Economy
My views on economic policy and the banking crisis. I'm campaigning with the Christian Socialist Movement on bank reform to separate risky banking from the banks which handle retail deposits.
President Obama's bank plan is a good one and Britain should follow suit.
Tribune 29 January 2010
 Economic Policy 
While the Tories talk down Britain's economy, Labour has been steering the responsible course.
Tribune 8 January 2010
Labour has got the politics and economics correct, but tough choices still lie ahead.
Tribune, 18th December 2009
Initial reaction to the 2009 Pre Budget Report.
10 December 2009
The Archbishop promoted virtue but sometimes financial institutions can work against it.
Guardian Comment is Free, 18th November 2009
The political conference season revealed a great deal about what the parties think about the financial crisis and the economy.
Tribune, 23rd October 2009
Labour got it right while the Tories were wrong, so the economic fight must not be on their ground
Tribune 2 October 2009
Banks must learn to embed a sense of the common good in their activities if they are not to be socially harmful.
Guardian Comment is Free, 30th September 2009
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 Banking Reform 
Labour must grasp the nettle of separating banking activities
Progress 25 January 2010
Gordon Brown's G20 speech was bold – but we need to go further and separate risky banking activities from retail.
Guardian Comment is Free, 10th November 2009
News about large bank bonuses is shocking and it demonstrates that the banking system still needs reform. A progressive party such as Labour should be up to the task.
Progress Online, 21st October 2009
The financial crisis we have just been through caused a sharp and deep recession. For the first time for a generation, the global economy itself shrank slightly. For tens of millions of people around the world that has meant unemployment.
Compass Online, 19th October 2009
With stock markets reaching new highs and some banks recruiting again there is the distinct impression that things are going back to "business as usual".
Guardian Comment is Free, 14th October 2009
If we cannot prevent another financial crisis, banks should pay the taxpayer an insurance premium.
Progress Online 18 April 2008
What can we say, after Labour Conference week, on the financial crisis that has engulfed Northern Rock? What we saw on Friday, September 14 was an old-fashioned run on a British bank.
Progress 1 October 2007
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 Economic Indicators 
  Time
Period
Economic
Measure
Annual
Change
Consumer Prices
2005 = 100
Jan 10 112.4 +3.5
RPI
1987 = 100
Jan 10 217.9 +3.7
Unemployment
% adult workforce
Dec 09 7.8% +1.4
UK Trade Balance
£billions
Dec 09 -3.3bn Info
Public Debt
% of GDP
Jan 10 59.9% Info
Public Borrowing
£billions
Jan 10 4.3bn Info
  Info from the Office for National Statistics.
 Economic Blogging 
General Election and the City
Obama sends bank reform proposals to Congress
IMF backs Labour on Economy
How we tackle the deficit matters to all of us - economists in war of letters
Hung parliament, Tory economic policy...and the City
 Latest 
General Election and the City
Michael Foot
Obama sends bank reform proposals to Congress
IMF backs Labour on Economy
Faith, fairness, and family
 Labour News 
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