The Capitalist: where economics meets politics. New episodes every Wednesday. briefing.capx.co
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Are Nimbys a threat to national security? Britain’s inability to build houses and infrastructure is rightly at the heart of our domestic political debate. Dalibor Rohac thinks it needs to be seen as a geopolitical failing as well. This week on The Capitalist, Rohac, incoming director of research at Globsec, discusses his new book ‘Unshackled: How Economic Growth Can Defeat the World’s Dictators’ .…
Britain's national debt has just passed £3 trillion for the first time – and John Penrose says it's time to get it under control. But while Andy Burnham ruled out breaking Rachel Reeves's fiscal rules to borrow more, he's asked his Chancellor to find 'wriggle room' within them. Penrose argues that what we need instead is full transparency about the state's liabilities. Any honest reckoning would…
Richard Hanania had a ringside seat for the rise of MAGA, as his Substack essays on anti-woke issues gained traction at the highest level of the new American Right. He had high hopes for Donald Trump’s second term, and coined the term ‘Tech Right’, hoping for an administration that worked productively alongside some of the smartest people in Silicon Valley. In practice, he says the second Trump…
The recent Spanish border crisis – in which some 72,000 illegal migrants crossed into Ceuta from Morocco – should be a wake-up call for Europe, argues Mani Basharzad . Most of those who crossed the border soon returned home, but thousands remained and dozens died in the chaos. Even the most fervent Remainer ought to view these events with relief that Britain is no longer bound by the EU’s right to…
Britain’s ‘equal value’ pay rules go well beyond upholding equal pay for the same work, and mean that tribunals have the power to ignore the market and decide that bin men and teaching assistants should, in fact, be paid the same. These rules bankrupted Birmingham City Council, and the big supermarkets are already facing claims worth up to £8 billion for back pay. Now the Government wants to…
Give Andy Burnham his due. He has been arguing for devolution for the best part of a decade. But Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen says that’s what makes the Prime Minister’s recent announcements so dispiriting. Burnham says he wants Whitehall to give power away, but he seems determined to grip tighter than ever. Houchen argues that handing over a share of business rates and income tax counts for…
In June, SpaceX went public in the largest IPO in history. Three days earlier, a German historian published a book explaining why that moment had been 60 years in the making. CapX editor Marc Sidwell sits down with Rainer Zitelmann to discuss ‘New Space Capitalism’, Zitelmann's account of how private enterprise took over the final frontier. They also discuss how SpaceX cut launch costs by 95%, why…
Our new Chancellor has a problem: paying for Andy Burnham’s plans. Raising taxes will damage the economy, and won’t raise enough. Lower bus fares and VAT off energy bills are scarce consolation when people can’t get jobs. There is no other way. John Healey needs to find the courage to reform welfare. Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Helen Whately says the path to a stronger economy runs through…
Britain has a new prime minister. But will Andy Burnham’s new government reverse years of stagnation? CapX editor Marc Sidwell sits down with Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith to ask whether Burnham is about to double down on a bigger state or finally embrace growth. They also discuss why Westminster needs more people who have actually run a company, the 'insanity' of Labour's plan to…
Rather than letting people choose between freely-competing broadcasters, Ofcom wants to put a thumb on the scale for favoured 'trustworthy' sources, even on third-party platforms like YouTube. Smart TVs are covered too, with plans to reserve nine of the top home screen tiles for public service broadcasters. Jack Rankin MP argues this will crush the competition and choice the sector needs,…
