Why Britain’s income tax system is already astonishingly progressive April 9, 2012 IF YOU want to say that something is too high or too low, you need to know its current level first. For instance, imagine a survey that suggests a majority of the public wants government to increase spending on defence. I would be immediately sceptical of such findings for two reasons. Firstly, the responder is [...]
After many years in a bull market, is it still a good time to stake your wealth on gold? April 9, 2012 YES Tom Clougherty Gold isn’t a traditional investment good: it is an alternative to paper money. From that perspective, its allure is all too clear. The purchasing power of gold is as good now as it was in 1900. The pound lost 99 per cent of its value over the same period. As a store [...]
RAPID responses April 9, 2012 Crime mustn’t pay [Re: We need a more radical answer to London’s crime-fighting nightmare, Wednesday] Jamie Whyte believes attaching revenue to policing would reduce crime. He hasn’t considered the wider consequences of a purely financially motivated police force: more corruption, greater reluctance to report crimes and reduced trust from the public. The police’s important impartial [...]
Real tax reform is an impossibility until we shrink the size of the state April 4, 2012 EVERY year about this time, as the daffodils start blooming there is a call from some think tank, academic or economist for major tax reform. This year, it was Andrew Sentance, writing in The Forum. There are two responses that a politician can make to this. The wise but cautious one pays lip service to [...]
Rick Santorum is on the ropes and risks an ugly beating in Pennsylvania April 4, 2012 AFTER Rick Santorum won Louisiana’s primary late last month, MSNBC’s David Gregory endeavoured to keep his viewers interested in the Republican race by claiming that the result had officially created “a two-man race.” After Tuesday night, despite their best efforts, not even the media are claiming this race is competitive. Despite his commanding delegate lead, [...]
You can check out anytime – but can the clients follow? April 4, 2012 WOULD the City be better if it was more like California? Obviously, the sunshine and beaches would be nice. But what about the Golden State’s employment law? Restrictive covenants (RC) are contracts that many people in the City sign when they start a job, which tell them what they can and can’t do when they [...]
With the Prime Minister issuing an Easter message, should the government do God? April 4, 2012 YES Elizabeth Hunter It was Gandhi who said those who think religion has nothing to do with politics understand neither religion nor politics. Both are concerned with what a good life and a good society look like – they will always overlap. Political leaders, like every citizen, should be able to speak authentically about their [...]
RAPID RESPONSES April 4, 2012 Tough love [Re: Let’s stop wasting our aid budget on funding lobbyists, yesterday] Raheem Kassam is right to expect maximum value for money from Britain’s aid budget and that is why tackling the cancer of fraud and corruption is a top priority for the coalition. Our message is clear: those who undermine progress in the [...]
How to end the euro : One Wolfson prize finalist reveals his proposal April 3, 2012 THE route for euro exit that I recommend requires the prior formation of a secret (and deniable) task force by either Germany alone, or (possibly) with France as a junior partner. This task force should develop a plan in which the first euro exit is the only one – with the complete abandonment of the [...]
We need a more radical answer to London’s crime-fighting nightmare April 3, 2012 BORIS Johnson wants to give the residents of London’s boroughs more say in how their neighbourhoods are policed. Boards of residents will suggest improvements to local police, monitor complaints from victims and oversee community payback schemes. If only Johnson did not share his party’s general aversion to the price mechanism, this could be the basis [...]