Markwadsworth

LATEST ARTICLES ( 4337 )

• Hypothecated Taxes Etc.

  1. For an economist, the idea of hypothecating taxes is a bit of a nonsense. Nonetheless, politicians know that earmarking a tax makes it more acceptable to... Read more

  Posted on 06 June 2018 DEBATE

• Economic Myths: "Government Loses £2.1bn on RBS Stake Sale"

  From the BBC: The government has incurred a loss of £2.1bn after selling another tranche of shares in Royal Bank of Scotland. Read more

  Posted on 05 June 2018 DEBATE

• Killer Arguments Against Citizen's Income, Not (17)

  From Medium.com: The author misses no opportunity to make an unsubstantiated claim and then contradict herself as to what the effect might be: A Universal... Read more

  Posted on 04 June 2018 DEBATE

• Pity the Poor Landlords.

  Emailed in by SG, from The Guardian: High street landlords are gearing up for war with retailers, whom they accuse of railroading them into agreeing to rent cut... Read more

  Posted on 01 June 2018 DEBATE

• Splendid Bit of Indian Bicycle Marketing

  With a startling lack of imagination, the Islamists have decided to have a go as well. From the BBC: The Muslim Council of Britain has reiterated a call for... Read more

  Posted on 31 May 2018 DEBATE

• My Dream Crap Car List.

  I've had a Mazda MX5 (1998, Jap import, 1.6l automatic) and a Toyota MR2 (2000, pre-facelift, but with the body-coloured FL side vents) for just over two years... Read more

  Posted on 30 May 2018 DEBATE

• Economic Myths: "Younger Generations to Pocket £1trn of Inheritance in Next...

  Prompted by @henrypryor, commenting on the headline that "Bank of Mum and Dad is ninth-biggest lender with £6.5bn loans": The madness continues - mum ... Read more

  Posted on 28 May 2018 DEBATE

• Killer Arguments Against Citizen's Income, Not (16)

  Those on the left (and authoritarians generally) say that a flat rate UBI of £4,000 a year, payable to each UK resident (or whatever the rules are)... Read more

  Posted on 21 May 2018 DEBATE

• The Regional Skills Gap

  Something else that has been bothering me for a while is the notion of the 'regional skills gap', as mentioned for example here. Read more

  Posted on 18 May 2018 DEBATE

• Lewisham East Parliamentary By-election and YPP (London) Friday Meet-up 18 May

  1. It looks like nice weather for a Friday meet-up today. 2. We'll be at The Brewmaster nr Leicester Square from 5.20 until 6.30 or so, if you think you'll... Read more

  Posted on 18 May 2018 DEBATE

• Killer Arguments Against LVT, Not (442)

  From 1984: "To know and to not know, to be conscious of complete truthfulness while telling carefully constructed lies, to hold simultaneously two opinions whic... Read more

  Posted on 17 May 2018 DEBATE

• Killer Arguments Against LVT Not (441)

  Here's a synthesis of a couple of wailing and bleating emails I've been sent recently, it's all boilerplate stuff: Why go after little landlords like me? Read more

  Posted on 16 May 2018 DEBATE

• Outbreak of Common Sense

  A new report by the TaxPayers’ Alliance details the enormous savings to British taxpayers by legalising cannabis. The UK could save at least £891. Read more

  Posted on 15 May 2018 DEBATE

• Many Killer Arguments Against Citizen's Income Are Equal and Opposite to Killer...

  Let's take two main Killer Arguments Against Citizen's Income first: 1. If you set the CI rate 'too high', far fewer people will want to work. Read more

  Posted on 13 May 2018 DEBATE

• Reader's Letter Of The Day

  Emailed in by the author: CAN someone explain why anyone who criticises a religion risks prosecution, while insulting a political party is OK? Read more

  Posted on 11 May 2018 DEBATE

• This Unexpected Response Was Mentioned in 'Freakonomics'.

  From the BBC: Fining parents for taking children out of school in term time in Wales has had no effect on overall absence rates, a review has found. Read more

  Posted on 10 May 2018 DEBATE

• Reader's Letter of Last Week

  From The Metro: If the Supreme Court finds that Daniel and Amy McArthur discriminated for refusing to do a 'gay cak' (Metro, Wed), does this mean halal... Read more

  Posted on 09 May 2018 DEBATE

• A Painted Boris Johnson is Right Twice a Day

  From the Daily Mail: Under the [customs] partnership, officials would track shipments into the UK and collect tariffs for Brussels on goods ending up in the... Read more

  Posted on 08 May 2018 DEBATE

• Killer Arguments Against Citizen's Income, Not (16)

  Bill Bonner, with whom I agree with on most things, comes out with a KCN: "He who does not work, neither shall he eat." Yes, it's St David again, although it... Read more

  Posted on 08 May 2018 DEBATE

• Former Confederate States More Likely to Impose Death Penalty.

  A table in an articke at the BBC got me thinking. The fifteen states who have executed most people since 1976 (in order of number of executions, not adjusted fo... Read more

  Posted on 07 May 2018 DEBATE