Tony Dolphin

A Plan-B Budget?

By sticking to Plan A, the government is missing an opportunity to boost growth. If there is a further eurozone crisis, the chancellor may have to think differently in his 21 March Budget Read more

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General theorising on Keynes, by Tony Dolphin

Leading Liberal Democrats, including Vince Cable and David Laws, have been defending the coalition’s policy of substantial public spending cuts in  recent days, in part through an appeal to Keynes. Their central thesis is that the economy will only recover if private investment spending accelerates, that private investment spending will only accelerate if interest rates are low, and that interest rates will only remain low if the government reduces its deficit quickly. Read more...

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A regressive review, by Tony Dolphin

By cutting so far and so fast, the chancellor puts the economic recovery at risk. Whilst relative protection has been given to transport and science spending, overall capital spending is still being cut sharply, particularly on social housing and regeneration. This is a mistake the Coalition inherited from the Labour government and it should be reversed. Read more...

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Export gloom, by Tony Dolphin

Mend the roof after the rain, by Tony Dolphin

Politicians are prioritising plans to reduce the budget deficit in the run-up to the election. But they should hold off major spending cuts until growth picks up Read more...

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