Our latest articles are listed below. For earlier articles, navigate our Articles Archive via the Categories list on the right. The Archive contains all articles published since 2002.
The Bank’s dilemma
Later this week the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (the MPC) is due to hold its next meeting, and once again all eyes will be on them to see if they raise rates from their current 0.75%. Most commentators are predicting a further rise, to at least 1%. But there are a number of reasons why this is not such a foregone conclusion as it might appear, and a number of issues which could cause the Bank to hesitate.
Book Review: The Worm in the Apple
The story of Britain’s relationship with the EU and its precursors over the last 75 years is to a large extent the story of the Conservative Party’s internal debate on the matter. The Tories have at various times been aloof, dismissive, enthusiastic, half‑hearted, complaining and finally overtly hostile to the plans and dreams of the UK’s neighbours. A new book by Conservative peer Lord Tugendhat explores this, and explains why the party that took the UK into Europe was also the party that 43 years later took the country out.
The threat from Russia
Russia stands poised on the borders of Ukraine and Moscow is making some very aggressive demands on NATO. What is behind this, and how should the West respond?
The continuing evolution of the ECB
In our article last week we noted that the European Central Bank (ECB) appears to be undergoing a process of transition, and evolving into a rather different organisation from the ECB of 1999, the start of the single currency. We continue this analysis, concluding that having started life as a Bundesbank clone providing very Germanic central banking, the ECB is becoming more truly pan-European, and a central bank for the whole Euro Area.