Johnson defends London and foreign investment in property October 15, 2014 LONDON mayor Boris Johnson yesterday stood up for foreign investment into London, dispelling claims that they were in part to blame for the property crisis as “absolute rubbish”. One of the developments Johnson may have had in mind was the Qatar-backed Shard when he spoke at Mipim UK, the inaugural property trade show in London’s [...]
Where is the richest place in Europe? Inner London came out top October 14, 2014 In the depths of the crisis, one small area of the UK held out: Inner London was still the richest place in the EU. Eurostat, the body that collates data about the European Union, has compiled stats on different economic measures to allow for a comparison of different regions. The data showed some big disparities: [...]
Tax cuts and deregulation: How free markets can slash the cost of living September 25, 2014 Rolling back state intervention across the economy and cutting taxes could save some families up to £7,800 a year, according to a new report from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA). The free market think tank has produced the report as part of it's 2020 Vision initiative, which provides a host of publications and films [...]
Labour’s misdiagnosis: A larger state is not the way to raise living standards September 23, 2014 To paraphrase the economist John Maynard Keynes, Ed Miliband’s speech yesterday to the Labour Party conference was an extraordinary example of how, starting with a mistake, a remorseless logician can end in Bedlam. For Miliband, the market has failed to deliver rising prosperity, and it is now time for big government to get back in [...]
UK house prices soar as lack of homes fuels cost of living crisis September 22, 2014 House building in the UK has been in a continual state of decline since the 1970s, making it harder to own a home and to pay rent, according to a report released yesterday. In the several years preceding the financial crisis, just under 200,000 houses were completed per year – half the number that [...]
Cost of living crisis myths: How Miliband could deliver a real pro-poor agenda September 22, 2014 Labour’s party conference will see Ed Miliband try to shift public focus away from the Scottish referendum fallout and back towards the choice at next year’s general election. In particular, he’ll seek to refocus our minds on the “cost of living crisis” narrative that he’s been composing since 2011. Policy announcements over the weekend suggest, [...]
Tesco can still win back shoppers by slashing prices: Investors may now be harder to convince September 22, 2014 EVEN before the announcement of accounting irregularities yesterday, Tesco was a company beset by problems. Once the darling of the British retail scene and the undisputed leader of the grocery pack, Tesco has faced years of falling sales and profits, combined with some high profile failures, like the disposal of its costly Fresh & Easy [...]
Build on the green belt to ease home price crisis, say economists September 21, 2014 ROLLING back the green belt and easing planning laws are needed to address the cost of living crisis, analysts at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) argued today, hitting out at Labour’s plans to cap rents and set conditions on the type of homes built. The think tank argues that house prices have shot up [...]
Chuka Umunna: More power for London and the regions – but not for me September 21, 2014 The shadow business secretary has been hailed as his party’s next big thing so many times the joke is starting to wear a little thin. Chuka Umunna scoffs at the suggestion that shadow chancellor Ed Balls could be shuffled out before the general election, making way for him to step up. “There will be no [...]
Ed Miliband promises minimum wage rise should Labour win next general election September 21, 2014 Ed Miliband has promised an increase in the national minimum wage to £8 per hour should his party win at the next general election. The Labour leader has said it is "not good enough" that one in five people in the UK "are in low pay". Ahead of the Labour party conference in Manchester this week, [...]