FT takes apart Osborne’s Swiss tax deal
Today’s Financial Times has drilled an alarming number of holes in George Osborne’s much-spun anti-tax evasion deal with the Swiss authorities last week.
George Osborne
Local MP well-placed to lobby on police cuts
The Knutsford Guardian carried a story last week about the town’s MP visiting a local police station to thank officers who had travelled to London during the riots…
Osborne’s Swiss tax deal castrates international tax avoidance clampdowns
George Osborne’s Swiss tax deal is allowing these individuals to buy their anonymity – but the question remains, why would they want to be anonymous?
Ex-Cabinet Office chief economist: slower cuts are “common sense”
Think tank boss, Jonathan Portes – who resigned recently as chief economist of the coalition’s cabinet office – says a longer deficit reduction period “is not only feasible, but sensible and prudent”.
The government is failing to lay the foundations for long-term growth
The UK is less well-positioned than France or Germany to take advantage of two key changes to the world economy – the effects of technological innovation, and the rise of Brazil, Russia, India and China.
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”.
Osborne’s ‘safe haven’ view is delusional
Osborne’s statement to parliament on recent economic volatility was pervaded by inaccuracy, complacency and vainglory.
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.
Failure to remutualise Northern Rock does nothing to prevent repeat of collapse
At the time of the banking collapse, the Bank of England said that there was a need for more stable banking structures in the UK. So why isn’t George Osborne remutualising Northern Rock?