Absolutely Not The Daily Troll-o-Graph

 Cheap energy is intrinsic to the prosperity of families, businesses and the nation as a whole   A windfall tax might be popular, but the numbers are nowhere near adding up   Putin triggered this crisis, but our position is the result of decades of bad policy Source - CAPX - 14/09/22 Link Millions of households are at risk of sliding into debt and poverty. Tens of thousands of businesses – potentially including seven out of ten pubs and six out of ten manufacturers – could go to the wall. Soaring inflation and a massive recession could squeeze living standards back down to 2003 levels. Civil servants have been planning for a worst-case scenario of rolling blackouts.  By any measure, energy prices are inducing a state of economic emergency, which is going to present the Government with some very uncomfortable, not to mention costly, choices and trade-offs over the coming months. As I argued in a recent analysis for CapX’s parent organisation, the Centre for Policy Stu...

 A bold new economic agenda will doubtless be met with howls of establishment indignation   We are already seeing the start of supply-side reforms raising growth   Commentators conveniently fail to mention that inflation is reducing the real value of debt Source CAPX 15/09/22 Link   The change of government has rightly produced a change of policy. We are now expecting a mini-Budget next week that will reverse the Treasury’s long-standing insistence on balancing the books and cut taxes by at least £30bn. The Government is going for growth in the belief that boosting supply is the way to way to end the stagnation of recent years, tackle the cost-of-living crisis and ultimately generate the tax flows needed to protect public services. Liz Truss’s policy agenda is bold, invigorating and right. But she and her Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng can expect howls of criticism from establishment economists and their cheerleaders at The Financial Times when he stands up in the Commons...

 The Kremlin’s disastrous losses in Ukraine could result in the collapse of the Russian Federation Source - Daily Telegraph 13/09/22 Link It is becoming increasingly clear that Ukraine is going to win this war and that the Kremlin faces a historic crisis of confidence. Indeed, I now believe it is a genuine possibility that Vladimir Putin’s exposed weaknesses are so severe that we might be witnessing the beginning of the end – not only of his regime, but of the Russian Federation itself. This vast empire encompassing more than 120 ethnic groups is on an unsustainable footing, and like that famous Hemingway quote, its collapse may be gradual at first but could quickly become a sudden, violent and uncontrollable event. If we fail to prepare for this possibility in the way that we failed to prepare for the collapse of the Soviet Union, it could introduce immense instability to our geopolitics. I see at least three factors that could lead to the Federation’s collapse. The first is the b...

 Public life cannot be put on hold – especially in a time of crisis. Source - Spiked - 12/09/22 In the wake of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the United Kingdom is grinding to a halt. The 10 days of official mourning in the run-up to the queen’s funeral have morphed into a suspension of vast swathes of public life. From politics to cultural events, it is as if everything, small or large, is expected to stop out of respect for the queen. The list of cancellations and closures is growing ever longer. At the weekend, in the immediate aftermath of the queen’s death, we missed out on the Proms, the Premier League and TV comedy. Even minor sporting and cultural events were not spared. The FA, which governs all English football right down to grassroots and youth football, ordered the suspension of all fixtures over the weekend – leaving parents perplexed that their children’s matches had been cancelled. The Junior and Mini Great North Run – a children’s fun run in Manchester – was postp...

 Separatists of all stripes will use our economic woe to nourish grievances against Westminster   Be in no doubt about what a 'rigorously implemeneted' sea border means for Northern Ireland   Stalling the Protocol Bill in the Lords means more delay and uncertainty for Northern Ireland Source - CAPX- 08/09/22 There can’t be many political commentators left who have not pointed out the severity of the problems facing the new prime minister, Liz Truss We’ve heard her say she will prioritise the energy crisis, tax cuts and the NHS, but there are equally pressing and inter-related issues involving inflation, the war in Ukraine, workers’ strikes and economic stagnation. Even taking into account this incredible to-do list, it is disappointing that she did not find room to mention the integrity of the United Kingdom in her victory speech or her introductory remarks in front of Number 10. She must know that the UK will be subjected to reinvigorated assaults by separatists in the d...

 In 72 hours, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have retaken over 2,500 sq km of Russian-occupied Ukraine Source - Daily Telegraph - 11/09/22 Link By the time you read this article it will most probably be out of date, such is the speed of the advance of the Ukrainian armed forces.  Most likely the last 72 hours of warfare in Ukraine are going to be studied by generations of future military officers and historians. In summary, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have retaken over 2,500 sq km of Russian-occupied Ukraine.  And they have done this by punching a hole through thinly-guarded Russian front lines east of Kharkiv, and severing the Russian lines of logistics, forcing the withdrawal of large contingents of Russian soldiers from multiple locations, but most importantly Izyum and Kupyansk.  Without these two cities, Russia cannot effectively supply its forces in the north-east or the east of the country, and so further collapses, withdrawals and surrenders of Russian forces are ...

 EU ministers agree to raid on energy giants to cushion financial blow to households Source - Daily Telegraph - 09/09/22 Link EU ministers have stopped short of a price cap on Russian gas, following threats from Vladimir Putin to cut off supply in retaliation for any cap. Proposals to cap the price of energy imports that fund the Kremlin’s war machine were sidelined following opposition from some member states. Mr Putin had warned he would completely halt energy supplies if a cap was imposed. Several countries exposed to a sudden shut-off, including Hungary, suggested they could not support the EU's plan as a result. The proposal was ultimately dropped in the emergency talks. However, EU energy ministers did agree to a raid on energy giants and provide help for power firms hit by volatile markets. Ministers asked the European Commission to draw up more detailed plans to cushion the blow to households by targeting the excess profits of fossil fuel giants and non-gas electricity prod...