‘Is there treachery at the top of Ukip? Westminster has been buzzing with the rumour that Party treasurer Stuart Wheeler has laid money on the Conservatives to win an overall majority in 2015. Can it possibly be true? Mr Steerpike called Mr Wheeler who was happy to spill the beans. Yes, he said, he has placed a bet — ‘bigger than a fiver but not huge’ — but not because he thinks or hopes the Tories will win. ‘I expect to lose the money,’ he says cheerfully, ‘but the odds of 4/1 looked a bit long.’ He’s also laid cash on Nigel Farage to become an MP and on Ukip to grab at least two seats at the election.’
TBH, the way things have been going over the last couple of months 0.6% is at the bottom end of expectations. I would not be surprised to see it increased in due course when more information is in.
It is nice to see construction showing a positive contribution for a change. The next key steps in the recovery of UK plc should be a rise in investment and an improvement in the balance of trade. A rise in investment requires confidence, which is improving; capital, which our private sector has in abundance; credit which is still restricted by the failure to address the thorny issue of banking reform and demand which still remains problematic given the international situation but is improving. If investment grows construction will show this most quickly so it is worth watching that sector.
The moans on here about consumption boomlets and housing bubbles are absurd as any reference to the real, as opposed to the nominal, figures show. It also shows a complete lack of understanding about the absolutely critical role played by housing capital in providing finance to small businesses. The vast majority of our small businesses have their credit facilities backed up by personal guarantees secured over directors/partners houses. House prices have fallen substantially in real terms. This itself has limited the security available to small businesses and their ability to get credit. A recovery in house prices is also critical if our smaller businesses are to get credit to invest and grow.
Balance of trade is proving more difficult, again because of the lack of international demand. I also struggle to think of any country (except Japan) which manages to run a balance of trade surplus with a large public sector deficit pumping demand into the domestic system. I think we will see an improvement in the balance of payments when the deficit falls but these are unusual times. It is fortunate that we have the helmsman we do to steer us through them.
Comments
Lab 38%
Con 32%
LD 10%
http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/steerpike/2013/07/treachery-in-ukip/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=treachery-in-ukip
Those were the days - and Latvian Homophobes. It really shifted the popular vote.
It is nice to see construction showing a positive contribution for a change. The next key steps in the recovery of UK plc should be a rise in investment and an improvement in the balance of trade. A rise in investment requires confidence, which is improving; capital, which our private sector has in abundance; credit which is still restricted by the failure to address the thorny issue of banking reform and demand which still remains problematic given the international situation but is improving. If investment grows construction will show this most quickly so it is worth watching that sector.
The moans on here about consumption boomlets and housing bubbles are absurd as any reference to the real, as opposed to the nominal, figures show. It also shows a complete lack of understanding about the absolutely critical role played by housing capital in providing finance to small businesses. The vast majority of our small businesses have their credit facilities backed up by personal guarantees secured over directors/partners houses. House prices have fallen substantially in real terms. This itself has limited the security available to small businesses and their ability to get credit. A recovery in house prices is also critical if our smaller businesses are to get credit to invest and grow.
Balance of trade is proving more difficult, again because of the lack of international demand. I also struggle to think of any country (except Japan) which manages to run a balance of trade surplus with a large public sector deficit pumping demand into the domestic system. I think we will see an improvement in the balance of payments when the deficit falls but these are unusual times. It is fortunate that we have the helmsman we do to steer us through them.