An Independent Scotland Risks a Greek Tragedy
This will not be my last look at Scottish independence between now and the September 18 referendum but it will keep us going for now. I urge readers in other parts of the UK not to switch off now. It matters, and it matters rather a lot. Independence is not all about economics but if ... Read more
The UK’s Immigration Quandary
Immigration is an issue it would be easy to file away in the “too difficult” drawer. Is it one of those where good economics – most economists would say it brings net benefits for the country – can never be good politics? Or is it a bit more complicated than that? A few days ago ... Read more
Britain’s Balance of Payments Sinks in Sea of Red Ink
One question keeps coming back to me from readers. Why, when it was such a big issue in the past, does the balance of payments no longer seem to matter anymore? And, related to this, are we now entering a period in which it may indeed start to matter again, perhaps quite a lot? There ... Read more
Plenty of Lessons for France in Britain’s Recovery
Being British means we are easily embarrassed even by modest success. The default position, when it comes to the economy, is to grumble. There is usually plenty to grumble about even in the good times, so that keeps us happy. So how should we respond to the fact that the International Monetary Fund now predicts ... Read more
UK to Set up Sovereign Wealth Fund to Finance Low-Carbon Projects
A new report, written by Professor David Mackay, chief scientific advisor to the Department of Energy and Climate Change, and Dr Timothy Stone, Senior advisor to the Secretary of State, has intricately accessed how the greenhouse gas emissions that would be released from developing shale gas in the UK, would affect the country’s emission targets. Ed Davey, the ... Read more