Politics, economics, and policy commentary by Robert Colvile
Robert Colvile: Small businesses most want help with energy bills at Budget
Small businesses consider energy bills the area where they most want help from the Budget, according to new polling of 500 SME leaders conducted by Opinium Research for CPSThinkTank. Robert ...
Taxing banks penalizes investment and growth, Robert Colvile argues
Robert Colvile stated that a tax on banks effectively serves as a tax on investment, which in turn he equates to a tax on ...
Robert Colvile: Briefing note challenges claim that Britain is a low-tax country
Robert Colvile has addressed the perception that Britain is a low-tax country by producing a detailed briefing note for a think tank. He wrote the note to challenge claims that the country has ...
City claims innocence despite admitting financial breaches, Robert Colvile argues
Robert Colvile questions the logic behind City's defense strategy regarding alleged financial misconduct. He highlights that City appears to admit breaking financial rules and altering accounts, ...
Robert Colvile: Public finances are in serious trouble
Robert Colvile raises concerns about the current state of public finances. He suggests that while future-oriented initiatives can be inspiring, they may be poorly timed if underlying financial ...
Triple lock adds £600m but elderly care total is £20bn, Robert Colvile notes
Robert Colvile examines funding for elderly care in the U.K. He notes that councils spend around £12 billion while individuals contribute about £8 billion themselves. However, the Institute for ...
Robert Colvile: Manchester City draws comparison to doping scandals over financial conduct
Robert Colvile draws a parallel between the actions taken against cyclist Lance Armstrong for doping and the ongoing controversy surrounding Manchester City’s financial practices. He questions ...
Balancing budgets requires serious economic policies, Robert Colvile notes
Robert Colvile calls for an end to what he describes as 'fantasy economics' and urges a more serious approach to balancing budgets. He references support for these views from another ...
Robert Colvile: Iran crisis could push up U.S. diesel prices
Robert Colvile warned that escalating tensions at the start of the Iran crisis could have significant effects on diesel prices in the U.S. market. He noted that the U.K. imports a large amount ...
Fiscal constraints likely mean tax rises or cuts, Robert Colvile argues
Robert Colvile raises concerns about the challenge of adhering to fiscal rules in light of current borrowing costs, energy prices, and inflation. He suggests that additional tax increases or ...
Robert Colvile: British bond yields drive higher mortgage costs
Robert Colvile points out that British bond yields have risen, leading to higher mortgage costs. He explains that this is because markets are demanding more to lend to the country. Colvile ...
Hospitality sector hiring a 21-year-old is 78 percent more expensive than in 2019, Robert Colvile notes
Robert Colvile points out that jobs in the hospitality sector increased by over 30 percent after 2008, while retail employment remained largely unchanged. He attributes this shift to expected ...
Robert Colvile: OECD includes pension contributions in comparisons
Robert Colvile references an OECD document showing that pension contributions are included in the financial data of numerous countries due to their compulsory nature. He also points to ...
Prolonged pre-Budget tax uncertainty impacts investment, Robert Colvile notes
Robert Colvile highlights that this is the third consecutive summer marked by significant uncertainty before the U.K. Budget regarding potential tax rises. He points out that such repeated ...
Robert Colvile: Proposed wealth taxes would fund government for only a week
Robert Colvile questions the effectiveness of proposed wealth taxes, stating they would only fund government expenses for little more than a week, even if supporters' revenue projections are met. ...
Admitting unskilled workers may harm economic stability, Robert Colvile warns
Robert Colvile argues that the current policy on admitting large numbers of unskilled workers and non-workers could result in a long-term economic and financial burden. He states that instead of ...
Robert Colvile: Business creation in Britain remains flat or declining
Robert Colvile observes that business creation in Britain has remained flat or may even be in decline. He attributes this trend partly to recently implemented tougher standards at Companies ...
Claim of 70 percent pre-tax profit margin for landlords questioned, Robert Colvile writes
Robert Colvile questions the credibility of a report asserting that landlords, including those with mortgages, achieve pre-tax profit margins of 70 percent. He points out that this figure is ...
Robert Colvile: Britain faces long-term fiscal challenges according to Daniel Herring
Robert Colvile highlights a statement from Daniel Herring of CPSThinkTank regarding Britain's ongoing fiscal difficulties. According to Colvile, Herring described the country's fiscal outlook as ...
Middle earners cover key expenses that undermine left claims, Robert Colvile notes
Robert Colvile argues that middle earners in the U.K. are already responsible for significant costs such as student loans, auto-enrolment pensions, social care bills, and rail fares. He contends ...
Robert Colvile: U.K. government spending has consistently exceeded forecasts by up to 4.7 percent of GDP
Robert Colvile highlights that public spending by the U.K. government has never fallen below official forecasts after five years. He adds that, even when the effects of COVID are excluded, ...
