The Bank of England is, arguably, at the end of the road as far as currently agreed methods of monetary stimulus are concerned. Interest rates are at their effective floor - in the UK, as understood by the Monetary Policy Committee - 0.1 per cent. QE purchases of assets stand at £745bn. This is unlikely…

Long and Variable

29.11.2022

How a Brexit transition end and covid19 compound | longandvariable

Talking to a friend today he pointed out how the pandemic, and a potential disorderly Brexit, compound each other. The way for consumers and firms to get through a threatened interregnum in essential supplies, to ensure continuity of services and, in the case of the consumer, of life itself! is to stockpile. An unusually large…

Long and Variable

29.11.2022

Should Mervyn recuse himself from the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee enquiry on QE? | longandvariable

I just noticed that Mervyn King, former Bank of England Governor, has taken a place on the HoL Economic Affairs Committee, and is therefore due to take part hearing evidence in an enquiry on quantitative easing [QE]. This is a curious state of affairs. Lord King was head of the Bank when QE was instigated…

Long and Variable

29.11.2022

Vouchers: with poor timing, perhaps the worst kind of counter-covid recession policy | longandvariable

I am crystallizing my concern about retail vouchers, part of Rishi Sunak's latest package [and recommended by others, including one of my affilliations/clients, Resolution Foundation], and mostly thanks to a Jason Furman tweet. Sunak has seen his challenge as wanting to target stimulus and support policies at the sectors hardest hit by the covid19 crisis. …

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Long and Variable

Economy

Make the BoE work for their oak panelled offices and get them to identify the missing stimulus needed | longandvariable

How a Brexit transition end and covid19 compound | longandvariable

Should Mervyn recuse himself from the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee enquiry on QE? | longandvariable

Vouchers: with poor timing, perhaps the worst kind of counter-covid recession policy | longandvariable

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