Stephanie Flanders

IMF says time to take stock

bbc.co.uk — The IMF were polite in their published verdict on UK policies today - polite, and somewhat nuanced. So much so, that the Fund's deputy managing director had to spell out the implications to journalists in the press conference, a while after the statement was released.

International Corporate Tax

irisheconomy.ie — The international tax principles underlying the taxation of corporate income are attracting more and more attention. Ireland, in particular, has come under the spotlight. There is merit to some of the complaints made but most of it is little more than political posturing. Few substantive proposals are being made.

Bernanke weighs in on robot wars; brings Keynes for backup

ftalphaville.ft.com — Many factors affect the development of the economy, notably among them a nation's economic and political institutions, but over long periods probably the most important factor is the pace of scientific and technological progress. That's Ben Bernanke addressing a graduating class at Bard College at Simon's Rock, Massachusetts, on Saturday.

The real corporate tax puzzle

bbc.co.uk — Big internet giants like Apple are going to extraordinary lengths to minimise their tax burden, and voters and politicians are understandably excited about it. But the puzzle for economists is not that big companies now pay so little tax - but why, in a global economy, they are still paying tax on their profits at all.

Slow Train - YouTube

youtube.com — Video and Still images I shot at the Bluebell Railway. Accompanied by the Flanders and Swann song "Slow Train", a paean to the pre-Beeching days of rail

Does there need to be an economic case for high-speed rail?

bbc.co.uk — I like high-speed trains. I really do. Every time I travel on a French or German one I wish we had more of them in the UK. Quite a few economists I know feel the same way. But none that I have spoken to thinks the economic case for HS2 is particularly strong.