Nanny state Lib Dems caused their own crisis – by rejecting liberalism May 28, 2014 JUST when you think it can’t get any worse for the Liberal Democrats, it does. A derisory vote in the Euro elections, followed by a rather half-hearted and completely botched coup attempt, has left Nick Clegg likely to remain leader but with a fair number of publicly-declared recalcitrants within his diminishing ranks. The party hierarchy [...]
An earthquake bigger than Ukip: Only radical EU reform will be enough May 27, 2014 MAKE no mistake, these European elections are an earthquake that should make political leaders across the EU sit up and take notice. While pundits will debate why Ukip topped the polls in the UK, more significant is that the public has made it clear that they want a big change in Britain’s relationship with the [...]
Why environmentalists should embrace fracking – not sacrifice May 27, 2014 THE FRACKING debate continues apace, with the British Geological Survey announcing that there are over 4bn barrels of oil in the shale rocks of the South of England. The government has proposed new rules of access to land to speed up the exploitation of this oil, with proposed payments of £20,000 to those living above [...]
We can reform London’s rental sector without demonising landlords May 27, 2014 THE SHADOW of Peter Rachman, the epitome of the rogue landlord, still lingers over the rented sector. Yet deregulation in the late 1980s means it is incomparable with the rent-controlled, deteriorating rump stock of old. Today’s rented sector houses a phenomenally diverse 2m Londoners. There isn’t a typical renter. Every income group is represented equally, [...]
Britain’s mortgage prisoners must act now or face financial meltdown May 22, 2014 IT’s BEEN a busy week in the world of monetary policy. On Sunday, Mark Carney said that rising house prices pose the biggest threat to economic recovery. On Tuesday, the official statistics told us what we already knew – that house prices in London are soaring, by 17 per cent year-on-year. Some homeowners are finding [...]
Socrates and the euro elections: A democratic dialogue May 22, 2014 SCENE: A LONDON BACK STREET… SOCRATES: Hey, you there, why are you tearing up those placards? ANGRY VOTER: It’s over, the racists have won. It’s a black day for democracy. SOCRATES: Ah, you’ve been taking part in the recent election. I’m an immigrant from a fellow democracy myself, so I’m fascinated to understand your system [...]
China is the real victor as Putin looks East May 22, 2014 WHEN President Vladimir Putin voyaged to Beijing this week, it was with one thing in mind: strengthening Sino-Russian relations. The signing of a $400bn (£237bn) gas pipeline deal with Beijing formed the centrepiece of this effort. Russia’s aggression in Ukraine is pushing the US and Europe away, and Putin is looking to reorient towards an [...]
An anti-capitalist European Parliament: The real threat to UK business May 21, 2014 NOT LONG ago, the government’s mantra was that the Eurozone crisis was having “a chilling effect” on the UK economy. Britain’s dependence on its trading links with the euro area, combined with the plunging fiscal and economic fortunes of certain member states, put in doubt the prospects for our own export-led recovery. Fast forward three [...]
The UK housing market needs Help to Supply – not Help to Buy May 21, 2014 THE UK housing market needs Help to Supply, not Help to Buy. The government’s housing scheme has helped first-time buyers get a leg-up onto the property ladder, but that privilege has come at a price – with house prices higher than otherwise, as the subsidy became capitalised in prices. The planning system has created a [...]
How regional cities can match London’s success May 21, 2014 BRITAIN’S cities face a challenge: the economy may be powering forward, but London and the south east so dominate economic performance that some commentators have been questioning if the capital is becoming overmighty. It may not have the population density of a Tokyo or Mexico City, but London is the Bric capital of the world [...]
