NHS GP charges: Switzerland shows why charging to visit a doctor needn’t be politically toxic September 7, 2015 The economic case for user charges in healthcare is easily explained. A well-designed system of charges for people accessing services can encourage cost-consciousness and reduce overuse. If people had to pay a share of their healthcare costs out of pocket, they would start asking their GPs (and other sources of information) about whether a [...]
How Britain’s booming startup scene can be supercharged by empowering smaller investors September 7, 2015 Many congratulations to Morning Wire on its tenth birthday. It has been a remarkably successful decade for the adventurous upstart. But the anniversary reminds me of a rather less happy fact. By the time it is ten years old, there is only a one in 100 chance that a UK firm will have reached [...]
As Lord Hall pledges a “BBC for the internet age”, is this even possible under the licence fee model? September 7, 2015 David Hickman, senior lecturer in film & television production at the University of York, says Yes The only alternative to the licence fee proposed by BBC critics is subscription. Little is said about how, say, radio would be paid for. But practical issues aside, the BBC is a public institution, so public attitudes matter – [...]
We will never shy away from celebrating risk, hard work and reward – The City View September 6, 2015 The idea of launching a new, free newspaper was born from a belief that London and the City are unique, and that the people who work in the heart of our nation's economy deserve a paper that understands, informs, challenges and celebrates them. Ten years ago this week, the first editions of Morning Wire [...]
China’s real crisis: It may never become a rich country September 6, 2015 I thought I smelled a rat. As I have often told my European colleagues – fond as they are of conspiracy theories about American foreign policy – they have the wrong Shakespeare play in mind: America is more Hamlet than Macbeth. By that I mean that, whereas outsiders to the policy world often assume great [...]
It’s time to break the assumption that university is the best path for everyone September 6, 2015 As thousands of students start to pack their bags, load up their cars and leave the comforts of home behind, the same question arises each year: is three years at university essential to a successful and fulfilling career? I would argue that it is not. And I’m the living proof! I attended university for [...]
Unleash the entrepreneurs to tackle London’s school shortage September 6, 2015 London’s booming population is creating a massive demand for new schools. The capital requires 113,000 new school places over the next five years alone – equal to 10 per cent of existing school places. Part of this demand can be met by expanding existing schools. But hundreds of brand new schools will also be [...]
As a Federal Reserve interest rate hike creeps closer, should we remain relaxed about the consequences? September 6, 2015 Andrea Cicione, head of strategy at Lombard Street Research, says Yes. We can’t imagine investors feeling relaxed, with a series of Fed hikes looming, but past tightening cycles have generally been benign for US stocks. During the last nine episodes, price to earnings multiples have fallen by an average 4.2x, but in seven, earnings per [...]
London is the beating heart of UK philanthropy: Long may it continue September 3, 2015 As Londoners, we should be proud of our city’s philanthropic heritage. Last year, the UK donated £10.6bn to charity – a total larger than the size of Liverpool’s economy – and London is at the centre of this philanthropy. But what does this mean? Private philanthropy has always played a crucial part in [...]
Blame lack of reform for Eurozone unemployment remaining so high September 3, 2015 We received good news on European unemployment this week. The total number unemployed in the Eurozone and across the EU has continued to fall. The Eurozone unemployment rate has dropped below 11 per cent for the first time since early 2012. And the overall EU jobless rate is down to 9.5 per cent, its [...]