This article first appeared in the Indian journal Economic and Political Weekly on 19 March 2022. Russian Invasion of Ukraine The Russian invasion of Ukraine started on 24 February 2022. Since then, several thousand combatants from both sides and more than 500 Ukrainian civilians have died, bombs have ruined many cities, and more than two million Ukrainians, half of them children, left the country to become refugees. And the sweeping sanctions the West imposed on Russia in response not only...
Read More »Rentier capitalism is profoundly risk-averse
The following article is based on my speech notes for a presentation to University College London’s Global Business School for Health on 22nd February 2022. The webinar was titled: Health Innovation through Capital and Private Equity Markets webinar.The question panellists were asked to address was this: “….whether capital and private equity markets are actually driving forward better and sustainable health innovation?”I argued that private capital and private equity markets – far from...
Read More »Rentier capitalism is profoundly risk-averse
The following article is based on my speech notes for a presentation to University College London’s Global Business School for Health on 22nd February 2022. The webinar was titled: Health Innovation through Capital and Private Equity Markets webinar.The question panellists were asked to address was this: “….whether capital and private equity markets are actually driving forward better and sustainable health innovation?”I argued that private capital and private equity markets – far from...
Read More »Rentier capitalism is profoundly risk-averse
The following article is based on my speech notes for a presentation to University College London’s Global Business School for Health on 22nd February 2022. The webinar was titled: Health Innovation through Capital and Private Equity Markets webinar. The question panellists were asked to address was this: “….whether capital and private equity markets are actually driving forward better and sustainable health innovation?” I argued that private capital and private equity markets – far from...
Read More »Inflation and pay – Doing the wrong Something
Many years ago, on family holiday in Wales, a problem arose when my father tried to turn our car and caravan around in an urban street. A man noted generally for his calmness, Dad had got out and started looking at whatever the problem was. My brother and I (ages 14 and 12) stayed in the back seat chatting away inconsequentially but, it seems, annoyingly. Suddenly, Dad’s patience broke – “GET OUT AND DO SOMETHING!” he boomed. Unaccustomed to such temper-induced imperatives, we leapt out...
Read More »Inflation and pay – Doing the wrong Something
Many years ago, on family holiday in Wales, a problem arose when my father tried to turn our car and caravan around in an urban street. A man noted generally for his calmness, Dad had got out and started looking at whatever the problem was. My brother and I (ages 14 and 12) stayed in the back seat chatting away inconsequentially but, it seems, annoyingly. Suddenly, Dad’s patience broke – “GET OUT AND DO SOMETHING!” he boomed. Unaccustomed to such temper-induced imperatives, we leapt out...
Read More »Inflation and pay – Doing the wrong Something
Many years ago, on family holiday in Wales, a problem arose when my father tried to turn our car and caravan around in an urban street. A man noted generally for his calmness, Dad had got out and started looking at whatever the problem was. My brother and I (ages 14 and 12) stayed in the back seat chatting away inconsequentially but, it seems, annoyingly. Suddenly, Dad’s patience broke – “GET OUT AND DO SOMETHING!” he boomed. Unaccustomed to such temper-induced imperatives, we leapt out...
Read More »(How far) has Brexit affected UK GDP?
It looks as if the UK’s GDP will have risen by a little over 7% in 2021, after a fall now estimated at 9.4% in 2020. (We await the Q4 data). It seems that – despite stronger November data – GDP in 2021 will come in below that of 2019, and maybe a tad less than 2018. Clearly COVID has played a major part, but is there also evidence of Brexit-induced slowdown in the mix?The “Conservative Home” website (among so many other right-wing propaganda outlets) tries hard to keep spirits up and the –...
Read More »(How far) has Brexit affected UK GDP?
It looks as if the UK’s GDP will have risen by a little over 7% in 2021, after a fall now estimated at 9.4% in 2020. (We await the Q4 data). It seems that – despite stronger November data – GDP in 2021 will come in below that of 2019, and maybe a tad less than 2018. Clearly COVID has played a major part, but is there also evidence of Brexit-induced slowdown in the mix?The “Conservative Home” website (among so many other right-wing propaganda outlets) tries hard to keep spirits up and the –...
Read More »(How far) has Brexit affected UK GDP?
It looks as if the UK’s GDP will have risen by a little over 7% in 2021, after a fall now estimated at 9.4% in 2020. (We await the Q4 data). It seems that – despite stronger November data – GDP in 2021 will come in below that of 2019, and maybe a tad less than 2018. Clearly COVID has played a major part, but is there also evidence of Brexit-induced slowdown in the mix? The “Conservative Home” website (among so many other right-wing propaganda outlets) tries hard to keep spirits up and the...
Read More »