Public understanding of economic principles will decide 2015 election January 3, 2013 AS 2013 begins, George Osborne, Ed Balls, and Danny Alexander should look at the polls with a mix of depression and hope. Depression, because despite all the coverage of their efforts, the public remains completely divided and confused on economic policy. Hope, because there is everything to play for and a politician who takes a [...]
Faulty maths didn’t cause the crisis – but risk management can do better January 3, 2013 MUCH of finance is devoted to the management of risk. Yet before the financial crisis, we spectacularly misunderstood the riskiness of investments which, leveraged to the hilt, inflated a financial bubble that burst in 2007. As the fallout continues, we ask why risk management failed so epically. Many point to the scientific shortcomings of economics. [...]
Argentine bravado has an unlikely ally in the UK taxpayer January 3, 2013 YESTERDAY’s call by the President of Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, for the UK to hand her the Falklands Islands was just the latest example of diplomatic sabre-rattling from Buenos Aires over the islands’ sovereignty. Alas history hasn’t recorded whether David Cameron got as far as page 25 of The Guardian to read for himself [...]
Should winter fuel payments for pensioners be means tested to help fund elderly care? January 3, 2013 YES Paul Burstow A person that owns an average priced home will currently pay the equivalent of around 65 per cent of its value to pay for their old-age care. But implementing the proposals of the Dilnot Commission – capping the cost of care at £50,000, and extending the means test to £100,000 – would [...]
Rapid responses January 3, 2013 Corporation tax [Re: Is Sir Martin Sorrell right that corporation tax payments are a “question of judgement”?, yesterday] While Steve Barclay is right that the UK tax system needs reforming, tax is still solely a matter of legal obligation, not a function of public relations. Starbucks’s recent move to pay an additional £20m set a [...]
You would be mad to miss this January 3, 2013 FILM Iron Man 3 In cinemas 26 April While Iron Man 2 was met with mixed reviews, director Jon Favreau made a big comeback with The Avengers last year, which quickly became the highest grossing comic book film of all time. Expectations for the third installment of Iron Man, then, are high and so far [...]
Mancini altercation throws Balotelli future into doubt January 3, 2013 CONTROVERSIAL Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli’s future at the club has been plunged into fresh doubt after he and manager Roberto Mancini were involved in a training ground scuffle yesterday. Witnesses said Mancini reacted angrily to a tackle from Balotelli on team-mate Scott Sinclair and grappled with the Italy international before coaching staff pulled the [...]
Rusty Murray toils as Watson emerges as grand slam doubt January 3, 2013 BRITAIN’S Andy Murray admitted to feeling the strain after dropping a set in his defeat of world No199 John Millman yesterday, as he stepped up his preparations for this month’s Australian Open. Murray seemed untroubled in taking the first set, but the Australian qualifier hit back in the second, as the US Open champion struggled [...]
Tottenham snap up former United star Fryers January 3, 2013 TOTTENHAM have signed former Manchester United left-back Zeki Fryers from Standard Liege for a fee thought to be around £3m. Freyers, 20, trained with Spurs last summer after failing to agree a new United contract but the move never transpired. As he was under 23, his former club would have been entitled to up to [...]
Terrace racism prompts Milan player protests January 3, 2013 AC MILAN backed their former Tottenham midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng last night after he led his team-mates off the pitch because of racist abuse. Ghana international Boateng, 25, reacted angrily to chants from some fans towards him and other black Milan players during a friendly at fourth tier side Pro Patria. In the 26th minute he [...]
