Kwarteng marks himself out as the most radical Chancellor since Lawson September 23, 2022 When Kwasi Kwarteng said he wanted to go for growth, it appears he meant it. Some will say the tax reforms announced today are ‘unfunded’ and reckless. Others will say it’s not the time for changes to banker’s pay. But in his ambition and his vision of a competitive Britain, the Chancellor has placed the [...]
Let the battle for business’ hearts and minds begin September 22, 2022 Ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys, roll up, roll up to the greatest political show on earth. That may be slightly overselling it, but it is heartening to see the economy and business once again at the heart of our political debate. Today will see the first of what we imagine will be pretty dramatic [...]
Trussonomics will certainly challenge the dull orthodoxy of declinism September 21, 2022 Is Britain gripped by the orthodoxy of managed decline? It does appear so. Yesterday saw the Institute of Fiscal Studies, the respected economic wonk shop, bemoan Liz Truss’ tax cuts as piling on debt in a time of poor economic growth. Another, the Institute for Public Policy Research, has rubbished the idea that tax cuts [...]
Scrapping bankers’ bonus cap is only a signal, but it is a signal nonetheless September 21, 2022 AN UNPOPULAR politician is usually a short-lived phenomenon. It appears Liz Truss is hoping that by the time the impacts of her unpopular decisions will be felt, the benefits will be so obvious the electorate will forget their initial teeth-gnashing. She may well be right. Even this column would accept that removing the bankers’ bonus [...]
Editorial: It was, as we knew it would be, flawless September 19, 2022 It was – as we knew it would be, as it had to be – flawless. As they say, ‘we do these things well,’ and we did. With the eyes of the world on London, the capital was a glorious blend of the modern and the traditional – a diverse crowd that looked and felt [...]
Scrap the cap: It’s the right thing to do September 15, 2022 The bankers' bonus cap is reportedly on the chopping block, and it'd be a fine way to signal a change in tone from government
Assault on ‘profiteering’ green energy firms misses the point entirely September 14, 2022 The European Commission’s assault on energy providers of all stripes yesterday has been coming. Thanks to the byzantine structure of the energy market, the biggest winners of gas prices going through the roof have been electricity producers who source their fuel from alternatives. The European Commission wants to stop them raking it in whilst gas [...]
Kwarteng’s go for growth call shouldn’t be that controversial a message September 13, 2022 Go for growth. That’s the message given to the Treasury by the new Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, we are told, with a need to do things differently under fresh leadership. Who are we to argue? Of course, simply ordering the Treasury to deliver 2.5 per cent growth does not make it happen. If there was a [...]
Editorial: The right to peacefully protest is as British as the monarchy September 12, 2022 We are thinking much of tradition at the moment, and of what it means to be British. One of the unalienable rights available to Brits is, that as long as you’re not hurting anybody, you have the ability to speak your mind unheeded. Yesterday two Edinburgh men were arrested for breach of the peace for [...]
Editorial: She was the best of us, and let us be the best of her September 11, 2022 So, it has come to pass – something we all knew was coming, in our heart of hearts, but wished would stay for another day, just another day. For her selflessness, her sacrifice, and her devotion to duty, we owe Her Majesty a quite extraordinary debt. There will be many words written over the coming [...]