Posts Tagged Coalition Government
A far from BAEsic problem
Posted by Stephen Clarke in Economics, Politics on 26/09/2011
Tomorrow will see BAE Systems disclose how many jobs the company will cut. Expectations are that around 3,000 jobs will be lost across 3 sites in Yorkshire and Lancashire. Unions and opposition politicians have called on the Government to take action, but is there anything useful the Government can do?
A bad day to release good news
Posted by Stephen Clarke in Economics, European Union, Politics, Tax and Spend on 19/09/2011
Today news emerged that Jaguar Land Rover plans to invest £335 million to build low-emission engines at a site near Wolverhampton. The proposed investment is expected to directly create approximately 750 jobs, with many more indirectly created in the supply chain and wider economy. Such news is welcome, but perhaps overshadowed by the economic gloom, which was propounded today when the Financial Times reported that there is likely to be a £12 billion hole in the UK’s public finances for 2011-12.
Too clever by half
Posted by Stephen Clarke in Economics, Politics on 09/05/2011
The current British Government has been characterised by many commentators as one of the most radical. Free schools, GP commissioning, payment-by-results public services, the ‘Big Society’, whatever your views on such policies it is hard to argue that they do not suggest a government committed to wholesale, rather than incremental change. There is much to be said for radical ideas and extensive change, however in the economic sphere the Government could do with a good dose of old fashioned Tory incrementalism.
“Should I Stay or Should I Go”
Posted by Stephen Clarke in Politics on 26/04/2011
This weekend Chris Huhne voiced serious criticisms of the Chancellor and the Conservative party in light of the ‘No to AV’ campaign’s recent claims about the cost and benefit for radical parties of the AV electoral system. Perhaps most significant could be the fact that he ‘refused to rule out resigning as energy secretary over the tensions’. Huhne’s outburst came on the same day that the Independent on Sunday ran an interview with Nick Clegg where the Deputy Prime Minister in effect described the Tories, as opponents of AV, as a ‘nasty right wing clique’. Although political rhetoric can be misleading, the coalition government seems to be on the verge of splitting at the seams.
No pain, no gain? Perhaps for some, but not for all
Posted by Stephen Clarke in Economics, Politics, Social Cohesion, Tax and Spend on 28/02/2011
Today the Cobden Centre blog covered a new research paper by two Harvard Economists, Alberto Alesina and Silvia Ardagna. The paper examined fiscal stimuli and fiscal adjustments, and what factors were correlated with their success.