Showing posts with label Michael Lambert. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michael Lambert. Show all posts

Saturday, February 15, 2025

Michael Lambert: 4 Reasons UK Economy Is in a Desperate State

Feb 15, 2025 | The UK economy is failing and there seems to be no way for it to recover without growth and there is very little possibility of this happening.

In this video, I point out three reasons why the UK economy is doing so badly.

First, London has become the world centre for money laundering, attracting dirty money, much of which ends up in British tax havens. In towns and cities throughout the UK can be found retailers who are almost certainly, and often by their own admission, laundering money.

Secondly, the UK made the mistake of privatising vital utilities, water, gas, electricity and the railways. The majority of these are now foreign-owned.

Thirdly, American companies now dominate much of the UK economy. They dominate much of the retail sector including fashion, food, and coffee shops. Amazon now commands 30% of the UK online market. Many of these US owned commercial giants pay little or no taxes in the UK. Instead, licensing payments and other devices are used to divert profits to friendlier tax jurisdictions such as Luxembourg and Ireland. A detailed account of American activities in the UK economy can be found in 'Vassal State' by Angus Hanton.

Finally, the UK has economy has been badly damaged by Brexit which is now widely acknowledged as being a massive and very costly failure. The UK is now alone in a world dominated by China, the EU, and an America which is now ruled by an eccentric and unreliable president. Despite the obvious damage which Brexit has caused to the UK economy, Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, insists that there will be no return to the Customs Union, the Single Market or to Freedom of Movement.

Given the above it seems impossible to see how the UK economy can even begin to recover.



This is an excellent synopsis of the mess that is the UK economy. Thatcher must be blamed for so many of our economic woes. She sold off almost all of the “family silver”. It goes without saying that I agree with all Michael Lambert has said. – © Mark Alexander

Saturday, February 08, 2025

Michael Lambert: Why Would Any Young People Stay in the UK? UK Politics after Brexit

Feb 8, 2025 | This week I am in Thailand visiting my son and his girlfriend who moved here 18 months ago and will not be returning to the UK. Thailand is a much poorer country than the UK. Both countries have similar populations of around 70 million but Thailand’s GDP per capita is only one seventh of that of the UK. Bankok, the capital of Thailand, is however is a very dynamic and bustling metropolis of 9 million. The quality of life for anyone with a reasonable income is very good indeed as I hope to show in a later video.

Given the deteriorating state of the UK economy, it is not at all surprising that so many young people, especially those with qualifications, are leaving the UK. London is now the 8th most expensive city of 226 cities surveyed by Mercer. High taxes, the cost-of-living, property prices and stagnant wages are all reasons to seek alternative places to live and work. It is hardly surprising that 30% of people surveyed by YouGov said that they were actively considering emigrating from the UK


Saturday, February 01, 2025

Michael Lambert: Third Runway in 2040? Is This Really the Answer?

Feb 1, 2025 | Earlier this week, Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced a number of major infrastructure projects. She announced plans for a railway linking Oxford and Cambridge which could result in eighteen new towns being built forming — a ‘Silicon Valley’ of new technology. She also announced a proposal to give the go-ahead to a new third runway at Heathrow airport. Both of these projects will take many years, possibly decades, to complete and neither will help in the government's urgent quest for growth.

In response to my video last week concerning Nigel Farage, I received more than 1600 comments. Although more than 95% were positive, there were plenty from Farage and Reform UK supporters which I have included in this video.


Saturday, January 25, 2025

Michael Lambert: How Farage and Brexit Wrecked the British Economy

Jan 25, 2025 | Nigel Farage is a conman. He is only interested in his own fame and making money. For twenty years he was a member of the European parliament during which time he complained and argued incessantly for the UK to leave the EU ich resulted in the disastrous Brexit which has caused so much harm to the UK economy and reputation.

Nigel Farage is now an MP and yet he earns more than £1 million per year from outside activities and claims that he received more than £2 million in expenses over a ten-year period whilst he was an MEP.

He recently told reporters in America that he could be the next UK prime minister.

Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer attended the World Economic Forum in Davos this week accompanied by Johnathan Reynolds the UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade where they were both interviewed by Bloomberg . The interview was a disaster in which Reynolds demonstrated his lack of understanding of his job or how to create any growth in the UK economy.

It is difficult to see how Keir Starmer and Reeves can survive given the constant flow of bad economic news. One person who might be able to save the situation is the First Secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones.


Saturday, January 11, 2025

Michael Lambert: The Truth about Money Laundering in the UK

Jan 11, 2025 | London has become the money laundering capital of the world and the government seems unable or unwilling to put a stop it.

Corrupt foreign rulers of some of the poorest countries in the world are able to buy extensive property in London often using British tax havens.

Sheikha Hasina, Nawaz Sharif, the Kenyatta family, and many others are believed to own extensive property portfolios in London. Tulip Siddiq, the niece of Sheikha Hasina is a British government minister responsible for preventing fraud.

On UK High Streets there is an ever growing number of nail bar, American candy shops, Turkish barber shops, vape shop, car wash and other businesses which do not appear to be doing enough business to survive and which are widely suspected of laundering money.

I was told by one of those involved that the government and HMRC know exactly what they are doing but that they would not stop them because they are bringing money into the country and creating businesses.


Saturday, December 21, 2024

Michael Lambert: Treasury Minister Accused of Embezzling Billions

Dec 21, 2024 | Tulip Siddiq, Treasury Economic Secretary, faces allegations of corruption linked to a £10bn 2013 deal with Russia, to build a nuclear power station in Bangladesh where her aunt Sheikh[a] Hasina was prime minister before being deposed in August of this year.

Hasina is accused of receiving up to £4bn of kickbacks in a deal which reportedly involved Tulip Siddiq who denies any wrongdoing. Despite photographic evidence of Siddiq's presence at the deal signing alongside Hasina and Vladimir Putin, Siddiq claims her involvement was a 'family occasion' although it is alleged by others that she was involved in negotiating the deal. Keir Starmer has stood by Siddiq, saying she has his full confidence and will still be responsible for tackling corruption on behalf of the government.

The economic impact of Brexit persists with UK exporters losing £27bn in EU goods sales due to trade barriers. Notably, 16,400 firms halted EU exports entirely. Labour leader Keir Starmer proposes renegotiating EU trade terms but maintains a firm stance against restoring freedom of movement even for young people on temporary visas.

Domestic challenges continue with Thames Water fined £18.2m for paying 'unjustified' dividends of £131m whilst the CEO of Severn Water was paid £3.2m in 2023 which is twenty times the salary of the prime minister.

Inflation is at 2.6%, (joint G7-highest with Japan) and there have been two successive months of no economic growth.

Meanwhile, Dover’s underfunded inspections revealed substantial smuggling of unsafe food, including 6 tonnes of rotten and potentially lethal meat raising public health concerns.

Boris Johnson has been telling television viewers in New Zealand that the UK is experiencing a 'brain drain' much of which was caused by his incompetence and dishonesty.

On January 1st the UK joins the CPTPP which will make any return to the EU almost impossible. It will be made even more difficult once the government's 72 Special Economic Zones and 14 Freeports open since these would not be acceptable to the EU given their well-known attraction to smugglers, tax evaders and money launderers. complicating prospects of ever rejoining the EU.



This country is going to the dogs. It’s already well on its way, actually. Our politicians and leaders are totally and utterly useless, and often corrupt, regardless of the party they represent and belong to. Any young person staying in this SH needs to consult a phrenologist! – © Mark Alexander

Saturday, December 14, 2024

Michael Lambert: The Ongoing Madness of Brexit, with New Barriers to Trade with the EU

Dec 14, 2024 | Nowadays in the UK the police are often called to investigate minor incidents such as responding to online social media posts, silent protest, people holding signs which a very small minority might find offensive.

In the meantime. crime is increasing throughout the UK especially shoplifting and mobile phone snatching. The police say they are too busy to investigate.

Kerr Starmer has been in Saudi Arabia this week asking the Saudis to invest in the UK. They will not do so unless they see a real potential profit and all the world knows that the UK economy is in trouble.

Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, this week attended a meeting of EU finance ministers in Brussels. Having made it clear yet again that the UK does not wish to rejoin the Customs Union, the Single Market, or the EU, and will not agree to free movement even for students and young people. She sought better trading terms for the UK.

At the same time the EU has now introduced GSPR terms which will make it necessary for all goods exported to the EU or Northern Ireland to be tested in the EU and for every exporter to employ an approved agent with the EU to check that every consignment conforms with EU standards.

The EU signed a free trade agreement with MERCASUR, a group including Brazil, Argentina and others comprising 700 million consumers. Had the UK remained in the EU it would have benefited from this important deal.

In the meantime, the Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, admitted on national television that Brexit has been a failure. Boris Johnson is also believed to have admitted to close associates that he deeply regrets Brexit.

Finally, Nigel Forage who, above all others, persuaded the British public to vote to leave the EU and who persuaded the farmers to vote ‘leave’ is now their champion appearing at their protests in Whitehall.



Begging the Saudis to invest in the UK will come at a very high price. Is Starmer so naïve that he doesn’t realise this? Saudi investment in the UK will accelerate the Islamisation of the country. Yes, of course they will want to profit from their investments in a business sense. But the Saudis will expect to profit from their investments politically and religiously, as well. Saudi Arabia, as we all know, is the home of Islam, and the Saudi king is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. (Please click here.) There is no way that the Saudi royal family will not want to further the cause of Islam in the UK in return for their generosity.

We Brits are compounding our problems, day after day after day. – © Mark Alexander

Saturday, December 07, 2024

Michael Lambert: Making Brexit Work with Mission Led Milestones and Other Nonsense

Dec 7, 2024 | Keir Starmer this week announced six new milestones to go with his 'Mission led' government. He made no mention of the economy or how he expects to pay for the missions.

Also discussed in a tongue-in-cheek manner pointing out how businesses are suffering and how the UK economy is suffering from new post Brexit regulations.

UK immigration has reached over 800,000 partly because of the shortage of workers following Brexit.

The UK government continues to blame Covid, the Ukraine, and the EU for their own failings.


Saturday, November 30, 2024

Michael Lambert: So Much Wrong with Broken Britain and So Much Needs Fixing

Nov 30, 2024 | Post Brexit, the UK is failing on many fronts and in this video I set out to suggest around 20 steps to improve our situation.

Saturday, November 23, 2024

Michael Lambert: So Many Problems with the UK Economy

Nov 23, 2024 | The UK economy is in a bad way and it is difficult to see how it can improve. Government borrowing in October was £17.4 billion, much more than expected and a record amount for any October since records began. Interest on the national debt is currently £102 billion per year, equal to twice the defence budget.

Retails sales in October were down and energy prices are set to rise further. The government's plan is to go for growth whilst businesses are closing, and many are struggling.

Electricity prices are 78% higher than the average in the EU and four times the rate in the USA. Foreign investors own much of our infrastructure and major businesses, and a Japanese consortium has just been contracted to operate the new Elizabeth Line (Crossrail), taking over from the Hong Kong Metro.

Government waste seems out of control. Under the Public Order Act, police are able to detain and punish anyone who expresses opinions which they disapprove of.

In another apparent waste of public money 470 delegates from the UK attended Cop29 in Baku in Azerbaijan, and the owner of Clearsprings Ready Homes Ltd which provides accommodation for asylum seekers made a profit of £62.5 million in the year ending (y/e) January 2023 and £91 million in y/e January 2024. It is difficult to see any positive outcome for the British economy.



Michael, I wholeheartedly agree with your take on the state of the UK. I hate to sound negative, but I have lived long enough to see how the UK operates. I am sorry to say that I see no future whatsoever for this country. The country will just go on bungling along. First, we lost the Empire. Then, our economy went down and down until we became the “Sick Man of Europe”. Then, along came Lady Luck who shined upon us, blessing the nation with great good fortune — a fortunate stroke of serendipidy. We were given the chance to enter the then Common Market. The UK economy started to bloom again. That was until economically illiterate, backward-thinking people insisted that the British electorate be given that stupid Brexit referendum. The result is well-known, and its effects on the UK economy, too. So, we are now on a downward slide into poverty and insignificance.

Current British attitudes amongst the far right show no signs of contrition. On the contrary, they are doubling down, and they are pinning their hopes on the recently elected felon in the USA to reverse their fortunes. I fear that they are “whistling Dixie”. – © Mark Alexander

Saturday, November 16, 2024

Michael Lambert: Brexit & Trump - Voters Choose Decline & Chaos

Nov 16, 2024 | The British economy continues to suffer from the effects of Brexit and Donald Trump is to be the next president of the United States.

Last week, a treasury minister, Rachel Reeves the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the Governor of the Bank of England, all referred to the negative effects of Brexit.

The OBR calculated that Brexit will have cost the UK economy 15% of trade intensity [* see below] and 4% of GDP and yet the government continues to talk of growth as being the answer to the UK's economic problems. But where is this growth going to come from?

Donald Trump is to be the new POTUS and it is hoped that he will favour the UK with tariff exemptions or a trade deal**. This seems unlikely. My prediction is that Trump is unlikely to last a full term. He is impulsive, dishonest and will be almost totally unrestrained during his second term. I also expect that he will soon fall out with Elon Musk who, no doubt, feels that he 'bought' the presidency for Trump



* Trade intensity means the ratio between the total value of exports to third countries plus the value of imports from third countries and the total market size for the Union (annual domestic turnover of Union companies plus total imports from third countries) as per Eurostat statistics, Source: Law Insider.

** I disagree with Michael Lambert in this matter. Tariff exemptions, yes; I am all in favour of any tariff exemptions we can get. However, any trade deals with the USA will mean the UK relinquishing its sovereignty. Any deals with Trump will be to America’s advantage. This will not be a level playing field. Do we REALLY want the USA to buy up our hospitals? Do we really want the USA to privatise our NHS? Do we REALLY want chlorinated chicken on our supper plates, or hormone-injected beef? Do we REALLY want a plethora of GMO products on our dinner plates?

Further, any trade deals with the USA will put the UK in a seriously disadvantaged position; they will also push us further apart from the European Union, where we belong. The further the UK and the EU drift apart, the more difficult it will be to rejoin. Moreover, the longer we have been outside the European Union, the clearer it should be becoming to all, even the most Eurosceptics amongst us, that Brexit was a ridiculous experiment in self-harm right from the start. No-one with an iota of understanding of economics and international trade would ever have been in favour of wrenching this country apart from such a successful political and economic union. Cameron, BoJo, and Farage have a great deal to answer for. They have impoverished this nation, they have stunted its economic growth, they have made the European continent more vulnerable to invasion, and they have endangered the peace of our continent. Not forgetting, of course, that the European community was conceived to bring peace after the horrendous wars and suffering in the twentieth century.

The re-election of Trump has made the UK's re-entry into the European Union more urgent than it has been for a long time. It is to the UK's advantage, and the EU's, that Brexit be seen as a huge mistake, damaging both sides. For this reason, we British need to reconsider our membership of this political and economic bloc, and our European brethren and sistren need to find it in them to forgive and move on. Let us deny Putin the pleasure of a weakened Europe. Let us begin working together again. In earnest. — © Mark Alexander

Saturday, November 09, 2024

Michael Lambert: Humanity's Survival at Stake: The 3 Greatest Threats We Face Today

Nov 9, 2024 | The world faces three massive threats, two of which are relatively new and the one of which is a feature of human nature.

Artificial intelligence is the first. In the past 40 years, information technology has transformed our lives and continues to do so. More and more of our lives are now governed by IT. It seems inevitable that very soon machines will become conscious which could have massive implications for humans.

Greed is the second great threat we face. More and more of the world's wealth is now concentrated in the hands of very few rich individuals and corporations whilst millions struggle to survive.

Finally global warming or climate change threatens to make much of our planet uninhabitable. 2024 has been the warmest year ever and we are constantly witnessing various freak weather events. The ice sheets and glaciers continue to melt, and rising temperatures make many parts of the world no longer habitable.

Further, increasing mass migration seems inevitable. Urgent action is necessary and yet there seems little enthusiasm for the extreme measures needed to prevent catastrophe.



This must be the week for doses of misery! We had the first dose earlier in the week with the re-election of Trump. Now this! Before the week is over, there will surely be a third dose! All good things, and bad, usually come in batches of three! Thanks for the reality check, Mr Lambert. 😀 – © Mark Alexander

Saturday, November 02, 2024

Michael Lambert: Going for Growth but No Mention of Small Business

Nov 2, 2024 | After almost four months, the results of the Conservative Party leadership elections are about to be announced. Either Robert Jenrick or Kemi Badenoch will be the new leader. Jenrick has spent much of the campaign warning that foreign terrorists and murderers are walking our streets; Badenoch has been largely unseen.

Rachel Reeves presented her first budget which included raising £40 billion, much of it by increasing employers' National Insurance contributions. There was notably no mention of help for small businesses in the budget despite much talk of 'Going for Growth' which seems to depend upon foreign firms investing in the UK.


Saturday, October 26, 2024

Michael Lambert: How Brexit Is Destroying the UK Economy

Oct 26, 2024 | Brexit has been a catastrophic disaster for the UK economy. Every day we see stories in the media about the many problems that Brexit is causing.

The government recently invited the CEOs of various multi-national companies to London to discuss possible investment in the UK. With so much of our infrastructure and so many of our businesses already foreign owned, the benefit for more multi-nationals controlling more of our economy is questionable.

Barriers to trade since the UK left the EU are causing serious and long-lasting damage to our economy and yet the Labour government under Kier Starmer insists that they will be not ever return to the EU and that instead they intend to "tear down barriers to trade", barriers which they have no authority over and cannot tear down.

Keir Starmer continues to refuse to consider agreeing to the EU's offer to allow UK students to take part in limited one- or two-year exchanges with EU students, thereby denying our youth an outstanding opportunity.

If we are ever to return to the EU, it will require a substantial majority of the country to be in favour. Sadly, there are still many people who are stupid enough to argue that Brexit was a good idea and that we are better off out of the EU.

Two commenters to my last video are examples of the extreme stupidity of such people.


Saturday, October 19, 2024

Michael Lambert: Gothenburg, Sweden Shows How Far the UK Has Fallen behind since Brexit

Oct 19, 2024 | This week, I have visited Gothenburg in Sweden to make another video showing how the quality of life in cities within the EU compares with that of cities in the UK following Brexit. Gothenburg (Göteborg) is the second city of Sweden with a population of around 600,000. It is a clean, well-run city with nice streets and plenty of parks. I saw no empty shops, charity shops, pound shops, betting shops, graffiti or litter. The city was busy, with of plenty of people out shopping.

The food in the supermarket, especially fresh fruit, was outstanding. Prices in restaurants were reasonably and the food was amazing.

Sweden is a progressive country where university education is free, healthcare is inexpensive or free and where parents of new babies can share up to 18 months maternity/paternity leave on 90% of normal pay.

Recently Sweden has become known for violent crime, but this is almost exclusively within immigrant communities and relates to drug gangs who now operate in Sweden.


Saturday, October 12, 2024

Michael Lambert: The British Economy Is Damaged beyond Repair for These Three Reasons

Oct 12, 2024 | This week I visited Gothenburg in Sweden and was shocked by how much better the quality of life is there.

It reminded me again of just how bad the economic situation in the UK has become since Brexit and for three different reasons. The UK economy has passed the point of no return.

We are now destined to decline indefinitely thanks to three reasons. First Brexit has severely damaged the UK economy whereby it is now almost impossible for small- and medium-sized business to trade with the EU because of post Brexit restrictions. This has cost the UK economy £40 billion in lost taxes annually.

The new Labour government under Keir Starmer has made it clear that, whilst they would like to improve relations (reset) with the EU, there will be no return to the Single Market, Customs Union or Freedom of Movement.

The UK property market where houses have become unaffordable for most people has resulted in so much money being sucked out of the economy that people have much less disposable income and that the economy has suffered accordingly, with many pubs, restaurants and shops being forced to close.

Finally the sale to foreigners of many of our major companies and vital utilities and infrastructure has weakened our economy since profits from these enterprises are being sent to foreign shareholders who have very little interest in anything other than a return on their investments.



Politicians today are clueless! They can’t run and manage the country anymore: they make a dog’s dinner of it. Yet politicians of old ran and managed a huge empire! Politicians of yore must have been a hell of a lot smarter than those who are in control today. Politicians today can’t run this small country let alone empire. – © Mark Alexander

Saturday, October 05, 2024

Farage & Johnson Are to Blame for the Post-Brexit Mess We Are In

Oct 5, 2024 | The UK economy has been badly damaged by Brexit. However, the Conservative government made matters very much worse once Boris Johnson became prime minister. Johnson was not a serious politician and during his premiership dishonesty, corruption and incompetence became the norm.

The Covid19 pandemic brought an urgent need for PPE which, instead of being supplied through normal channels was supplied by companies recommended by friends of Tory politicians, leading to widespread supply of faulty or useless PPE. In the meantime, companies which had never supplied PPE before made fortunes.

Last week, the Conservative Party Conference took place in Birmingham. Liz Truss, despite being the shortest-serving and least-successful prime minister ever was present at the event.

Robert Jenrick, Tom Tugendhat, Kemi Badenoch and James Cleverly all made speeches in their bids to become party leader. Jenrick and Cleverly are likely to be the two candidates to be subject to an election amongst Tory Party members.

In this video, I also discuss Priti Patel and Nadhim Zahawi. Patel because she received money for her failed leadership election bid from someone closely connected with someone for whom she helped obtain PPE contracts, and Zahawi because he claimed expenses in order to heat his stables and because of a £5 million penalty he paid HMRC in respect of capital gains tax which he claims he forgot to declare.

Finally I remind viewers how it was Nigel Farage who was principally responsible for Brexit, and it was Boris Johnson who presided over corruption, dishonesty and incompetence which has led the UK to being in the dire situation we now.



The United Kingdom must by now be one of the most corrupt countries in the Western world! – © Mark Alexander

Saturday, September 21, 2024

Michael Lambert: Brexit Has Broken the British Economy and There Is Plenty More Bad News

Sep 21, 2024 | This week, there have been many stories in the media concerning the negative aspects of Brexit. They point out how difficult trade between the UK and the EU has become.

According to Cambridge Econometrics Brexit has already cost the UK more than £140 billion and is likely to cost us £331 billion by the middle of the next decade.

Most sectors of the economy appear to be suffering, but especially agriculture. Import controls on food coming into the UK have been delayed yet again whilst the meat industry struggles with new post Brexit controls.

Many pesticides which were previously prohibited under EU law are now acceptable in the UK, including some which are considered 'highly hazardous'.

The government seems to be relying upon growth to solve our economic problems despite the difficulty of achieving such growth.