It looks as if the JCBs will be out in force. Hi-vis jackets are going to be compulsory for every minister. And if you don’t like the sound of jackhammers you are going to be in for a rough time. Over the last week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has started setting out his plans for rebooting the economy as it struggles to recover from the coronavirus. There were lots of big infrastructure projects. And some headline-grabbing industrial policies. But there was not a great deal in the way of small print.
Grands projets, as French presidents like to call them, are a Johnson speciality. As mayor of London, he was always trying to build something or other, and since taking office as PM he has been itching to start breaking ground. HS2 has been given the go-ahead, and a raft of new projects are planned, including new schools, hospitals and roads. His administration is increasingly taking its inspiration from the New Deal, and Johnson is already casting himself as the heir to Franklin D. Roosevelt.
MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Streamline the planning system
One of the biggest challenges in the UK is that we don’t build enough, and what we do build is often not quite right. We have too many half empty shopping malls and not enough houses, and too many failing industrial estates and not enough shared offices for small businesses, or dark warehouses for tech companies. We need to strip away decades of overcautious zoning and green-belt regulations, and make it easier to change the use of existing buildings. That will unleash a building boom and make it easier for entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.
Do away with tech regulation
Next, we should be creating the most tech-friendly regulatory regime in the world. The EU has been waging a crazy war on technology, with regulations such as GDPR stiffing innovation. It is intent on controlling American tech giants such as Amazon and Facebook, but seems to have forgotten that while those companies can swat away new rules, it is start-ups that always suffer. The UK should be a laboratory for new ideas. That will drive a huge increase in investment – and spur growth.
Simplify the tax code
Our tax code it has doubled in length in the last ten years, and the system has become cluttered with tiny reliefs and exemptions that make no difference to anyone (seriously, do we really need a specific tax break for pet cemeteries?). Donald Trump has not had many good ideas. But one has been to insist that Congress repeals two regulations for every new one it introduces. We could adapt that, and force the Treasury to scrap two taxes for every new one it tries to impose.
Simplify employment law
Finally, we need to simplify employment law and regulations to help the growing army of the self-employed and gig workers. That army is close to overtaking the numbers of workers in the public sector, and many of them are high-earning professionals earning plenty of money. As companies lay off millions of workers, the numbers are set to soar even higher. Likewise, the “hustle economy” has boomed in the last five years, with up to a tenth of the workforce making money from a side gig. We could create a special tax and regulatory regime for the self-employed that would compensate them for not getting any of the benefits of staffers, and allow them to take on an assistant without facing all the complications of employment law. Likewise, we could create a hustle tax allowance. If you could earn £5,000 a year from a side gig free of tax, that would be a huge incentive – and some of those hustles would eventually turn into proper companies.
-
Top 10 locations for buyers and renters revealedLondon is crowned as the most popular location for renters and buyers, despite rising costs. But where else are house hunters heading to?
-
Making financial gifts to loved ones? Write it down or risk giving an IHT bill tooGiving gifts can be a way to pass on wealth and reduce the inheritance tax bill on your estate but do it wrong and you could leave family and friends more than they bargained for.
-
Leading European companies offer long-term growth prospectsOpinion Alexander Darwall, lead portfolio manager, European Opportunities Trust, picks three European companies where he'd put his money
-
How to capitalise on the pessimism around Britain's stock marketOpinion There was little in the Budget to prop up Britain's stock market, but opportunities are hiding in plain sight. Investors should take advantage while they can
-
London claims victory in the Brexit warsOpinion JPMorgan Chase's decision to build a new headquarters in London is a huge vote of confidence and a sign that the City will remain Europe's key financial hub
-
Reinventing the high street – how to invest in the retailers driving the changeThe high street brands that can make shopping and leisure an enjoyable experience will thrive, says Maryam Cockar
-
The consequences of the Autumn Budget – and what it means for the UK economyOpinion A directionless and floundering government has ducked the hard choices at the Autumn Budget, says Simon Wilson
-
The global defence boom has moved beyond Europe – here’s how to profitOpinion Tom Bailey, head of research for the Future of Defence Indo-Pac ex-China UCITS ETF, picks three defence stocks where he'd put his money
-
Profit from a return to the office with WorkspaceWorkspace is an unloved play on the real estate investment trust sector as demand for flexible office space rises
-
An “existential crisis” for investment trusts? We’ve heard it all before in the 70sOpinion Those fearing for the future of investment trusts should remember what happened 50 years ago, says Max King
