How the Government could keep train fares down
The Government should also introduce a fuel tax on domestic flights, raising £460 million a year – enough to make up for revenue lost by cutting rather than increasing train fares.
Green Politics
Inflation makes prospects for improved growth in rest of 2011 dim
4.4% inflation makes it unlikely that economic growth will pick up in the second half of the year. Retail sales volumes are likely to remain stagnant.
New IMF boss joins calls for Plan B
The new IMF boss, Christine Lagarde, has joined calls for a Plan B. In an FT op ed she says “slamming on the brakes too quickly will hurt the recovery and worsen job prospects”.
Western economies are heading for the rocks, but no-one’s at the helm
The neo-liberal project to shrink the state—although driven by the right and accepted even by parts of the centre-left—is starting to bite hard. Even the financial markets are worried that the so-called debt crisis cannot be solved unless there is growth.
Political leaders – Stand up to the bankers, you have only your chains to lose
Instead of disciplining financiers, politicians have disciplined taxpayers, and used ‘austerity’ to force the broader economy to bow to the finance sector.
‘Greenest government ever’ turning out to be less radical than CBI on mandatory carbon reporting
There are worrying signs that the Government is backsliding on its commitment to introduce mandatory reporting of carbon emissions by the public sector and large companies based in the UK by 2012. This has been identified by environmentalists as a key component of any plan to on reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with Government targets, by 50% by 2025 and by 80% by 2050, relative to 1990 levels.
Memo to Vince Cable: lack of credit demand, not supply holds back UK economy
Memo to Vince Cable: lack of credit demand, not supply holds back UK economy: time for a cut in VAT and increase in quantitative easing
Robin Hood Tax would lead to calmer markets
The volatility of the markets is linked to the pursuit of high profit and air of invincibility enjoyed by banks. The Robin Hood Tax would help deal with these root causes
Markets are telling Osborne to increase spending
Despite a record low for government bonds, the treasury refuses to release the purse strings, condemning us to a ‘paradox of thrift’
Britain is bottom of the G7’s growth table
Britain is bottom of the G7’s growth league table. Excluding earthquake-hit Japan, Britain is growing more slowly than every other major developed economy.