Monthly Archives: January 2009

We learn today that LLoyds TSB has to pay a large fine to the US authorities for its conduct over money transfers and sanctions. If this were private shareholder money it would be a matter for them to hammer out with their Directors. Now this bank has taken substantial sums from taxpayers who are co-owners, [...]

One of the worst features of the EU and the current UK government is the perpetual desire to monitor, control and watch us more and more. Today we learn that they want us to keep all emails for at least a year, just in case they need to inspect them. This snoopers charter is justified [...]

Isn’t it interesting that yesterday the President elect treated us to a huge statement on his economic policy, shortly after telling us that he cannot comment on the Israeli/Palestine conflict because you can only have one President at a time? The one President at a time doctrine clearly only applies to tricky issues where the [...]

I try to give credit where credit is due. The BBC this morning allowed me with Roger Bootle to give a good airing to differing approaches to the Credit Crunch. It was refreshing to be part of a discussion and interview where we were not subjected to the idiocies of spin and interruption at all [...]

When the MPC meets this week it should remember just how dependent we are on imports, and just how far sterling has dropped in the last couple of months. If we take the fifth or so of our National Output represented by imported goods, and reckon that the prices of those goods will over the [...]

I have been criticised by some of you for daring to mention Mr Obama’s silence on the Midddle East. Let me hasten to remind you that this site was one of the first to identify Mr Obama as a very talented politician who was going places in the race for the White House. I admire [...]

The newspapers are right this morning to mourn the passing of the Wedgwood company. It is another sad casualty of this vicious Credit Crunch. Josiah Wedgwood has long been a hero of mine. As an industrialist I often looked to him for inspiration. He seemed to have it all. He was an innovator, developing new [...]

All those primarily concerned about the loss of life in the Gaza strip as a result of the Israeli mililtary action will be dismayed by Mr Obama’s silence. All those who see the Hamas rockets as the main issue will be disappointed that Mr Obama has not recently condemned those either, leaving that task to [...]

The government has a strange idea that you solve a problem brought about by borrowing too much, by borrowing more. The Prime Minister yesterday went out of his way to stress he wanted the private sector to borrow more from the banks. He has made it well known that he wants to take the public [...]

I don’t mind people earning big sums in a competitive private sector company which is thriving. After all, we as consumers can decide whether we want to spend our money with that company, knowing that some of it goes to the high pay of the executves, or not. We have choice.The CEOs of successful companies [...]