Michael Lambert: Keir Starmer's Current Path Might Just Lead to a Nigel Farage Victory

Mar 22, 2025

Michael Lambert: Will Targeting the Poor Really Fix Britain's Financial Issues?

Mar 15, 2025 | The UK economy is doing very badly. Donald Trump is ensuring that the US economy will also suffer by applying tariffs to America's neighbours and others all over the world. This is likely to seriously damage the US economy just as Brexit has damaged the UK economy.

T rump last week applied 25% tariffs to all imports into the US of aluminium and steel. The EU and others immediately responded with reciprocal tariffs. The UK did nothing, but will be sending the Secretary of State for Business to the US for talks.

In the meantime, Trump's state visit is still going ahead and promises to be a major embarrassment for the UK and King Charles.

The Labour government of Kier Starmer has decided to investigate benefit recipients for fraud. This is likely to be very expensive and to yield very little compared to the vast losses associated with Brexit, supplies of faulty PPE, and the writing off of £19.7 billion of unpaid Bounce Back loans.

The government under Starmer seems wary of offending the rich, whilst dirty money floods into London, often to take advantage of our tax havens.

Council tax needs reform when a £150 million house in London only pays £4000 per year.

Many retail businesses throughout the UK seem to be unviable and yet are able to continue to operate in what is almost certainly money laundering.

The government appears to be afraid of offending the many rich who come to London for whatever reason.

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

‘Britain Has Sold Its Economy to the US’ – Angus Hanton on How America Really Runs Britain

Feb 11, 2025 | Angus Hanton, author of Vassal State: How America Runs Britain, joins Freddy Gray to talk about the economic relationship between Britain and America. As the world adjusts to the new US administration, every day seems to bring news of new potential tariffs. Is the UK a prime target for Trump? What could the impact on tariffs be? And what are the long-term questions facing British politicians about both the economic and political relationship with the US?

So much for the sovereignty we got back after Brexit! And so much for Thatcher’s jumble sale of all things British! What a sh***y mess we have got ourselves into! – © Mark Alexander

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

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.

Michael Lambert: UK Economy - Where Is the Growth Coming from?

Jan 18, 2025

Michael Lambert: Is the UK Economy Finished?

Dec 28, 2024

Bank of England Holds Interest Rate at 4.75% but Warns of UK Stagnation Risk

THE GUARDIAN: Central bank downgrades growth forecast amid threat from budget fallout, rising inflation and Trump trade tariffs

The Bank of England has kept UK interest rates unchanged but warned Britain’s economy is on the brink of stagnation after Rachel Reeves’s budget as the world faces stubbornly high inflation and the risk of Donald Trump reigniting trade wars.

Holding interest rates at 4.75% in a widely expected decision, the central bank’s monetary policy committee (MPC) said on Thursday it had slashed its UK forecasts for the final three months of the year with a prediction of zero economic growth. The Bank had predicted growth of 0.3% as recently as November.

Highlighting the chancellor’s £40bn tax-raising budget, alongside rising geopolitical tensions and trade policy uncertainty after Trump’s November election victory, the MPC said growth was faltering while inflation risks remained. » | Richard Partington, Economics correspondent | Thursday, December 19, 2024

UK’s Economy Shrinks Unexpectedly by 0.1% in October

THE GUARDIAN: GDP figures underline scale of challenge for Labour to get the economy growing

Britain’s economy shrank by 0.1% in October, underlining the scale of Labour’s challenge to get the economy growing.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics showed the unexpected fall in GDP was driven by declines in construction and production, while the dominant services sector stagnated. » | Guardian staff and agencies | Friday, December 13, 2024

THE TELEGRAPH:

Britain ‘on recession watch’ as economy shrinks: Britain has been placed “on recession watch” after official figures showed the economy shrank for the second month in a row in October. »

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.

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

UK Inflation Rises to 2.3%, Increasing Pressure to Delay Interest Rate Cut

THE GUARDIAN: Figure is above Bank of England target after energy bills push up prices

Inflation increased to 2.3% in October, heaping pressure on the Bank of England to delay further interest rate cuts until next year.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Wednesday showed that a rise in energy bills pushed up the consumer prices index (CPI), reversing a downward trend this year in inflation, which was 1.7% in September.

The figure for the year to October was slightly above the 2.2% City economists had expected. » | Phillip Inman | Wednesday, November 20, 2024

THE TELEGRAPH: Interest rates to ‘stay higher for longer’ after inflation blow: Interest rates risk staying “elevated for longer”, economists have warned, after inflation rose at a faster pace than expected last month. / Policymakers are “unlikely” to cut borrowing costs at its meeting in December, analysts said, after the pace of price rises surged back above the Bank of England’s 2pc target in October. »

The Observer View on Trade Relations: Closer Ties with EU Is the Lever for Economic Growth

THE OBSERVER: Amid sluggish UK productivity and global insecurity, pulling closer to Europe is diplomatically and economically vital

Achieving the fastest sustainable growth in the G7 was the Labour party’s highest-profile pledge going into the general election last July. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said that boosting growth is “at the heart of everything she does”. But there was concerning news last week with new figures showing the economy grew by just 0.1% in the three months to the end of September, falling significantly short of expectations.

Some business leaders have linked this anaemic growth to uncertainty in the run-up to last month’s budget. But it will largely still be a product of factors outside the new chancellor’s control, including the decisions of the last Conservative government.

It is nevertheless disturbing news for Labour as well as for the country. The Resolution Foundation forecasts disposable household income per person is forecast to rise by just 0.5% a year on average over the course of this parliament. The results of the US election sound an important alarm bell about the extent to which voters are willing to punish incumbent centre-left governments for failing to deliver noticeable increases in living standards. » | Observer editorial | Saturday, November 16, 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.

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

P&O Ferries Owner Pulls £1bn UK Investment after Rayner Attack

THE TELEGRAPH: Dubai company chief withdraws from investment summit after Deputy PM’s criticism of employment practices

P&O owner DP World has put a £1bn expansion of one of Britain’s biggest container hubs on hold after ministers attacked the ferry company’s employment practices.

The Dubai-based business had planned to announce the investment in London Gateway port at a summit convened by Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, next week.

However, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the DP World boss, will no longer attend the event after Louise Haigh, the Transport Secretary, and Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, described P&O as “unscrupulous” and “exploitative” this week. » | Christopher Jasper, Transport industry editor | Friday, October 11, 2024

American Corporations Are Buying Up Britain–It's Very Bad for Ordinary British People: Angus Hanton

Premiered Sep 19, 2024 | NTD’s Lee Hall sits down with economist and entrepreneur Angus Hanton to discuss how Britain’s businesses are being taken over by U.S. interests, the scale of the takeover, what’s behind it, and why no one is talking about it.

Michael Lambert: Brexit Has Weakened the UK Economy and Made Growth Almost Impossible

Jul 27, 2024 | The new Labour government under Sir Keir Starmer has started well with many excellent new measures which include 40,000 more NHS appointments every week and 700,000 urgent dental appointments per year. All of these new measures are fully funded. However, any further extra spending which is urgently needed will have to come from economic growth.

The UK economy is not doing well with a recent survey showing that almost 540,000 businesses are in significant financial distress and 47,000 are on the verge of collapse.

The previous Conservative government squandered £100 billion which contributed to the current dire economic situation. However, it is Brexit that has caused so much economic damage and made it so much more difficult, if not impossible, for the UK economy to recover. Growth seems impossible.


We all know whom we can thank for that ridiculous Brexit. All the clowns! The first three clowns that come to mind are Cameron for calling the Brexit referendum, Farage for instigating the trouble in the first place, and BoJo for lying to the electorate and making a dog’s dinner of the whole thing. – © Mark Alexander

Did Thatcher Ruin or Save the UK Economy?

Jan 29, 2024 | The economic impact of Margaret Thatcher's economic policies was immense. This is a look at the impact on inflation, unemployment, growth, inequality and the long-term structure of the economy.