Being bullish in the China shop, being restrained at the dispatch box and opening up the market to ‘peer to peer’ investment models… All eyes on Osborne.

Remember, remember the 5th of December. We maybe in the depths of winter and the leaves have all fallen off the trees but this Thursday is a golden opportunity for the UK economy when the Chancellor delivers his Autumn Statement – hopefully something UK business will find memorable for all the right reasons. Business needs the Chancellor to make it feel warm with confidence not dazzled with fireworks.

I urge the chancellor to avoid using the time on his feet in the house to crow about the economic upside of the past few months. True, he has more money to spend than he did at this time last year but this is not the time for lighting the blue touch paper and standing back. He needs to be measured and in some ways restrained. Continue reading →