Monthly Archives: October 2008

What a fuss about nothing. If the Conservatives had taken money from a British company (legal) as a conduit for money from an overseas resident (illegal) that would have been an interesting story and a complex web to untangle. Fortunately we learn they showed judgement and took no such donation.

Readers of this site will know that I last estimated government borrowings and pension debts at £1.5 trillion at the time of Northern Rock. Today a new publication estimates it at £1.8 trillion, reflecting the increase in debts to pay for the banking rescues, the further build up in pension liabilities, and the general overrun [...]

(WRITTEN FOR GUARDIAN COMMENT) I am asked if we can spend our way out of a recession? I write against a silly political background, where the left are trying to annex Keynes again, as if he were a left wing figure whose views had been buried by Conservative monetarists and deregulators. The truth is very [...]

The decision of the Dutch government to put more capital into ING is strange. A week ago when ING took on deposits from a failed Icelandic bank,and on October 17th in a press release, we were told that ING was in a strong financial position. Now we are told it will have extra taxpayers capital. [...]

Early on in Obama’s campaign for the nomination I drew attention to the excellent speeches and the new model of fund raising he was using. I praised both on this site and raised a few eyebrows. I said I thought they were going to be successful. I went on to say I did not like [...]