Let’s be honest… this Budget is austerity for the private sector October 30, 2024 Rachel Reeves has introduced a new kind of Marxism with this Budget, where private industry foots the bill for an expanding public sector, and the poorest don’t get better off, says Mattew Lesh Just two months ago, in a speech delivered inside Downing Street, Keir Starmer declared that growth and wealth creation were his government’s [...]
Let’s be honest… feel-good campaigns are ruining Britain October 17, 2024 Every government promises to cut red tape but ends up adding more. The only way to break the cycle is to stop listening to nice sounding arguments, says Matthew Lesh Google’s CEO Eric Schmidt did not mince words at this week’s International Investment Summit. “Maybe you need a minister of anti-regulation?” Schmidt said to Prime [...]
Let’s be honest… the Conservatives are deluded October 3, 2024 The Conservative Party is enjoying the sugar rush of a leadership campaign, but the grim reality of opposition will soon sink in, says Matthew Lesh The vibe at the Conservative Party conference this week in Birmingham was chipper. Well-lubricated members excitedly shuffled between drinks receptions headlined by the four leadership contenders. There were impromptu rallies, [...]
Let’s be honest… the government is gaslighting us on working from home September 19, 2024 Given the public sector’s appalling productivity record , the government should get its own house in order before giving out working from home advice to private businesses, says Matthew Lesh There is an irony in government ministers telling private enterprises how to be more productive. This week, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds claimed that creating a [...]
Playing nice with trade unions won’t fix public services September 5, 2024 With trade unions promising further strike action despite generous pay settlements, Labour have found themselves in a bind of their own making, say Matthew Lesh Throughout the election campaign, Keir Starmer repeatedly pledged to end strikes by engaging in constructive dialogue with the unions. This always sounded like a pretty hollow promise. How could simply talking to [...]
Let’s be honest, Elon Musk is right to defend free speech August 15, 2024 Blaming communications for unrest has a long and unhappy history. We repeat it at our peril, writes Matthew Lesh
Let’s be honest, China’s economy is suffocating under President Xi August 1, 2024 President Xi’s protectionist policies and hostility to foreign investors mean China is no longer the country to bet on for growth – and that’s a lesson for the West too, says Matthew Lesh Prior to entering government, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the Conservatives’ approach to China was excessively confrontational and inconsistent. He reportedly now [...]
Let’s be honest – the King’s Speech was full of empty symbolism July 18, 2024 The pomp and ceremony of the state opening of parliament is one thing, but hollow gestures are not a good basis for policy making, says Matthew Lesh The pomp and ceremony returned to Westminster yesterday. A real-life King arrived at Parliament in a horse-drawn carriage and sat on a throne. Several dozen people were wearing [...]
Greta is wrong, environmentalists need markets to protect the planet June 29, 2020 Free market advocates have too often vacated the environmental battlefield. And they have been scared off for good reasons. At best, climate politics is dominated by those who see little to no role at all for markets. At worst, environmentalism is a thinly disguised excuse for advocating far-left economic and social policies. Some have labelled [...]
Spending like a drunken sailor does not create a thriving entrepreneurial economy March 13, 2020 “If I announced that Budget, the Tories would be jumping up and down,” shadow chancellor John McDonnell said with a smirk yesterday morning. Indeed, Wednesday’s Budget is the biggest giveaway of taxpayer money since 1992. Borrowing will increase by £125bn. Debt will reach a record high at £2 trillion. There was some good news for [...]
