Category Archives: Economics

A strange subject to write about for someone who sometimes struggles to add up. However this is economics as it applies to the social and cultural fabric of our lives together.

How did EDF get things so badly wrong?

Posted on November 26, 2017 by ianchisnall

The request by EDF our energy supplier at work to provide us with a Smart Meter came to a head a couple of weeks ago. They rang and we had a long debate in the office, considering all of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Will bribing Schools add up?

Posted on November 23, 2017 by ianchisnall

The decision by Philip Hammond to offer a £600 Bribe to Schools that manage to persuade their students who have passed Maths at GCSE to then go onto Maths A Level is deeply worrying. Society is crying out for better … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Education, Parliament and Democracy, Youth Issues | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Financial services is not a special case

Posted on November 16, 2017 by ianchisnall

As this piece in the FT reports, there is a commitment being made by David Davis and his team as they negotiate Brexit to ensure that Bankers and Financial Service providers can continue to trade post Brexit for at least … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, EU Referendum, Parliament and Democracy | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Huw, please sort out the UC helpline

Posted on October 16, 2017 by ianchisnall

The cost to all of us, everytime someone gets on the phone to raise a concern or request information from a public sector body is huge. This relates to all agencies, irrespective of the name on the door of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Charities, Economics, Justice Issues, Parliament and Democracy, Welfare Reform | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Less a board, more of a splinter

Posted on October 13, 2017 by ianchisnall

The idea that a nation which lacks a written constitution has a  a constitutional convention that full membership of a board of trade is only open to people who hold the title of privy counsellor is not on the face of … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Parliament and Democracy | Tagged | Leave a comment

Why a second EU referendum is vital

Posted on October 12, 2017 by ianchisnall

I confess to being someone who voted to remain, and would do the same again today if a referendum was being held (being a Thursday it is more likely today than tomorrow). However despite this my view that a second … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, EU Referendum, Parliament and Democracy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A poor indictment for a well known name

Posted on October 7, 2017 by ianchisnall

Nearly 108 years ago a baby boy named Harold Rolfe Owen was born in Yorkshire. At the age of 18 he was part of the Royal Flying Corps when in 1917 like many of his colleagues he sustained serious injuries … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Justice Issues | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Small Businesses have a new champion

Posted on October 3, 2017 by ianchisnall

The Government yesterday announced that they have appointed a Small Business Commissioner to champion the voice of small businesses. The person they have appointed is Paul Uppal who served as Conservative MP for Wolverhampton South West from 2010 to 2015. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing, Parliament and Democracy | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Who gets to decide on public rates of pay?

Posted on September 30, 2017 by ianchisnall

A couple of weeks ago Jo Johnson who is a Government Minister added his voice to that of several Parliamentary colleagues over the rates of pay received by senior University Staff. This week another case has emerged of high levels … Continue reading →

Posted in Charities, Economics, Education, Justice Issues, Parliament and Democracy | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The need to understand small businesses

Posted on September 27, 2017 by ianchisnall

The challenge of growing the UK economy in such a way that raises wages and increases jobs is widely recognised as being in large part, something best solved by the SME sector. As many large corporations grow by buying competitors … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Parliament and Democracy | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment