As problems build up in the Euro-zone with mounting worries about Greece’s ability to avoid defaulting, reports of slow downs and slips abound, including, ominously, UK manufacturing. This is not good news. It comes in part because we have yet to develop our markets in the new expanding economies and are more dependent on Europe […]

The scenes on BBC’s Panorama programme last night beggar belief. The government is in confusion and the public are outraged. The Care Quality Commission clearly is not doing its job. According to an anonymous insider it no longer even tries. It just ticks boxes as it monitors rather than inspects. This useless body is about […]

This senior Lib Dem Cabinet Minister is beginning to look fragile. It is hard to tell if the complaints that are coming in to various authorities about him are genuinely expressed anxieties or part of a vendetta by some injured party. Huhne himself is confident of his innocence, yet inquiries continue. This all has to […]

In the UK these are flat-lining, though in London they are growing again, but this is due to the concentration of financial and service jobs, many with international dimensions, in the capital. In the US they are falling again and the authorities have confirmed there is now a homeprice double dip. Yet American consumer spending […]

It is easy to feel self righteous when a notorious war criminal is brought to book. It is even easier to feel that smugness which comes from the knowledge that we, as individuals, would never do such things, nor would our country. Sadly that is not wholly true. It is odd when victorious military commanders […]

There do seem to be some hopeful signs of rebel progress and battle fatigue of the Gaddafi regime. The Colonel remains in power nevertheless and gave the South African President short shrift in his latest peace effort. By boxing themselves in with declarations that Gaddafi must go, the international community whether in the guise of […]

Leaders who have been at the helm for a while, sometimes hang on too long. Often they feel they still have a lot still to give. This appears to be the situation with the outgoing president of FIFA. Not only is he the only candidate in the new election, but he does not think FIFA […]

Will she or won’t she? There are reports she is about to begin a mini tour of eastern States. Is this a sign? Who else is there lining up for the Republican ticket? Are there any big hitters? Or is it clear already that Obama cannot be stopped? Sarah Palin has charisma and is a […]

The British Chambers of Commerce have marginally downgraded their growth forecast. These projections, of point this and that, are really not the story. The BCC acknowledges the importance of re-balancing the economy from domestic consumption to manufacturing and exports and this cannot be achieved without near flat lining while the changeover is in play. They […]

Politicians and the media, when news broke of the Baby P. tragedy, lined up to attack and blame this unfortunate local government officer in a way which was both unjust and unfair. The Court Of Appeal thinks so too, but not the government, nor Ed Balls. The list of injuries suffered by this toddler, which […]