Green Politics
The belief that migrants are a drain on the economy is like the popularity of Boris Johnson, homeopathy or conspiracy theories
Britain has an immigration problem - but not of the sort generally supposed. The facts show that immigrants are a net fiscal benefit rather than a cost, and that immigration is, except for a small negative effect at the bottom end, a net positive for wages (pdf) and for economic growth (pdf). The problem is the public do not believe the evidence.
UK GDP down 0.3 per cent
UK GDP fell by 0.3 per cent between the third and fourth quarters of 2012, according to the latest quarterly national accounts from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Video: Larry Summers nails austerity on Newsnight
Larry Summers nails austerity on Newsnight
If Osborne’s Help to Buy scheme is a success, another housing market crash may be just around the corner
Despite bits and pieces to encourage provision of a few more affordable homes within the social sector, the big housing news from last week's budget was that the government is seeking to expand home ownership again after a decline in the number and proportion of homeowners since 2005.
OBR report shows extent of lost economic potential
Of all the decisions the chancellor has made, the one he may be regret the most is making the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) independent.
Graph showing Osborne’s failure as chancellor
The below graph shows the trajectory of the US and UK economies under both George Bush and Barack Obama and Gordon Brown and David Cameron respectively. It pretty much speaks for itself.