Monthly Archives: December 2011

2012 is a year crying out for leadership. 2011 saw dreadful drift in the West. The EU politicians proved incapable of deciding whether to press on to create a single country called Euroland or not. Would they take the necessary powers to tax, spend, send money to troubled regions and print money on the scale [...]

I do wish the media and journalists would sharpen their questions for 2012. I am getting fed up with the old spin that seems to have been hanging in the air for so many years. Wouldn’t it be good, for example, to put behind us the old lie that we have to accept everything the [...]

John Major’s premiership was dogged by endless rumours of a leadership challenge. The media often told the story of the two Michaels. There was to be a great clash between Michael Heseltine and Michael Portillo for the crown. Whilst they both enjoyed tenure in the cabinet, their followers and supporters must have briefed about the [...]

The rising strength of China and Brazil, of India and the Civets, is based on hard work and free enterprise. Economies which have been kept poor by too much state control and by bad government in past decades, are being progressively liberated. As this occurs, so more businesses are set up, more jobs created, more [...]

The centre of London is buzzing. The streets are crowded day and night. There are traffic jams at 11pm. The pavements are congested after dinner or the theatre. The shops are busy. There is a wide range of very expensive boutiques in a number of different high street locations. The central London economy has detached [...]

There is a simple answer to this question which is usually correct – “No”. If you regarded Central Banks as normal businesses, or even as normal banks, you would be mighty alarmed by their balance sheets today. Several of the leading western Central Banks are doing what they condemned commercial banks for doing in the [...]

Don’t worry. I wrote this a few days ago, and do have better things to do today. I want to wish you and yours a very happy Christmas. I also want to say a big thank you to the regulars who contribute. This blog does provide a forum for you to make your points and [...]

After Christmas I will be examining the UK’s role as a host to the super rich. It is our Wimbledon tendency, our willingness to invite in multi millionaire stars, business people and lucky inheritors of wealth to the UK who do not pay full UK taxes. They come enjoy our country, use our facilities, win [...]

Carols from Kings Mulled wine for all Joy to sing Holly in the hall Great aromas from the pot Sauce and gammon hot Mulled wine simmers Outside shivers Pudding steaming, Of presents dreaming Carols from Kings Mulled wine for all Joy to sing Holly in the hall Guest arriving, As snow is driving. Let past [...]

It was a good headline this morning. I do hope it is going to apply to the public sector as well. I seem to spend so much time these days complying with public sector rules, and making payments for permissions and to meet tax demands. The public sector has a habit of telling me that [...]