Category Archives: Peak State

Future governments face tough choices – whatever their politics

Posted on 11 June, 2012 by Rick

The CBI and IPPR published a report on the future of public services last week. It warned: Britain faces a longer-term fiscal challenge. The Office for Budget Responsibility has estimated that by 2030 Britain will once again move into deficit … Continue reading →

Posted in Peak State, Public Finances, Public Sector, Uncategorized | 9 Comments

710,000 jobs to go – Austerity will be the new normal

Posted on 2 December, 2011 by Rick

One person who won’t have been surprised by this week’s economic forecast is CIPD Chief Economist John Philpott. Last year, he predicted public sector job losses of 725,000 contradicting the Office for Budget Responsibility’s official forecast of 400,000. During a typical outbreak … Continue reading →

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Posted in Labour Market, Peak State, Public Sector | 1 Comment

Is Britain running out of oomph?

Posted on 1 December, 2011 by Rick

A remarkable piece over at A Fistful of Euros puts the Eurozone crisis and, by implication, our own economic woes, into the context of a generalised crisis facing all developed economies. Three things have caused this, says Edward Hugh, high levels … Continue reading →

Posted in Peak State, Public Finances, UK Economy | 6 Comments

Should we really expect to retire at 65?

Posted on 30 November, 2011 by Rick

Public sector pensions are being cut and the state retirement age is slowly but surely being pushed towards seventy. Many people are outraged by all this but is it reasonable, now, to expect to retire at 65? Most of us have … Continue reading →

Posted in Labour Market, Peak State | 8 Comments

The public debt – why it’s different this time

Posted on 20 April, 2011 by Rick

Peter Hoskin and Éoin Clarke were knocking lumps out of each other last week about whether debt and debt repayments were worse under John Major than they are now. At least they were knocking lumps out of each other with numbers and bar … Continue reading →

Posted in Peak State, Public Finances | 17 Comments

The State – Old Fashioned Father or Modern Dad?

Posted on 18 April, 2011 by Rick

Anne McElvoy is annoyed with Islington council. It has told her she has to recycle her food waste to help the council save money and that, if she doesn’t, she will be fined. Her irritation seems to be not so much with … Continue reading →

Posted in Peak State | 4 Comments

The public sector will not ‘get back to normal’

Posted on 22 March, 2011 by Rick

The Economist has a series of articles on the future of the state. The paper’s broad conclusion is that western welfare state can’t go on as it is. Its editorial describes the state spending of the 2000s as “one last splurge” … Continue reading →

Posted in Peak State, Public Finances, Public Sector, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Peak State revisited

Posted on 1 March, 2011 by Rick

Last week, risk management analysts Maplecroft rated the UK and a number of other European countries as extreme fiscal risks. All but one of the countries at the top of the company’s Fiscal Risk Index are in Europe. Maplecroft reported: Europe is … Continue reading →

Posted in Peak State, Uncategorized | 17 Comments