In 1952 when Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne, the UK was a major economic power, but still reeling from the costs of the Second World War, with rationing and austerity still visible. The post-war period saw a remarkable rising living standards, strong economic growth and radical changes in the economy, but also saw …
For many people, especially those under 40, the UK housing market appears broken, with excessive prices making it difficult to buy and very expensive to rent. Housing costs are one the biggest factors in a long-term cost of living crisis. The UK isn’t alone, with many advanced economies also facing a broken housing market and …
Politicians often promise tax cuts can lead to higher productivity, higher economic growth, and even pay for themselves through a boost to long-term incomes. These promises may chime with the electorate who tend to prefer promises of tax cuts. But, do tax cuts really increase economic growth? There are two impacts of lower tax. Increasing …
Earlier this year, the World Bank warned up to 40 nations are at risk of defaulting on their sovereign debt. Already Sri Lanka, once hailed as an economic jewel, has badly defaulted as the country slides into economic turmoil. But, the bank warns many others, such as El Salvador, Ghana, Tunisia, Egypt, Kenya and Argentina …
The Russian fossil fuel industry is facing a real crisis. Western sanctions and Russia’s own embargo on exports to the West mean that the industry is facing long-term decline. Already there have been reports of ‘capping’ of natural gas facilities. This means that natural gas is burnt at its source because the industry cannot sell …
The unadjusted labour share is usually calculated as the ratio of total compensation of employees – wages and salaries before taxes, plus employers’ social contributions – over GDP (national product/income) (Luebker, 2007). There are different methodologies for calculating labour share – e.g. should executive pay and share options be included? Greater insight would be gained …
The UK is heading for an energy crisis this winter, with average bills set to rise from £1,100 per year to at least £3,600. And with the possibility of prices rising to over £5,000 in January 2023. The lowest income families may see energy costs rise from 7% to 24% of income. (Link) For better-off …
Historical Interest Rates in UK since 1800 Interest rates in the UK since 1800. Bank Rate 1830–1972 and 2006–09, Minimum Lending Rate 1972–81, London clearing banks’ base rate 1981–97, repo rate 1997–2006. End year observation.