City Matters: The EU financial transaction tax will hurt the prudent – not the reckless May 11, 2014 THE IMPORTANT debate between the City and 11 EU governments on whether or not to introduce a tax on derivatives and shares continued last week. Both sides have scored victories, but now a more conciliatory tone is emerging, and this should be welcomed. With the European Court of Justice rejecting a pre-emptive challenge to this [...]
Our real crisis is government silencing the sound and fury of capitalism May 8, 2014 THE STRATEGY is set for the general election on 7 May next year. Expect 12 more months of Labour banging on about the cost of living crisis, and a year of the Conservatives talking up the long-term economic plan. If only they weren’t both wrong. Yes, the Conservatives can justifiably point out the country’s return [...]
Labour’s rent control plans would be a nightmare for tenants May 6, 2014 AS PART of its campaign against the “cost of living crisis”, Labour has stepped up with an offer to help struggling renters. Sadly, at best its proposals are a non-solution, and at worst a nightmare for tenants. The rent regulation that Ed Miliband plans to introduce would see three-year rental contracts become the norm, during [...]
Labour’s rent control plans would be a nightmare for tenants May 6, 2014 AS PART of its campaign against the “cost of living crisis”, Labour has stepped up with an offer to help struggling renters. Sadly, at best its proposals are a non-solution, and at worst a nightmare for tenants. The rent regulation that Ed Miliband plans to introduce would see three-year rental contracts become the norm, during [...]
We will not apologise for defending British worldbeaters like AstraZeneca May 5, 2014 Amid the speculation surrounding the potential takeover of UK pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca by Pfizer, some facts are now known. Pfizer made an approach to take over AstraZeneca on 5 January 2014. The deal valued the company at around £60bn, which AstraZeneca rejected. On 26 April, Pfizer made a second approach, which AstraZeneca also rebuffed. A [...]
Letters to the Editor – 02/05 – Inflation spike, Rent controls, Best of Twitter May 1, 2014 Inflation spike [Re: How the Goldilocks recovery will trigger a sharp inflation rise, Wednesday] I would love to be Andrew Lilico’s bookmaker, as he’s agreed to a £1 to £1 bet against the odds. But I do agree with his analysis that there is little spare capacity in the UK. The underlying rate of growth [...]
Miliband’s swipe at landlords is no comfort for UK renters April 30, 2014 THE UK’s housing crisis is no secret, and political solutions are offered two a penny. Unfortunately, Ed Miliband’s plan to limit rents is perhaps the one thing that can be relied upon to make the situation worse for Britain’s renters. Like any price ceiling, Labour’s pledge will reduce available supply, as rents are capped below [...]
Why Britain shouldn’t fear a stronger pound April 30, 2014 THE RISING pound is causing some concern. “City squeezed by stronger pound” proclaimed the headline in Monday’s City A.M. – reporting the impact of sterling’s rise on the translation of overseas profits. There have also been worries that a rising pound could stifle the recovery of manufacturing output and exports. So what are the facts? [...]
Which UK industry has been left out of the rise in zero hours contracts? April 30, 2014 Businesses in the UK's financial industry are the least likely to make us of zero hours contracts, according to figures released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS). The proportion of businesses in the finance sector using zero hours contracts, which do not guarantee a minimum number of hours of work, came to just seven [...]
Just three reforms would transform UK recovery into long-term boom April 22, 2014 WHISPER it, but things finally seem to be looking up. Investment is rising, unemployment is falling, and the deficit seems to be coming under control. But it could be a lot better. Real wages will not recover to their pre-crisis peak until 2020. And expected growth of 2.7 per cent this year is well below [...]