This European “nationalism” could well produce a considerably more populist EU. Whether that would be good for the UK is another matter.
The key problem is stagnation. Margaret Thatcher’s reforms promoted mobility and opportunity. Now we are an economy which doesn’t change enough.
His victory in the Dutch elections was only possible because the mainstream parties had failed to control the country’s borders.
In the Netherlands, Germany, and elsewhere, voters are showing that their rhetorical commitment to a ‘green transition’ is not matched by their willigness to pay.
A Brexit-enabled tweak to the Solvency II regulatory requirements would allow mortgage backed securities to be less capital intensive, making them more attractive to pension funds.
Imagine that every day a British Minister dealt with their counterparts in Germany or France, they observed that their own living standards were 25 per cent lower (the gap for Britain’s poorest compared with those two countries).
In future, the economy may run into inflation bottlenecks earlier in economic recoveries than before, thus constraining growth.
The pandemic has destroyed the idea that macroeconomic problems can be solved by throwing more stimulus at things.
These are two major dangers to indefinite restrictions. One relates to immunity, and the other is around how long people can cope with them.
The international community must set out consequences for Beijing’s flagrant breaches of international treaties.
The Education Select Committee, which I Chair, has published a report on how we can strengthen this type of education.
Plus: The North London polenta-eating intelligentsia can’t cope with a North East accent. And: A secret wedding is possible.
I felt a rush of mixed emotions, including disbelief. But then came the realisation that Creecy’s announcement was a significant shift in thinking.
The fourth part of a ConHome series this week on Levelling Up as the Government’s White Paper nears publication.