Green Politics
Budget hits the pause button on Scotland
Scotland’s finance secretary John Swinney yesterday published the Scottish government’s budget for 2014/15 and 2015/16.
The Budget 2013
Road building is not the answer to Britain’s transport problems
As the UK economy continues to flat line, at the centre of the chancellor’s Budget plans to stimulate growth is a £3 billion annual infrastructure budget much of which is earmarked for damaging and regressive road building projects. But experience shows that new roads seldom solve people’s transport problems.
Budget 2013: The fight for tax haven transparency has a long way to go
The budget will increase inequality and the bias against the small business sector. It is another opportunity lost, but if you drink 1,000 pints to drown your sorrows you will save £10. Doesn't that say it all?
Better to borrow to invest than borrow because your policies are failing
The below graph shows the additional borrowing in each year compared to the estimates at the Autumn Statement in December.
George Osborne’s fairness claim torn apart by graph
George Osborne's fairness claim torn apart by graph
The Budget barely scratches the surface of what’s required
George Osborne today made improving infrastructure one of the key planks of his strategy to compete in the “global race”. Any move in this direction is to be supported but the small print of the Budget, as so often, shows that his headline announcement today will barely scratch the surface of what the economy needs to get growing again.