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Tag: Sir Mervyn King

On averages, inequality, energy prices, global warming and the paradox of policy

On averages, inequality, energy prices, global warming and the paradox of policy

In January 2009 Sir Mervyn King, former Governor of the Bank of England, made a speech at a CBI dinner in Nottingham in which he discussed “the paradox of policy”. This speech was delivered at a time of was frenzied speculation and high anxiety over how policy makers were responding to the global financial crisis. He said: “This is the paradox of policy at present – almost any policy measure that is desirable now appears diametrically opposite to the direction…

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The extra magic money brings when you get your bank to print it and use it to buy your debt

The extra magic money brings when you get your bank to print it and use it to buy your debt

An exchange of letters between Mervyn King at the Bank of England and George Osborne at the Treasury is causing a bit of excitement among economists and also among in-the-know construction folk. They see a chink of light in the black cloud that is Government capital spending intentions, as the Treasury gets a cash boost of some £20 billion, £30 billion maybe more from the excess cash in the Quantitative Easing pot. It’s an accounting trick that’s raising more than a…

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Why calling for housing QE is not special pleading: Part 2

Why calling for housing QE is not special pleading: Part 2

If growing calls to use quantitative easing to directly stimulate weaker parts of the economy lead to a change in approach by the Bank of England it would leave a tricky question. That’s the question Sir Mervyn King, the Bank’s Governor, threw back at Treasury Committee member Andy Love last week. He asked: “Can you give me an example of the asset you think we should be purchasing. I asked the previous Chancellor and got no reply.” Mr Love gave…

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Why calling for housing QE is not special pleading: Part 1

Why calling for housing QE is not special pleading: Part 1

Over recent months there’s been a growing mood to exploit the power of quantitative easing to accelerate growth in key parts of the UK economy and for the Bank of England to buy other assets other than Gilts – UK Government bonds. Here in Part 1 I’ll be looking at the background to these calls and, in Part 2, I’ll look at why, if we are to experiment further with QE, we should look to housing as the alternative to Gilts…

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