Category Archives: Finance

Rachel Reeves and Competence

Rachel Reeves is incompetent because she misunderstands her role. She thinks being an economist is an advantage as Chancellor of the Exchequer.Her MSc in economics is irrelevant to being Chancellor.1 She’s been appointed as Chancellor to implement Labour’s economic policy … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Finance, History, Politics, statistics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Britain’s most expensive house in understandable money

The most expensive house in Britain has been sold for £139m1 £139m is a figure which is very difficult to understand for ordinary people. So! This translation might help. £139,000,000 divided by a thousand pounds per day is 13,900 days … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Finance, housing, statistics | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Economics of Transplant Surgery: Britain 2025

The problem: There are 8,096 people on the active transplant waiting list.1 The solution: There were 568,613 deaths, who were potential donors, in Britain in 2024.2 Discussion There is a tragic mis-match between people needing transplants and supply. Transplants are … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Finance, Health, Politics, statistics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

State Sponsored Tax Avoidance: Britain in 2025

It’s crazy that a government could sponsor tax avoidance but the British do precisely that. Nearly a trillion pounds is shielded from taxation. This policy has incentivised those with disposable incomes to exploit what has become a bonanza. A unique … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Finance, Politics, statistics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Why animal lovers hate vets

“…one of her family’s two pet rabbits couldn’t stand properly….The vet said that he thought she should stay in overnight, and it would cost £900, or we could take her home, and it would be £200…It didn’t feel like much … Continue reading

Posted in Finance | Tagged , | Leave a comment

A Windfall Tax on Owner-Occupied Houses

Why are we taxing working people more than billionaires? Tax wealth, not work.  Gary Stephenson author of The Trading Game (2024) Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is paid on houses that are usually called buy-to-let.1 When sold, they are subject to … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Finance, housing, statistics | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

A Living Wage? Like Wow!

Posted in Finance, Politics | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Bourgeois Vengeance: The Sycamore Tree Two

Background Karl Marx would call Adam Carruthers and Daniel Graham ‘lumpen proletariat’ or,less elegantly, ‘losers.’ They achieved 15 minutes of fame by destroying an iconic tree. It was owned by the National Trust. The Trust has millions of middle-class influencers … Continue reading

Posted in Finance, Politics, Prison, Prison reform, statistics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

War Studies: Falklands War, 1982 ~ The price of pride

The Falkland Islands in 1982 had a dwindling, ageing population.1 Worse: they were of no economic or strategic importance for the UK. Falklanders were excluded from British citizenship in 1981 by Margaret Thatcher. She wanted to off-load them. Thatcher’s solution … Continue reading

Posted in Finance, History, Politics, War | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Trump, Musk and Tesla

“Tesla has lost more than one-third of its market value since mid-December as Musk deepens his association with Trump.”1 Reputational damage is lethal. Gerald Ratner called his jewellery ‘crap’2 and within two years had lost his chain of companies. Tesla … Continue reading

Posted in Finance, Politics, Technology | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment