Posts

UK Labour Shortage – what has caused it, and should we ask the over 65s to help out ?

I first published this mini-review in July 2022 - and a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then, with a new and highly unpopular government in place and already faltering.  The employment situation has worsened significantly since then due to the NI surcharges leveled by Reeves on Business in October 2024 and the follow-up tightening of labour legislation, substantial rises in the minimum wage and large hikes in Business Rates in 2025.  These tax-raising measures have already hit private industry hard, with many SMEs, particularly in the enterteinment and hospitality sectors already forced out of business. I've recently updated it to reflect recent developments and the prospects for our economic recovery, which are pretty dire, given Reeves' attacks on our only wealth-creating sector . There has been little or no progress on addressing our low productivity and high benefits-dependency amongst the working age population. Unemployment has now started to raise its ugl...
Post a Comment
Read more

Do we need another ‘Minister for Drought’ ?

Image
  Editors note: I wheel this blog out periodically when drought threatens to strike again, as it is doing now despite one of the wettest winters I can remember. The UK doesn't seem to be able to 'hold its water' nowadays...or is it perhaps we're using too much of the stuff cooling data centres ? One way or another, we need a bit of rain....here's hoping the rain gods will read this and oblige again! ------------------- On present evidence, and despite a welcome shower or two over the Bank Holiday weekend (when else would they fall?!), I think we just might….. Those of us old enough to remember the excesses of the 1970s will recall one of the most notable of its meteorological ones - the ‘great drought’ of ’76. Contrary to popular belief, this was even more extensive and prolonged than the current one, with both a dry autumn and winter in 1975 and a dry spring in 1976 contributing.   In June 1976 there was actually a period of two whole weeks where maximum tempe...
Post a Comment
Read more

No Standing Charge Electricity Tariffs: OFGEM says they’re coming, but will they save us money ?

Image
A Warning to low Electricity and Gas users:   If you are anything other than a high user of both fuels, don't be tempted by offers from your supplier to fix your tariffs now.... Suppliers are now piling on the pressure to fix with a plethora of different and highly confusing offers, few if any of which include a reduction in the standing charge . These offers have been coming in thick and fast since the Iran war made a hike in prices in the July price cap almost ievitable. What's more, OFGEM are effectively 'co-conspiring' with suppliers to try to get you to fix now, by soft-pedalling on a final decision on the precise details of any SC reductions. It has allowed the cartel to get away with promises of Low SC 'pilots' rather than an across the board Low SC tariff offer. Their own website gives little indication of any timescale for a future switch, merely referring to a 'consultation' on tariff revisions. There is also a nasty rumour that OFGEM has caved...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Future of Modern Warfare: World War 3 and Beyond

 Editor's note:  Last summer's outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Iran sadly bore out the prediction made in the previous revision of this blog for the eternal Middle East 'powder keg'.  Some might say it was inevitable that this particular conflict would come to a head soon, given Iran's determination to get a nuclear bomb, and the old Ayatollah's openly declared intention to use it to destroy the state of Israel. The speed at which it happened does seem to have taken many by surprise, though. Arguably the Iranian regime has, by its actions over the last 40 years, brought its own inevitable destruction on itself. Unfortunately it's the Iranian people who will probably bear the brunt of the suffering that arises from its death throes, which now promise to be quite protracted......  For a more detailed look at Trump's options, and the likely outcomes, check out the most recent blog. Read on for some more background to the conflict.... -------- As ...
Post a Comment
Read more