Liam Halligan

London

“Economic Agenda” columnist @Telegraph; “Planet Normal Co-Pilot”; Founder of “When The Facts Change” and @HooligansbandUK

Articles

Oil prices are spiking - but I doubt Iran will close the Strait of Hormuz

1 week ago | liamhalligan.substack.com | Liam Halligan

The oil price has been falling in recent months, in part because the global economic outlook has looked sluggish, but also because of the internal politics of the Opec exporters’ cartel. But this “Opec-driven” price fall has now been replaced with a “conflict-driven” price rise. The escalation of military hostilities between Israel and Iran is, of course, causing yet more death, displacement and destruction across the Middle East – amidst relentless missile and airstrike exchanges.
Starmer should quit over grooming gang scandal, says survivor

1 week ago | telegraph.co.uk | Allison Pearson |Liam Halligan |Martin Evans

She said: "Well, I'm not far-Right and I'm not jumping on a bandwagon. He is just a coward. At the end of the day we're talking about children being groomed, abused, raped, tortured, trafficked, murdered, impregnated, criminalised. "We are talking about the most heinous crimes that could ever happen, and he wants to just throw these stupid comments in, that we're far-Right and racist, it's absolutely disgusting. "I don't think he should be prime minister.
Labour's 1970s employment rights bill could send Britain over the edge

1 week ago | telegraph.co.uk | Liam Halligan

Reeves claims endlessly to have "discovered a £22bn black hole in the public finances left by the Tories" on taking office. This is fictitious nonsense, used by ministers to justify tax rises not mentioned in Labour's election manifesto. But even if you accept this rhetorical tosh, which I don't, the £60bn-plus rise in borrowing in 2024-25 alone is almost three times bigger.
Rachel Reeves's Spending Statement isn't credible - which makes the UK increasingly vulnerable

1 week ago | liamhalligan.substack.com | Liam Halligan

“It is Labour and only Labour that has a credible plan for the renewal of Britain,” said Rachel Reeves in her Spending Statement on Wednesday. I’m afraid that isn’t true - because her plans simply aren’t credible. I wish I could say that they were – but that would be to share the Chancellor’s delusion. Reeves made vast expenditure pledges in the House of Commons this week, in a bid to save her political skin.
'The numbers don't add up' in Rachel Reeves' spending review

2 weeks ago | telegraph.co.uk | Allison Pearson |Liam Halligan

Mr Lyons wasn't convinced by the numbers, " Early in her speech the Chancellor said, is the plan credible, and the answer unfortunately is, no.""T he starting position is debt is very high, and I think we're in the early stages of Britain going into a debt crisis.
Ahead of Rachel Reeves's Spending Review - Who Will Stand Up for Reality?

2 weeks ago | liamhalligan.substack.com | Liam Halligan

Ahead of Rachel Reeves’s Spending Statement on Wednesday 11th June, I’ve been doing a fair amount of punditry relating to the UK’s public finances. Recent outings have included The Spiked Podcast, The Current Thing with and the chat posted above with Nick Ferrari on LBC Radio – in which, despite the dire state of our national accounts, Nick and I managed to have a laugh along the way.
Reeves has been captured by Bank of England orthodoxy

2 weeks ago | telegraph.co.uk | Liam Halligan

This is why Tice has written this public letter now, piling pressure on a desperately cash-strapped Chancellor who has already pointed to the "dangers" of curtailing these interest payments, accepting the Bank of England's self-serving arguments against change, just as she swallowed whole the Treasury's long-cherished idea of scrapping of winter fuel payments that has turned out to be politically disastrous.
Why every car (and food) lover should take a road trip through Italy's Motor Valley

2 weeks ago | telegraph.co.uk | Liam Halligan

A place for petrol heads and foodies alike, this is where legendary automotive excellence meets world-class cuisineFew places are more exhilarating to car enthusiasts than Motor Valley. Spread across northern Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, this fabled stretch of road is home to some of the world's most prestigious car and motorcycle brands - including Ferrari, Lamborghini and Ducati.
Reform is not offering the public a realistic economic deal

3 weeks ago | msn.com | Allison Pearson |Liam Halligan

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Reform is not offering the public a realistic economic deal

3 weeks ago | telegraph.co.uk | Allison Pearson |Liam Halligan

Speaking ahead of his speech today, Mr Stride outlines where he sees the fiscal threat from Reform and why he doesn't believe they will be effective. "It appears that they are whatever kind of party they think will appeal to what people want to hear in different parts of the country and across the political spectrum.