James Plunkett 
When a growing economy still feels bad
David Cameron was right; the good news has kept on coming. This morning’s first estimate from the ONS puts GDP growth in the third quarter at 1.0 per cent. Cue… Continue reading
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Four tests for Osborne’s Budget
With the Coalition taking pre-Budget briefing to new levels you’d be excused for thinking there’s little we don’t know about tomorrow’s statement. But here are four questions we can’t yet… Continue reading
7 Comments
Cameron is right to focus on quality apprenticeships
If there are ‘no votes in skills’, as the old dictum goes, there seem to be some in apprenticeships. Hence David Cameron’s call this morning for apprenticeships to become a… Continue reading
19 CommentsAre we facing an American nightmare?
With the Chancellor’s autumn statement due next Tuesday, we’re all talking about growth. The ECB and Bank of England now say the UK economy is set to grow at less… Continue reading
19 CommentsTories dodge a bullet on childcare
In the past year the government has proven good at cauterising self-inflicted wounds. This morning’s announcement from Iain Duncan Smith on childcare stems another potential bleeder. His department have found an… Continue reading
6 CommentsA reform the Tories should shout about
As of today, you can’t fire someone just for turning 65. The government has delivered its promise to scrap the Default Retirement Age (DRA), introduced by Labour in 2006 as… Continue reading
6 CommentsEating into household savings
Next Tuesday, the ONS will release initial estimates of second quarter UK GDP growth. It may be a slight exaggeration to call it a ‘make or break’ moment for the… Continue reading
18 CommentsInflation hits work incentives
New inflation stats are out tomorrow and they’re expected to show further rises in CPI and RPI. Aside from their brief peak in 2008, headline rates of inflation are now… Continue reading
22 CommentsThe growing need for a policy response to the ‘new inflation’
There’s been much debate on these pages about the political implications of higher inflation. Ironically, this morning’s news of record food prices could relieve the pressure on the Bank of… Continue reading
27 CommentsOsborne the Reformer is an unfinished work
One interesting aspect of today’s Budget is the government’s change of tack on personal allowances. Back in June 2010, when the Chancellor committed to raise allowances from £6,475 to £7,475,… Continue reading
0 CommentsThree charts that complicate a simple focus on growth
GDP growth figures have become the barometer of choice for commentators trying to tell the political weather – a good measure of how the public will eventually fall in the… Continue reading
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