Monthly Archives: March 2009

The government is in a muddle with its policy of “quantitative easing” – printing or creating money. It wanted us to believe this was a policy of the “independent” Monetary Policy Committee. Hence they enacted the charade of the MPC writing to the Chancellor and the government responding. In a moment of inconsistency the Chancellor [...]

Yesterday the Institute for Economic Affairs gave me a platform at one of their lunches to set out my analysis of the Credit Crunch and my proposals for resolving it. The lunch was unsually well attended. There was little dissent from what I had to say. I set out why I thought the government should [...]

England is the country that is not allowed to speak its name. It is the country that has to be wiped from maps of the EU. The UK government was at it again this week in the Commons. I need to tell you as it was little reported, because the Labour spin doctors did not [...]

I congratulate the Democrats on their sweeping victories here in Congress. I congratulate your new President on his superb campaign. We all recognise the significance and symbolism of his victory. His arrival in the White House marks the final success of the civil rights campaigns that started decades ago. Thirty years ago my country first [...]

It is a pleasure to visit our US partner company at a time of unparalleled expansion and success. Our joint formula of “putting the losses back into business” is working well. On both sides of the Atlantic governments are able to report big leaps forward in trading losses from a growing range of talented loss [...]

Today I was brought up to date by the health foods and supplements industry. They are awaiting their doom from Brussels. The Food Supplements Directive proposes maximum dosages for vitamins and similar products. These are likely to be well below the levels used and recommended in the UK. The Nutrition and Health claims regulation will [...]

Yesterday I was asked by one blogger if there is a beginner’s article, and by another to set out a Conservative alternative to the current “rescue” policy. So let’s ask today Why aren’t the UK and US initiatives working? In doing so I will answer these points. There are four main reasons why it’s not [...]

The announcement of large losses at AIG and a further US taxpayer injection into the US insurer came alongside HSBC announcing the wish to raise more money from shareholders to buttress its capital position. There is no easy way out of this mess. The banks and insurers need to work their way through their problems, [...]

Last week I attended a dinner organised by German hosts, who had gathered an impressive group of the economic and political establishments of the two countries to discuss the history and future of the Euro. I am grateful to them for their hospitality. I am sure they were aiming to be friendly, but the exchanges [...]