The Economy
George Osborne fails on George Osborne’s terms
George Osborne fails on his own terms.
Rather than a dose of steroids, the economy needs a more eclectic approach
In many ways, the fate of SMEs (small and medium size businesses) has come to define the current economic crisis. Across the political divide there is widespread enthusiasm for supporting this sector because it holds the key not just to improved growth figures but a more balanced, resilient and dynamic capitalist economy.
Bitcoin doesn’t help the unbanked nor does it escape the trappings of an economy based on money
It might seem unpopular to say it now but I once had hopes for Bitcoin. Anarchists and libertarians may predictably have been excited about the potential of a currency that was neither linked to government or bank manipulation, but I liked the idea of it because P2P (peer to peer) has the prospect of making finance fairer from the bottom up.
Manufacturing’s ‘winter of discontent’ continues
Claims by the coalition government that the UK’s beleaguered manufacturing sector is beginning to show signs of recovery were dealt another blow this week by the reliable Markit/CIPS purchasing managers' index (PMI), which showed that manufacturing contracted in the first quarter of 2013.
The need for supply side socialism
There's an important fact that's lost in the debate about economic policy. It's that counter-cyclical policy is nothing like sufficient. Perhaps we need something radical.
Four chasing every UK job
Four people are chasing every job in England, Scotland and Wales, and in some areas more than 10 jobseekers are chasing each vacancy, according to a new survey.