As RICS calls housing a “national emergency”, are UK politicians incapable of fixing the crisis? May 14, 2015 Stephanie Lis, who works for the Institute of Economic Affairs, says Yes Politicians of all stripes have been woeful in their attempts to deal with the UK’s escalating housing crisis. While all the main parties have acknowledged the symptoms of our dysfunctional market – which has seen prices increase more than fourfold in real terms [...]
Paul Walsh back in the running for CBI after Tory win – Inside Track May 13, 2015 At 9.55pm last Thursday, Lord Ashcroft confidently predicted at a party hosted by the former Conservative treasurer Michael Spencer that David Cameron was facing electoral annihilation. How things can change in a matter of minutes. Guests at Scott’s in Mayfair rejoiced as the exit polls showed the Prime Minister just ten seats from an [...]
Why we need an Apple for financial services – to rebuild customer trust May 13, 2015 Modern life has turned us all into perfectionists. We value companies that make our lives easier, and shun those that don’t. We expect brands to make us feel good and remind us that we’re part of something special. Companies have to deliver great service every time, or face our wrath on social media and risk [...]
Can Labour win in 2020? The tectonic plates are shifting in the Tories’ favour May 13, 2015 Deja vu about 1992 is back. In the immediate aftermath of the 1992 election, speculation was rife that the Labour Party would be out of power for a generation. Five years later, Tony Blair won in a landslide. Will we see the same political cycle over the coming years, with Labour gradually re-establishing itself and [...]
A tale of two economies: Why the Bank of England risks a sharp hike in interest rates May 13, 2015 We were offered two conflicting views of the UK economy yesterday, from the monthly Labour Market Statistics and the Bank of England’s quarterly Inflation Report. The Labour Market Statistics presented a picture of a booming economy and accelerating wage inflation. Unemployment has fallen by about 400,000 over the past year and the jobless rate [...]
As he plans a new counter-extremism bill, is David Cameron right that Britain has been passively tolerant for too long? May 13, 2015 Emily Dyer, research fellow at The Henry Jackson Society, says Yes Tolerance is a fundamental British value and it should continue to underpin our treatment of everyone, no matter what their faith or beliefs. However, for too long, we have let our tolerance be abused by the intolerant: those who actively try to destroy our [...]
Don’t fear the SNP: The City can do business with Scottish nationalists May 12, 2015 When Parliament reconvenes next week, there will be many new faces among the throng of MPs being sworn in. For the first time, with no fewer than 56 representatives, the third largest party in the House of Commons will be the SNP. What will that mean for the City’s relationship with Westminster? On the one [...]
Polling errors and the financial crisis: Why groupthink is to blame for both May 12, 2015 The election is done and dusted, but many interesting questions remain. Was there a swing to the Conservatives at the very last minute, or was it indeed possible to foresee the victory in advance? Snippets are emerging which suggest that the electorate had made up their minds well before polling day. Rod Liddle, the entertaining [...]
London MPs must find a common voice – or see the capital overlooked May 12, 2015 The General Election has left the UK looking more politically divided than ever. The SNP dominates in Scotland, Labour in the Northern towns, and the Tories in the South of England. Only Wales and London have retained a somewhat variegated appearance and, with the decimation of the Lib Dems, even they have become less colourful. [...]
Weeks from running out of cash, can Greece only blame itself for failure to reach a deal? May 12, 2015 Ruth Lea is economic adviser to the Arbuthnot Banking Group, says Yes As expected, there was no deal concerning Greece’s funds at Monday’s Eurogroup meeting. Since Syriza took power, Greece’s creditors have consistently and unambiguously stated that it must agree to significant reforms before they endorse the release of the remaining €7.2bn (£5.2bn) of the [...]