BREXIT, according to the Adam Smith Institute, is the chance for Britain to zero-rate the corporation tax. Retiring the tax would “reboot Britain”, according to Madsen Pirie, the president of the London-based think-tank that claims to honour the Scottish moral philosopher. In fact, the Adam Smith Institute brings disrepute on the name of the author […]
Donald Trump: Hail the 1st American Caesar
If he is elected President in November, Donald Trump will be the first of a succession of American Caesars. The blueprint for why he is popular and what this portends for the American Empire can be read in the fate of Rome. The City of Rome was a republic for hundreds of years, until the […]
EU referendum 1: The Risks of Remaining a Member
Prime Minister David Cameron claims that Britain would be “safer, stronger and better off” inside the European Union. This is a false prospectus which should be exposed before people vote in their referendum on June 23. Let’s look at one argument in favour of quitting a union that wants to become a political super-state. The […]
Should China sue the US Government?
Germany and the UK are under pressure from the US government, which wants to block China from being granted market economy status (MES) under the World Trade Organisation rules. China wants that status, to secure unimpeded trading opportunities with the other members. Germany’s Angela Merkel favours MES status for China, as does the Cameron government […]
When is the Truth a Big Lie?
George Osborne regards himself as a “builder”. He repeatedly declared his self-appointed status in his recent Autumn Statement to the House of Commons. Is he to be believed? Take the case of the burden of taxation. In telling Britain to “live within its means”, he amended taxes to increase the burden on low income earners. […]
Clueless Osborne and the Art of Double-speak
He talks big. He is “the builder”. He tells the rest of us to “live within our means”. And he wants to be the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. But George Osborne is clueless, when it comes to macro-economics. True, he sounds convincing when he reads a good script. But strip out the […]
Tesco and the Art of Buck Passing
One of the culprits of the last property boom/bust was the Tesco supermarket chain. So far, it has escaped Scot free from public censure for its role in the financial disaster that continues to blight the UK and global economy to this day. For years, Tesco systematically cornered the prime locations in localities where it […]
The New Aristocracy and the Poor
Hypocrisy comes by the shovel–full in the adversarial politics that passes for “democracy”. The latest dose came when Britain’s House of Lords had the cheek to intervene in David Cameron’s plan to dismantle the Welfare State in favour of a free-for-all labour market. Mr Cameron claims to be a One-Nation Conservative who wishes to raise […]
WW3 & Land speculation in China
There is increasing talk about what would trigger the next world war, a risk that was on my mind during my visit to China. I spell the risks out in this video. The Financial Times reported on October 9 that the US Government has taken the decision to sail its Navy within the 12-mile limit […]
Am I a Liar?
Anyone who claims to know how the economy works, with a high degree of confidence, is lying. So says Lord Turner, who now serves on the $50m think-tank funded by billionaire hedge fund operator George Soros. So am I a liar? That is the implication of the pronouncement by Adair Turner at a meeting in […]