Re-wiring for Progress
Last week we quoted an article in the FT by Martin Wolf in which he commented on the role of the Treasury in strangling initiatives for growth. Martin promised to […]
What the Extreme-Right May be Planning
The wealthy market fundamentalists who fund the right-wing think tanks have different objectives from the UK population as a whole. These think tanks propose such policies as abolishing the NHS, […]
Golden Delusions
So many commentators talk about the UK’s public debt as if we were still operating a gold standard economy (and claim that debt is at unprecedented and dangerous levels) that […]
The Rational Policy-maker’s Guide to the NHS at Holyrood
This is an approximate transcript of the presentation given by Mark E Thomas at the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood on 7 February 2024 at an event for MSPs and other […]
Two Perspectives on 2023
2023 was a tough year for the people of the UK. The combined effects of Austerity, Brexit and a severe mis-handling of the COVID crisis have left the country in […]
A Budget for the Wealthiest
All Budgets are important, but this one is especially critical: 13 years of market fundamentalist policy choices have left the UK in a state of decay, with a weak economy, […]
Should Cameron be Foreign Secretary?
Last week, Sunak faced a difficult conundrum. His hand had been forced by the ever-more-extreme Suella Braverman and, faced with internal and external pressure, he felt that he had no […]
Who is Behind the ‘Think Tanks’?
A recently published report from the ‘think tank’ Policy Exchange sets out what they would like to see in the King’s Speech. We have rarely seen such superficial and […]
How to Analyse the Budget
The Chancellor is due to announce his Autumn Statement on November 22. Truss will apparently also announce her own so-called ‘Budget for Growth’. This is an open letter to the […]
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Silver Blaze is one of Conan-Doyle’s best-loved stories: Sherlock Holmes has to solve a killing and find a missing race-horse – and of course he does both. At one point […]