George Osborne’s self-imposed budget trap
Faisal Islam blogs on how the creation of the Office of Budget Responsibility could mean we have instant analysis of the impact of George Osborne’s budget next Tuesday.
Faisal Islam has left Channel 4 News. This is an archive of his blogs.
Faisal Islam blogs on how the creation of the Office of Budget Responsibility could mean we have instant analysis of the impact of George Osborne’s budget next Tuesday.
Sheffield Forgemasters boss Peter Birtles received a shock phone call from officials in the Department for Business just minutes before Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander announced the cancellation of the £80m loan for the company, writes Faisal Islam.
The Bank of England Governor tonight confirmed that Hector Sants, the chief executive of the Financial Services Authority, has been persuaded to stay in office. “I am absolutely delighted that Hector Sants has agreed to remain at the FSA and then move to the Bank to become the first chief executive of the new prudential…
The Bank of England will tonight become the most powerful institution in Britain. To understand what is to happen at tonight’s Mansion House speech, you have to go back a year to last year’s Mansion House event. Then, with the recession and the financial crisis still raging, the Governor of the Bank of England and…
Faisal Islam blogs on how Sir Alan Budd’s forecast has far from backed up the government’sline on the deficit.
The OBR experts have just released their first financial forecasts. It is not a mandate for a much sharper axe, writes Faisal Islam.
Faisal Islam blogs on why the cuts of the Canadian government in the 1990s are not a good place to start when looking at the coalition’s spending plans.
Faisal Islam blogs on Tim Geithner’s ideas on stress testing the European banking system.
Faisal Islam blogs on a coup for the Treasury after some strong US backing.
So there has been some carping about £6 billion being a small number, a pinprick against the savage swordsmanship that awaits us over the summer. Well the Communities part of the CLG Budget is being cut by £780m, yet it was only planned to be £4.4bn of current spending to start with. So that is…
Faisal Islam imagines what a letter between Alistair Darling and George Osborne could look like.
Faisal Islam blogs on how the balance of power has shifted within the eurozone.
The question is: at what point does temporary become more enduring? If VAT goes up again on 22 June, that will provide another boost to CPI inflation, writes economics editor Faisal Islam.
Faisal Islam blogs on Chancellor George Osborne’s decision to create the new Office of Budget Responsibility, and looks at the budget pitfalls ahead.
I do have serious questions about one massive U-turn from Messrs Clegg and Cable – their adoption of the Conservative plan for £6bn of in-year cuts, writes economics editor Faisal Islam.