Chief economist Torsten Sløk: Trump might have ‘outsmarted us all’ on tariffs, even though I criticized him before.
Economist Reassesses Trump’s Trade Strategy There’s been a notable shift in the perspective of a prominent Wall Street economist regarding President Donald Trump’s trade policies. Torsten Sløk, the chief economist at Apollo Global Management, had previously been critical of the president’s approach to tariffs. However, he now suggests that Trump might have outsmarted many with […]
The rich will pay up when prodded. So let’s make tax-collecting great again | Torsten Bell
what do we want? The number of tax inspectors will increase. When do you want it? Ideally a few years ago, but now is fine too. It may not be the most exciting protest song, but it works for me. My first job at the Ministry of Finance was with a very glamorous team called […]
Blame modern decisions, not just ancient history, for economic inequality | Torsten Bell
PPersistence studies are all the rage in economics, using clever mathematics to show how events from the distant past affect political and economic outcomes today. One well-known example He argues that the reason Britain grew better than France until around 1800 was because of the collapse of the Western Roman Empire 1000 years earlier. The […]
Baby boomers are much more worried about the NHS than their pensions, Mr Sunak | Torsten Bell
ohOne week down, five to go. Good luck, everyone. What have we learned? The Conservatives plan to throw around a bunch of different policies. Well, that’s OK. Talking about wild new ideas for the future avoids conversations about the past (stagnant wages and ubiquitous potholes mean the public has pretty much made up its mind […]
Austerity doesn’t just damage public services, it destroys faith in the future | Torsten Bell
As budget issues settle, it is time to consider the real challenges facing those who seek to govern Britain. The announced tax cuts will be financed by large upcoming spending cuts. unprotected sector (along with councils and prisons) faces cuts of 13% (£19bn) by 2028-29. Most people have seen the current state of public services […]
Consumer debt in the UK is down 10%. The bad news? Utility bill arrears are up | Torsten Bell
IIt’s important to worry about the right things. Interest rates are rising, creating concerns about debt, in my case a mortgage. Consumer debt (credit cards, overdrafts, personal loans) is said to be rapidly increasing. But the truth is that consumer debt levels are falling.new Resolution Foundation Research This is the lowest level since at least […]