OBR

UK Government Debt and the Budget: What Really Just Happened?

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Rachel Reeves debt interest

What happened in the budget? Last week Rachel Reeves delivered the Government’s latest budget. It arrived amid a fog of leaks — some accidental, others clearly not — and a week of breathless speculation about market panic. In reality, there was a modest increase in the interest rate the Government pays on its borrowing. But … Read more

The Wealth Tax Mirage: Why Reeves Won’t Wave Labour’s New Magic Wand

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Another Magic Wand The latest “big idea” in economics is wealth taxes. The claim: Britain’s collapsing public services and messy finances exist because the rich don’t pay enough, and governments are too timid to act. I’m always suspicious of these kinds of fads. The right had its laffer curves, trickle-down theory and efficient markets. The … Read more