The 'lost decade' and the threats facing the City - The final episode of Trading Post starts by looking at public spending. The government has presided over the fastest, most sustained rise in public spending in British history. But has it helped the economy? To find out more, Matthew Lynn spoke to Andrew Halderby, director of the think tank Reform, who's recent report on ten years of public spending growth describe it as a 'lost decade'.
Matthew also spoke to Martin Vander Weyer, editor of Spectator Business, about the threats facing London's status as the one of the world's leading financial centres.
Government spending and the history of Lazard - This week in trading post, Matthew Lynn speaks with David Craig about government spending. Over the last ten years, New Labour has boosted public spending by around a trillion pounds. In his new book, Squandered, Craig argues the government has failed to deliver the taxpayer value for its money.
Matthew also spoke to former Wall Street Journal reporter William Cohan about his new book, The Last Tycoons, which discusses investment bank Lazard, where William was a banker for 17 years.
Government -
This week on Trading Post, Matthew Lynn and his guests will be discussing the government.
Since he became Chancellor in 1997, and then Prime Minister last year, Gordon Brown has steadily increased the tax burden. Overall, the government now takes 40 per cent of national income in tax. According to the accountants Ernst & Young, national taxation has now reached its highest level ever.
The Housing Market -
Recent headlines have been filled with dire stories of a housing crash in the US. Indeed, falling American house prices have been a major contributory factor in the sub-prime crisis currently engulfing the financial markets. This week on Trading Post we consider what impact the current climate is having on the British housing market and the economy.
To discuss these issues, Matthew Lynn is joined this week by David Stubbs, Senior Economist at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and Professor of Real Estate Economics at CASS Business School, Tony Key.
The Credit Crunch -
This week on Trading Post, Matthew Lynn and his guests discuss one of the big issues facing the financial markets. As property markets slump in the US, and as the credit crunch threatens to bring the global economy to a halt, we discuss the implications for the UK.
Our guest's this week include Professor Philip Booth, of the Cass Business School and the Institute of Economic Affairs and Vicky Redwood from Capital Economics.
Non Doms -
This week on Trading Post Matthew Lynn discusses with his guests the impact of the government's plans to levy a charge on wealthy foreigners living in Britain, the so-called 'non doms'. Will that have an an adverse impact on London's place as a world leading financial centre? Guest, David Harvey Chief executive of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioner, tells us what he thinks.
Finally, Clay Shirky, author of 'Here comes Everybody' discusses the impact of social networking and the internet on business communities consumers.