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Labour and social security: unfinished business from the Beveridge era
The Labour party has a problematic relationship with the welfare state. If it returns to power, it will be repairing the ship at seaThe welfare state has always proved something of a double-edged sword...
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Making a comedy of errors: a serious story you may have missed | Michael White
A row over errors in research on government debt failed to make serious headlines amid wall-to-wall Thatcher coverageHave you been following this week's controversy over Rogoff and Reinhart's...
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The Rogoff-Reinhart data scandal reminds us economists aren't gods | Heidi Moore
The fact that economics spits out cold, hard numbers doesn't mean it produces the cold, hard truthIn economics, there are no heroes. Let's repeat that: there are no heroes. We want heroes. We want to...
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George Osborne's case for austerity has just started to wobble | Polly Toynbee
With the IMF and Osborne's favourite economists revising their figures, the pro-cuts argument now lacks intellectual supportIn this deep slump the numbers are so huge that they may pass us by. It's...
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Ed Miliband warned to build support now or risk floundering
Labour leader 'must say more' about his plans for office, says leftwing group Compass, which urges Obama-style approachEd Miliband risks political isolation in office and a rapid loss of legitimacy...
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The error that could subvert George Osborne's austerity programme
The theories on which the chancellor based his cuts policies have been shown to be based on an embarrassing mistakeIt was a mistake in a spreadsheet that could have been easily overlooked: a few rows...
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George Osborne told by IMF chief: rethink your austerity plan
Christine Lagarde says IMF has changed its mind on UK's deficit reduction strategy due to weak economic figuresPolly Toynbee: Osborne's case for austerity starts to wobbleThe head of the International...
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George Osborne's benefits cap puts Labour on the back foot | Nick Pearce
The chancellor wants to set the protection of spending on public services against welfare spending. What can Labour do?The introduction in London this month of the government's new £26,000 benefit cap...
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Fitch strips UK of triple-A credit rating
Agency cites weaker economic and fiscal outlook for move – described by Ed Balls as 'another humiliating blow'The UK's credit standing took a further blow on Friday when Fitch Ratings became the second...
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Treasury commitee struggles to hide scorn over Osborne's Help to Buy plan
• Report points out consequences of chancellor's policy• Gold prices fall• Rich Ricci and the Barclays shakeup• Royal Mail and a privatised post A "work in progress" is the polite version of the...
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Osborne's woes capped by damning verdict on housing policy
George Osborne also faces a jump in unemployment, another ratings downgrade and the IMF's criticisms on austerityGeorge Osborne faces a fresh onslaught on his economic credibility this weekend, as the...
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George Osborne vows to marshall G20 nations to fight tax evasion
British chancellor says he wants to put tax reform at centre of Britain's presidency of the G8 this yearGeorge Osborne has promised to step up Britain's fight against tax evasion after the G20 group of...
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Margaret Thatcher: the woman, the legend … and the myths
Far from being a time of economic miracles, growth in the 80s was no better than it was in the 70s: and inflation was conquered only by the effects of a long and damaging recessionIn The Man Who Shot...
View ArticleGeorge Osborne has many reasons to cry
Chris Riddell on the chancellor's tear-stained weekChris Riddell
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George Osborne prepares for battle with the IMF
The chancellor, already struggling with a second credit downgrade, now faces the annual inspection from the FundGeorge Osborne likes to slip away at the end of meetings of the International Monetary...
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George Osborne boosts funding for lending scheme before IMF visit
Chancellor to beef up £80bn loans scheme amid US calls for Britain to tone down austerity measuresGeorge Osborne will announce an expansion of the Bank of England's £80bn funding for lending scheme...
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Austerity: an idea on trial | Editorial
The past week has been a particularly bad one for George Osborne and advocates of the Reinhart-Rogoff approachOver the past week, a series of blows have been dealt to George Osborne's reputation....
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Will Britain slide into a triple-dip recession?
Whether economy has contracted for second quarter in row may be a trivial detail that distracts from bigger, more dismal pictureThe wait to find out if the UK slipped into a triple-dip recession is...
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UK economy is slowly healing, Downing Street insists amid triple-dip fears
Ahead of GDP figures, PM's spokesman defends cabinet secretary, who reportedly spoke of ministerial divisions over growth strategyDowning Street has said the economy is "slowly healing" before the...
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Currency union with Scotland may not be in UK's interest, says Osborne
Chancellor says abandoning current currency arrangements 'would represent a very deep dive indeed into uncharted waters'An independent Scotland would be forced to adopt new currency arrangements that...
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