Free bank shares for all is a very bad idea, Nick Clegg

Published in Guardian.co.uk here. 

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Old Teaser

23 June 2011

Dr Eamonn Butler explains in The Guardian why Clegg's proposals to give voters a share in the state-owned banks is a well meant but terrible idea.

Ed Balls’ suggestion of a temporary VAT cut is pure politics - and bad economics

Read his article on ConservativeHome here.

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Old Teaser

16 June 2011

Tom Clougherty argues on ConservativeHome that Ed Balls's proposals to introduce a temporary VAT cut to boost economic growth would in fact do nothing to inspire confidence or stimulate growth.

Balls’ VAT cut won’t boost confidence or growth

16 June 2011

In response to Ed Balls' proposals for an emergency VAT tax cut:

Tom Clougherty, Executive Director of the Adam Smith Institute, says:

“How ironic that Ed Balls – the man who wanted to extend the reach of the deeply anti-growth 50p tax rate – has suddenly decided that tax cuts would boost the economy. 

“But today’s announcement is pure politics. A temporary cut in VAT would do little to boost confidence or growth. People aren’t fools – they know that you can’t just borrow more, spend more, and raise less without it coming back to bite you further down the line. 

“A growth agenda that coupled lower taxes with less red tape and less wasteful spending would be a good thing. But the shadow chancellor’s reckless, have-your-cake-and-eat-it too approach to the economy would do nothing except march Britain further down the road to a sovereign debt crisis. It would damage confidence, not boost it, and destabilise the economy, not stimulate it.”

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Public sector strikes

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Old Teaser

15 June 2011

Dr Eamonn Butler talks on Radio Five Live's Tony Livesey programme on why public sector workers shouldn't be striking over government cuts. The public sector should share some of the burden.

You can listen to him here (the discussion starts around 23mins in)

Taxes hinder recovery

Read in the Daily Telegraph here.

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Old Teaser

8 June 2011

Dr Eamonn Butler writes a letter to the Daily Telegraph signed by leading academics and economists.