My Blog

A lesson in cognitive dissonance for the Corbynites
Behavioural economics — which extends the ability of economics to explain the world — has become very fashionable. Richard Thaler,

Pension reform is political dynamite, but Macron’s attempt should be commended
It would take a heart of stone not to be amused by Emmanuel Macron’s current predicament. The French President is

For richer or for poorer? The economic case for marriage is worth remembering
An important piece of social news emerged last week. According to the Office for National Statistics, the divorce rate in

Labour’s rejection of conventional economic theory ignores important insights
One of the first tasks facing whoever becomes chancellor after the General Election will be choosing the next governor of

Celebrating Germany’s recession dodge? The data isn’t quite as solid as you think
Ardent Remainers had a rare bit of good news at the end of last week. The latest statistics for the

Today’s apologists for socialism still won’t acknowledge the lessons of the Berlin Wall
The media has been awash over the past week with stories about the thirtieth anniversary of the fall of the

From World War II to the financial crisis, our institutional memory is fading fast
The young contestants on Lord Sugar’s reality TV show The Apprentice sparked outrage last week. They appeared to have virtually

The economic impact of Brexit tariffs only tells us half the story
Brexit is about much more than the economic costs and benefits, but the idea that the former dramatically outweigh the

Until Scotland’s currency puzzle is solved, independence is economically delusional
The possibility of Scottish independence is back on the political agenda once again. And one question – which currency would

This year’s Nobel economics laureates have made the world a better place
This year’s Nobel Prize in economics, announced on Monday, was a ray of sunshine amid the prevailing media gloom. The

Forget ‘reparations’, scrapping subsidies is the way to help get Wales back on its feet
Get ready to put your hands deep into your pockets for the boyos and girlos of the Welsh Valleys. Adam

What kind of person crosses the Nevada desert to investigate UFO conspiracies?
Area 51 is a mysterious place. Located deep in the Nevada desert, it is home to highly classified US military

In such volatile times, the safest assets aren’t necessarily what investors think
Given the climate of intense uncertainty, the FTSE index remains remarkably resilient. It currently sits almost bang in the middle

Britain’s car industry could weather a storm of tariffs better than you’d think
The latest American Economic Review contains a timely paper. Keith Head and Thierry Mayer, at the University of British Columbia

Watch out fiscal conservatives – the mood has shifted and the spending taps are on
The Autumn Spending Review announced by the chancellor Sajid Javid barely raised a ripple last week. Yet the increase planned

Economic theory can offer a lesson to struggling football clubs
The expulsion of Bury FC from the English Football League last week continues to generate a huge amount of sound

Supply and demand at work, or just good bargaining? The reality behind CEO pay
A report published by Deloitte a couple of weeks ago will have enhanced the feeling of holiday wellbeing for many

Stamp duty contortions and eco-warriors with private jets? Welcome to silly season
August is traditionally the silly season. Brexit makes this year slightly different, of course, but it is good to see

What was behind Friday’s National Grid outage? Network theory, not conspiracy
National Grid is getting a kicking in the aftermath of last Friday’s electricity blackout. Potential explanations swirl around both social

Retailers beware, the online shopping revolution isn’t going anywhere
Another week, another retailer biting the dust. The baked potato specialist Spudulike has closed all 37 of its branches, with