RAPID RESPONSES November 24, 2011 Safer than some Allister Heath writes, “the main reason why UK gilt yields hit record lows yesterday is that the Bank of England is monetising the entirety of the government’s borrowing” [Even Germany is feeling the pressure, yesterday]. That would explain why gilts were strong, but sterling has been strong against Asian currencies, suggesting foreign [...]
Regulations sprouting from Brussels will damage the UK’s corporate governance November 23, 2011 In recent days, the implications of the EU regulatory reform agenda for Canada have been widely reported. However, the financial sector is not the only area of vulnerability to future EU directives. Of wider concern is the growing risk that the UK’s distinctive model of corporate governance – underpinned by “comply or [...]
Democracy is in: Here comes the activist investor November 23, 2011 SOME of this year’s biggest news stories, such as the Arab Spring and the Occupy movements in London and New York, have a common underlying narrative. “The many” are unhappy about the actions of “the few”. Democracy is in vogue. A similar narrative is emerging from some of the biggest business stories of the year. [...]
If I were Osborne, I’d scrap the 50p tax now November 23, 2011 SO WHAT would you do if you were chancellor? Cut red tape, scrap taxes, subsidise industries or build toll roads? The real chancellor is being flooded with suggestions about how to get the economy moving again, with almost no idea being left unproposed. Each day the pages of the papers are packed with stories about [...]
RAPID RESPONSES November 23, 2011 Property wrongs In Alex Morton’s argument for the liberalisation of planning law as the basis of addressing housing need [Our economy and housing supply are being held back by planning, yesterday], he argues for “a presumption against interference” by councils – only in the next paragraph to call for the use of Compulsory Purchase Orders [...]
Our economy and housing supply are being held back by planning: Liberalise now November 22, 2011 THE roots of our urban and housing crises began in the 1947 Town and Country Planning Act. This created the current planning framework where all major private property changes are subject to state veto. All land released for housing has to be approved by councils. Councils tell developers what they should build and where it [...]
Social investing will give a boost to philanthropy November 22, 2011 GEORGE Osborne’s Autumn Statement is likely to reveal that things are going to be tough for some years. One consequence is that money to tackle many social issues will be in short supply. One hope is that the third sector can plug some of the hole created by the deficit reduction plan. But funding for [...]
Why the drugs debate requires more humility November 22, 2011 THE former head of MI5, Baroness Eliza Manningham-Buller, last week called on the government to decriminalise cannabis. She thinks the “war on drugs” is not working. Like most who make this claim, she counts undiminished drug consumption as one of the policy’s failures. Liberalisers seem to agree with prohibitionists that drugs are bad for their [...]
RAPID RESPONSES November 22, 2011 Brown and out Spot on, Allister Heath [Brownonomics makes a shock return, yesterday]. The coalition’s other housing policy announcement is equally poorly thought out. It proposes to raise the discount for individuals buying their council home to 50 per cent, giving an unearned windfall to a lucky few. But this will raise only a trickle [...]
George Osborne has to hold his nerve – the UK economy needs vision, not populism November 21, 2011 EVERY day the pressure grows for the government to do something about growth. Usually this translates into calls for more borrowing and spending, special rules for struggling businesses, or other eye-catching initiatives. The government should resist. Recent history has taught us such quick wins often end up being own goals. They make the business environment [...]