobacco-related products must now be hidden behind closed doors – to comply with UK regulations. As an economist, I [...]
As David Cameron relaxes in Mallorca, is the UK a better place to go on summer holiday? August 20, 2012 YES Patricia Yates What’s not to love! Consistently in the world’s top 10 most visited destinations, last year saw around 31m overseas visitors come here to enjoy what we have to offer. From West End theatre to cutting edge art, from castles to stately homes, Britain is renowned for its diverse culture and the depth [...]
Rapid Responses August 20, 2012 Universities work [Re: Release our business schools from the dead hand of state regulation, yesterday] Professor Len Shackleton’s proposed “shake-up” of UK higher education is wrong on a number of fronts. For a start, he fails to recognise the success of our world class universities which, despite years of under-investment, continue to deliver for this [...]
Release our business schools from the dead hand of state regulation August 19, 2012 THE UK’s centrally-planned universities could do with a shake-up. One way to do this is to begin the privatisation of higher education in those areas most suitable for it – particularly business education. Higher education has many purposes. But the most important is the preparation of young people to enter the world of work, and [...]
How UK business can match Team GB’s performance August 19, 2012 A WEEK since the Olympics closed, some commentators are already talking post-Games blues. But this is our honeymoon period, our chance to capitalise on a successful fortnight of the UK at its best. We’ve witnessed an amazing journey. An east London wasteland has been transformed – 1.5m cubic metres of contaminated soil was painstakingly cleaned, [...]
The financial sector is vital to unlocking Britain’s potential for growth August 19, 2012 AFTER an incredible couple of weeks for the UK, the first leg of London 2012 has drawn to a close. It has shown the very best of Britain, with athletes from over 200 countries coming to demonstrate their excellence. Team GB excelled, just as Britain excels in business. There’s an old joke that the British [...]