Monthly Archives: December 2013

The ‘business start ups will save us’ meme is one that just refuses to die. Last week, former M&S boss Stuart Rose proclaimed an “entrepreneurial rush” based on the record number of companies being formed. Conservative chairman Grant Shapps said … Continue reading →

When I posted my 2015 Dilemma diagram just before Christmas, a few people responded by asking, ‘what about efficiency savings’? If we can simply make the public sector more efficient, we can maintain services, keep taxes low-ish and still reduce … Continue reading →

I was going to do one last blog post on the fuss about the Muslim who refused to serve booze at M&S and the hysterical reaction from some commentators on the right but I ran out of time. Maybe after … Continue reading →

Christmas toy deliveries could be severely disrupted this year after Santa’s elves voted to extend their strike. The elves at Santa’s ‘Wish Realisation Centres’, who have been on strike for a week over pay and conditions, have vowed to continue … Continue reading →

I’ve been on tenterhooks, People give me dirty looks, Every week I’m getting flack, Blamed for doing this ‘n’ that. Now things are looking good, Like I always said they would, Everything will be just fine, Help to Buy came … Continue reading →

The government announced yesterday that local government funding will be reduced by 2.9 percent next year. That might not look much but, coming after four years of spending cuts, even 2.9 percent can be hard to find. It’s probably not … Continue reading →

With all that wonderful news about the better than expected economic growth, the OBR’s forecast for wages got a bit lost. The folk at the Resolution Foundation spotted it, though, and put it on these handy graphs. While the OBR’s … Continue reading →

The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) released the first cut of its 2013 data yesterday. Time, then, for another update on the age-related gender pay gap, which regulars will know I’ve been keeping an eye on for a … Continue reading →

These days, I am rarely surprised by anything that goes on in the corporate world. Once in a while, though, something comes along that makes me go ‘What the…?!’ I had one of those moments this morning when Simon Jones … Continue reading →

I recognised that look on George Osborne’s face as he was presenting the Autumn Statement to Parliament. It’s the same one I used to have at school when I’d handed in a rubbish piece of work but had somehow been … Continue reading →