Alex Singleton

I was on BBC Radio yesterday talking about the situation in Burma. Aside from putting some of the issues in context, I made the point that sanctions have to be very carefully thought through. History has shown they have a relatively poor success rate. Indeed, the rather draconian economic sanctions imposed by the US have […]

Frustrated at the some of the claims of development campaigners, Commissioners Peter Mandelson and Louis Michel have written an open letter setting out their case. They argue, as I have repeatedly done, that:
No one believes the status quo is working. Africa’s dependence on trade preferences and a few basic commodities has seen it fall far […]

The Financial Times has an article on the economics of Nicolas Sarkozy. It says:
Interestingly, many “Sarko watchers” note his almost uncompromising free market approach on domestic issues such as taxation and the labour market, while areas where he must bow to Brussels – such as competition – attract the most protectionist outbursts.
For Alex Singleton, head […]

The UK Government, headed by Gordon Brown, was forced yesterday to guarantee deposits in Northern Rock, a British retail bank. Thousands of panicking depositors had been demanding their funds in a remarkable scene for Britain: a run on a bank.
Now people are starting to wonder if the UK’s economy is as secure as is often […]

It is commonly believed that it is in the French national interest to keep quotas on textiles from China. The idea of French business as sickly and needing constant protection is unfortunate and inaccurate. But it is fuelled by constant demands from French politicians to protect this industry or that, and of course to promote […]

I have the following letter in today’s Independent newspaper:
Thank goodness the BBC has cancelled its day-long Planet Relief. Fighting climate change is essential, but discussions about how to solve it are already too often hijacked by those who simply want to attack globalisation and the market economy. Having comedians urge viewers to do […]

The European Parliament has today thrown out unnecessary proposals encouraging cigarette-style warnings of bottles of alcohol. This is a victory for common sense. Puritanical anti-alcohol lobbyists are outraged, but could it not just be that, frankly, the last thing we want is to be hectored by a demonising label on a bottle of Bordeaux?
Inevitably, there […]