Corporate philotimy: The big new concept in responsible capitalism December 18, 2020 Capitalism — like most isms — has many faces. In the eighteenth century, it produced the military-political piracy of the East India Company, and in the twenty-first, the philanthropy of the $47bn Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It has the capacity for profoundly significant choices. Economies are capitalist if they are dominated by private capital [...]
Shock as government policy works! Why we need to keep the stamp duty holiday December 17, 2020 The stamp duty holiday is working — actually really, really well. So, of course, the government plans to reverse it shortly. Governments tax things either to raise money to spend, or to discourage you from doing them. Income tax and national insurance raise more than 40 per cent of all the annual £825bn tax revenue. [...]
DEBATE: Should people be able to pay to get the Covid-19 vaccine privately? December 17, 2020 As the NHS rollout continues, should people be able to pay to get the Covid-19 vaccine privately? Kristian Niemietz, head of political economy at the Institute of Economic Affairs, says YES. The Covid vaccine is not a consumer good like any other, and it should not be allocated like one. It should, in the main, [...]
What was the point of ‘recapturing sovereignty’ only for the government to act like autocrats? December 17, 2020 There was much hand wringing in March as MPs lined up to pronounce that they were being compelled to support actions that “no government would want to take”, and that there seemed “no other option” but to rush out severe restrictions in the face of the pandemic. They may have been right. But the thing [...]
Combining technology with human ingenuity can level the workplace inclusion gap December 17, 2020 The pandemic has affected every person on the planet. It is one of those rare things that we all have in common, although each of us will have experienced it in a different way. One thing is certain: whatever may have been said at the start, Covid-19 has not been a great leveller. From age [...]
Businesses can really make a difference — and this Christmas they’re needed more than ever December 16, 2020 The impact of the pandemic has brought unprecedented change to how we live and work. It has also led to a greater appreciation of the things we sometimes take for granted: family, food, health, employment. We have been put under strain in so many ways. In turn, people have risen to the challenge, demonstrating resilience, [...]
Economics has a lesson for Remainers and lockdown-lovers who refuse to let facts change their minds December 16, 2020 Christmas is a time to be charitable. So let’s spare a thought for those who fought against the referendum result. Unlike the great unwashed, who simply didn’t understand the issues they were voting on, they had all been expensively educated at the right sort of schools and universities. From the time the vote took place [...]
From John le Carré to Chinese communists: Are there still reds under the bed? December 16, 2020 Perhaps it was appropriate that the news of a mass infiltration by insiders of Beijing’s ruling party should break in the same week that John le Carré died. The passing of the master of spy stories reminded us all of times past, when the world was dominated by superpowers who employed tens of thousands to [...]
Christmas rail works are essential this year to keep trains running throughout 2021 December 16, 2020 This year, the Christmas engineering works being undertaken by the railway industry have received extensive media coverage. Unfortunately, the time period for these works coincides with the window when coronavirus restrictions will be loosened for five days (23–27 December). This has led to some frustration, with questions about why the work needs to take place [...]
Procuring in a crisis: The government must learn from the PPE uproar December 15, 2020 Covid-19 has revealed a great deal about how governments respond to crises. The results have been varied: from unprecedented schemes to support furloughed workers up and running a matter of days, to a contact tracing app still plagued with issues months later. In fact, while the pandemic may have shown how quickly things can be [...]