Economist, Visiting Professor, Lecturer, Writer, Public Speaker.
It’s hard to find anything to like in the Autumn Statement delivered by Jeremy Hunt. While on the surface, the 2% cut in National Insurance contributions seems like a good idea, it looks worse the more you examine what it means and its implications. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) references to the ‘headroom’ to …
Continue reading “An election Budget that does not address UK challenges”
As expected by current financial markets pricing, the Bank of England (BOE) raised interest rates to 5% in June, half a per cent up from the May level of 4.5%. The increase was not unanimous, just as the previous one was not, with two members voting to leave rates at 4.5%. Interestingly, the two members …
Continue reading “Bank rate overkill? Could a 5% rise trigger recession?”
Labour Party leader, Sir Kier Starmer, recently suggested that a commitment to build more residential homes, including on green belt land, could form part of the Party’s manifesto as we head into the next election. Even the suggestion of building on green belt land is a significant departure from the two major parties’ usual rhetoric. …
Continue reading “Building the future – how new homes could unlock economic potential”