Posted on March 16th, 2010 by Tim Page
It is a sign of the pressure being felt at the heart of the eurozone that France and Germany, the main drivers of the European project, have had such a public spat in the last 24 hours. Yet the subject of that spat is a subject that has exercised many an economist as the economic downturn has progressed.
To recap, [...]
Filed under: Economics, Europe, Financial crisis, Globalisation, Investment, Manufacturing | No Comments »
Posted on March 8th, 2010 by Tim Page
I would really have liked to be positive about the CBI’s Budget Submission, given the gravity of the economic situation in which we find ourselves. Here we are, probably two months before a General Election, holding our collective breath and hoping the next growth figures will show the economy still recovering, rather than back in recession. It [...]
Filed under: Economics, Financial crisis, Politics | No Comments »
Posted on March 5th, 2010 by Tim Page
Today’s Financial Times reports on the TUC’s call for a new strategic investment fund, with a budget of £5bn, to invest in key industrial sectors. This is one of a number of recommendations set out in our new policy paper, ‘Developing UK industrial policy: lessons from France’.
Five years ago, many would have rejected the idea that we could [...]
Filed under: Economics, Financial crisis, Globalisation, Manufacturing | No Comments »
Posted on January 26th, 2010 by Tim Page
Job satisfaction has dropped to a record low, with a particularly sharp fall among young people, according to a report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development that is reported in today’s FT.
The report blames the pressures of the recession, including job insecurity and stress. These factors will undoubtedly have taken a heavy toll [...]
Filed under: Labour market, Quality of work | 1 Comment »
Posted on December 23rd, 2009 by Tim Page
The Times is in bullish mode this morning. It’s editorial, ‘Creative industry‘, starts controversially: “Few phrases strike more fear into British business than ‘industrial policy’”, it opines. Really? I was heartened to read how Lord Browne, former boss of BP and for so long one of the UK’s top industrialists, praised the interventionism of Tony [...]
Filed under: Economics, Manufacturing | Comments Off
Posted on December 9th, 2009 by Tim Page
In his updated Treasury forecasts, published as part of the Pre-Budget Report, the Chancellor demonstrated why we cannot take economic growth for granted and why action to begin repaying the fiscal deficit should definitely be postponed for the time being.
Filed under: Economics, Financial crisis, Politics, Pre-Budget Report | 1 Comment »
Posted on December 9th, 2009 by Tim Page
Industrialists have some reason to cheer after today’s publication of the Pre-Budget Report.
The PBR contained an additional £200m for the Strategic Investment Fund, the body set up in this year’s Budget to support the ‘New Industry, New Jobs’ initiative.
Filed under: Investment, Manufacturing, Pre-Budget Report | Comments Off
Posted on November 20th, 2009 by Tim Page
Hold the front page! Actually, the Financial Times did hold a bit of the front page. This is for the shock news that the CBI, Britain’s bosses organisation, has, in the FT’s words, “backed Conservative plans to cut the budget deficit swiftly and sharply”.
Before continuing, I should confess that I have a few chums in the [...]
Filed under: Economics, Financial crisis, Investment, Politics, Tax | 2 Comments »
Posted on September 17th, 2009 by Tim Page
Nigel is spot-on when he criticises the latest outburst from the Taxpayers Alliance in his blog article below. It is important that all serious commentators support the drive for fundamental science, including particle physics and astronomy.
Some good reasons can be found in ‘The Case for Space’, published by Oxford Economics in July.
Filed under: Economics, Science, Tax | Comments Off
Posted on September 16th, 2009 by Tim Page
After a few days in which the Westminster Village and what used to be called Fleet Street have conspired to convince us that spending cuts is the only meaningful topic of political discussion, I am pleased that the OECD has brought us back to reality today.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development represents the 30 [...]
Filed under: Economics, Financial crisis, Labour market | 1 Comment »
