Has Reeves realised she’s reached the limits of taxation?
Much of the economic damage has already been done, but in ruling out wealth taxes and further pay deals with doctors, at least the Chancellor is allowing a shimmer of light to peep through, says Paul Ormerod England’s cricketers narrowly failed to score the 374 runs needed to beat India in the final Test match […]
Is Joe Root actually the greatest English batsman ever?
Joe Root has been acclaimed as the greatest English batsman ever, but is it actually true? Paul Ormerod delves into the stats Joe Root has delighted cricket fans for well over a decade. In the recent Test match against India, he moved into second place in the all-time world list of total number of Test […]
Starmer must face down the self-righteous clowns on his back benches
Keir Starmer’s attempt to select compliant MPs has backfired, producing a rebellious and ill-informed parliamentary party that has already successfully vetoed its own government’s economic policy, says Paul Ormerod A fundamental feature of the social and economic world is that intentions are not the same as outcomes. Morgan McSweeney and his colleagues exercised very close […]
Enough with black-hole blaming, Reeves is ignoring low hanging fruit
Raising taxes and plugging black holes, Labour’s discourse ignores proven (and easier) methods to boost productivity, says Paul Ormerod The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has a major financial problem. Much of this is of her own making. Her relentlessly negative narrative about the UK economy has in itself created a stagnant economy. The issue she faces […]
To find out who’s to blame for economic uncertainty, reeves should look in the mirror
Household spending is down £50bn since last year. It’s hardly surprising there’s so much uncertainty in the economy given the relentless negativity of the Chancellor herself, says Paul Ormerod Households in Britain are still saving large chunks of their incomes. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirmed this week that the percentage of income saved […]
Is Labour changing its mind about the OBR?
Labour is becoming increasingly disillusioned with the OBR as the reality sets in that no amount of forecasting can solve Britain’s spending problems, says Paul Ormerod How fashions change! Less than a year ago, Labour politicians were falling over themselves to praise the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). Labour was elected on a promise of […]
How much should you pay to see Billie Eilish? Don’t ask St Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas argued for the concept of a “just price”, but when it comes to concert tickets the correct price is the one determined by the market, says Paul Ormerod Summer is in full swing, and with it the usual round of festivals and music gigs. Alongside these, another tradition is emerging. Namely, extensive whingeing […]
Farage has a point, the UK should stop subsidising Scotland
It may have lost him the byelection, but Nigel Farage has a point about Scottish spending, writes Paul Ormerod Last week, Nigel Farage created a bit of a storm north of the border when he suggested that the longstanding formula for calculating how much Scotland receives from the UK Treasury needed “looking at”. Some commentators […]
From rare bees to miners’ pensions, money is now no object in parliament
Miners’ pensions, indigenous rights, the shrill carder bee – parliament and the public have lost touch with the reality of public spending, writes Paul Ormerod Early day motions (EDMs) are a longstanding feature of parliament. Some are tabled for local publicity for the MP, such as the one last week congratulating Peterhead on being champions […]
Protecting against cyber attacks means tackling rational inattention
Cybersecurity, highlighted by recent attacks on the Co-op and Marks & Spencer, is not just a technical challenge but also a human and economic one, says Paul Ormerod Cyber security has featured prominently in the media, following the attacks on the Co-op and Marks and Spencer. The Co-op has recovered rather the better of the […]
