A recently received mis-typed email revealed a wider truth. On Wednesday 3 December, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has called a day of action to draw attention to the continuing downward spiral of the economy of Zimbabwe – join their protest here. The latest phase is characterised by the flight of big business and [...]
Filed under: International development | 3 Comments »
There has been a sustained campaign by the Taxpayers’ Alliance and rightwing newspapers against public sector pensions. Public servants are featherbedded they say, and the future cost of providing pensions are of telephone number proportions. They seem to have made a convert in David Cameron. This is what he said in answer to questions at a [...]
Filed under: Pensions, Politics, Public services | 2 Comments »
Tory proposals now appear to combine a regressive attitude to employment protection with a basic lack of understanding. Citizens Advice have highlighted a fascinating article in the Daily Telegraph, which cites CBI experts on the “the weight of new and vexatious claims” which the tribunal system is straining under. This is a subject near to [...]
Filed under: Vulnerable workers | Comments Off
After hours of debates and hundreds of amendments, the Pensions Act 2008 made its way onto the statute book this week. During the discussions Ministers made it clearer than ever that they see responsible investment and engagement as being perfectly in line with pension trustees’ legal duties:
Filed under: Corporate governance, Environment, Pensions | Comments Off
Some commentators think that the rich will mainly accept the PBR’s higher tax rates, but it hasn’t stopped all the usual arguments coming out of the woodwork.
Filed under: Financial crisis, Inequality, Pre-Budget Report, Tax | Comments Off
The onslaught on the PBR has started. The Conservatives clearly think that they have found their range on the PBR and have a spring in their collective step after some difficult weeks.
Filed under: Pre-Budget Report, Tax | Comments Off
The banks are coming in for intense criticism again. In the Pre-Budget Report, the Chancellor warned he would take “whatever action is necessary” to ensure banks treat business customers “fairly and decently”. This follows briefings to the press that the Chancellor is considering legislation to force banks to lend. And last week, the Chair of the Commons [...]
Filed under: Economics, Financial crisis, Monetary policy, Recession | 4 Comments »
Much political journalism these days seems to be written by people who would rather be sports reporters. Who’s in the team, who’s heading for relegation or who had a good game are more frequently written about than the policy or ideological issues that are at stake.
Filed under: Politics, Pre-Budget Report | Comments Off
This isn’t a green new deal, but the Chancellor has dealt a few green cards. £535 million in new investment plus money brought forward for environmental projects is likely to be jobs-rich – in homes insulation and central heating packages, train making and flood defences. This includes:
Filed under: Energy, Environment, Pre-Budget Report | Comments Off
In the highly technical world of fiscal stimulus analysis, we often have to pay due regard to the ‘oomph quotient’: a precise measure of how stimulating any package is. The US stimulus package announced earlier this year was very oomph worthy. As I wrote on this blog some time ago, the US Government sent £85 [...]
Filed under: Economics, Employers, Financial crisis, Pensions, Pre-Budget Report, Recession, Tax | 1 Comment »
Nick Robinson reports the effect of the planned tax rises for the top one per cent.
Filed under: Pre-Budget Report, Tax | Comments Off
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