Will Straw
Will Straw founded Left Foot Forward in 2009 and was its first Editor. Follow him on Twitter.
Cross-party support for curbs on City excess
A YouGov poll commissioned by Compass, "shows huge majorities want action on high pay." Although attitudes are broadly similar across social class and party allegiance, "Thatcher's children" - those born since 1975 - are less likely to support new taxes on the bonuses.
Payback on debt is historically low
Peter Hoskin on Coffee House draws attention to the Economist's new Global Debt Comparison feature. But the important question is not the level of debt but the cost of paying it back. Despite the fears and scaremongering from the right, the yield from 10-year British Government Securities (gilts) remain low by recent historic standards.
Politics summary: Thursday, September 10th
Andrew Lansley has, for the first time, shifted the Conservative commitment to increase health spending year on year in real […]
Britain’s 60-year progressive consensus
Jon Cruddas' Compass speech included a graph showing the popular vote since 1832. A reinterpretation of the data shows Britain's 60-year progressive consensus.
Conservative research shows there’s no debt crisis
David Cameron mentioned the phrase "debt crisis" eight times in his speech yesterday. On Sunday, speaking on the Andrew Marr show, George Osborne said, "the difference between Britain and countries like France and Germany is that we have an absolutely enormous budget deficit." But research used by the Conservative Party show that Britain's debt position is far from in crisis despite their claims.
News summary: Wednesday, September 9th
The recession is over. Following an ONS release on manufacturing growth, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research report […]