Larry Elliott



Profile:
Full name: Larry Elliott

Area of interest: Economics (esp. globalisation, trade, Europe, development: interface between economics & environment)

Journals: The Guardian

Email: [mailto:larry.elliott@guardian.co.uk larry.elliott@guardian.co.uk]

Personal website:

Website: Guardian.co/Larry Elliot

Blog: Comments is free...

Representation:

Networks:



Biography:
About:

Education: Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University: BA (Hons) History

Career: Evening Post-Echo, Hemel Hempstead, 1978/1983; Press Association, 1983/1988; The Guardian: 1988-current

Current position/role: Economics editor


 * also writes/has written for:

Other roles: Currently serving as a journalist–trustee with the Scott Trust

Other activities: on the editorial board of Catalyst, a council member of the Overseas Development Institute; visiting fellow at the University of Hertfordshire

Viewpoints/Insight: Blair's legacy: a fantasy island trying to live beyond its means at every level - The Guardian, 14th May 2007

TV/Radio:

Video: Regular broadcaster

Controversy/Criticism:

Awards/Honours: UK Press Gazette: Law Journalist of the Year, 1979; UK Press Gazette: Business Journalist of the Year (Highly Commended), 1997

Other:



Books & Debate:

 * The Age of Insecurity OCLC 38916552, 1998 (with Dan Atkinson)
 * In or out?: Labour and the Euro OCLC 49653707, 2002 (with Andrew Gamble, Janet Bush)
 * Fantasy island OCLC 84151438 - Waking up to the economic, political and social illusions of the Blair legacy, 2007 (with Dan Atkinson)

Latest work: The gods that failed: how blind faith in markets has cost us our future OCLC222163085, with Dan Atkinson, 2008
 * see articles/series The Gods That Failed, The Guardian

Speaking/Appearances:

Current debate: 2009: Chair of the Capitalism in crisis debates, in conjunction with Comment is free, exploring the reasons for the current turmoil, the subsequent impact on the individual and examining what the future holds. Held at Kings place, London. 
 * Part one: The Queen's question: 'Why did no one see it coming?' 24th February
 * Part two: The global economy: Can we fix it? 2nd March
 * Part three: The Corrosion of Character 30th March

The Guardian:
Column name:

Remit/Info: Economics

Section: Guardian financial pages

Role: Economics editor

Pen-name:

Email: [mailto:larry.elliott@guardian.co.uk larry.elliot@guardian.co.uk]

Websites: Guardian.co / Larry Ellott: All articles | Credit crunch | US economy | Economics

Commissioning editor:

Day published: varies

Regularity: frequent

Column format:

Average length:


 * also contributes to the Viewpoint column and Economics on Monday



Articles: 2011

 * City's Labour leanings were a blip - Even when the Tories were losing elections there was still a deep reservoir of support for them among the financiers - 1st October
 * Theory inches ever closer to practice - José Manuel Barroso, announced that Brussels had adopted the idea of a financial transaction tax - 29th September
 * Global economy: it could be autumn 2008 all over again - but worse - A dearth of financial weapons and political disunity over how to fire them could spell a lost decade for the whole world - 23rd September
 * Operation Twist won't kickstart the US economy - The Federal Reserve's latest anti-recession strategy will probably do no harm – but it won't solve America's deep-rooted problems - 22nd September
 * The economic rebalancing act is delivering the downside but not the up - High inflation and a falling pound should squeeze spending and boost exports – but the UK's trade deficit has yet to improve - 13th September
 * Services sector: Bank of England must act while Osborne won't - The appalling PMI data will put pressure on the chancellor but political constraints mean a U-turn is unlikely. At the moment it's up to Threadneedle Street to help avoid the double dip - 5th September
 * with the looters – a beak speaks'' - Magistrates aren't soft, but a spell behind bars won't solve the problems of young offenders I see - 12th August
 * markets on the brink of crisis'' - World's financial markets closed for business nursing losses of more than $2.5 trillion (£1.53tn) after a week of selling - 5th August
 * turmoil carries echoes of August 2007'' - There was the stench of panic in the air again on Thursday. Are we heading for Meltdown 2? - 5th August
 * economy is in a deep hole - but can the debt crisis be averted?'' - Whether there will now be an outbreak of bipartisan harmony in the face of looming economic disaster remains to be seen - 28th July
 * summit: It may be a solution, but doubts remain'' - This seems less of a game-changing deal and more of a complex version of muddling through - 22nd July
 * austerity mantra could lead to disaster'' - As Italy prepares for the latest round of draconian cuts, the eurozone chiefs must recognise they're in a life or death struggle - 15th July
 * triple crunch won't be pretty. But will it banish our economic torpor?'' - There is now potential for not just one crisis but three: ATMs freeze up, the planet warms up and the lights go out - 1st June
 * Greece be the next Lehman Brothers? Yes – and potentially even worse'' - If Athens reneged on its debts it would shatter the markets' confidence in the eurozone project - 18th May
 * bailout: Spain could be the next to fall'' - There is a clear pattern of events in the eurozone, and not much to choose between Portugal and Spain - 8th April
 * a dead cert for default'' - Saddling the Irish public with even more unpayable debts from the banks is grotesquely unfair and economically stupid - 2nd April
 * 2011: Welcome to Planet Osborne'' - There are a few rather crucial flaws in the chancellor's plans for Britain's future ... - 24th March
 * Davos heed the warning signs?'' - The global economy is settling but there are five big issues that the world's political and business leaders should worry about - 27th January
 * Balls: profile of the new shadow chancellor'' - George Osborne's nightmare has come true – his every decision will be relentlessly, expertly picked apart - 21st January
 * knew inflation would be bad, but not this bad'' - The terrible December figures mean it's now 'squeaky bum time' for the Bank of England - 18th January
 * King must hold his nerve'' - The Bank of England was right. Even with inflation, interest rate rises would be a monumental blunder - 14th January



Articles: 2010

 * won't go for Plan B until catastrophe has struck'' - Despite the chill winds threatening the economy the chancellor is too fearful of the markets to make a U-turn for growth - 16th December
 * huge bailout brings the country only brief respite'' - Larry Elliott sees the Irish facing even greater austerity while the country remains hamstrung by the eurozone - 27th November
 * crisis puts Germany in the eurozone driving seat'' - The republic's economic disaster gives Berlin a chance to complete the construction of the single currency on its own terms - 16th November
 * economic analysis: A call for outside help is looking inevitable'' - Former Celtic Tiger looks likely to have to go cap in hand to Brussels and the IMF - 12th November
 * return to the gold standard would solve nothing'' - Robert Zoellick's proposal may seem to offer inflation security, but there are too many strong reasons against it - 8th November
 * review: Osborne gambles with the economy'' - Chancellor George Osborne has bet that he can cut red tape, reduce the deficit without stifling growth and, crucially... rely on the Bank of England to pump more cash into the economy - 23rd October 2010
 * lenders alone cannot hold back double dip in UK housing market'' - Until last month, lenders have been able to keep UK house prices relatively high. This cannot last - 8th October
 * IMF's mood is sombre - and justifiably so'' - Global growth may be reasonably strong, but the IMF sees huge economic imbalances, unaddressed structural weaknesses and early signs of a currency war, and it worries - 6th October
 * austerity measures show us how not to do it'' - Savage budget cuts have prevented the Irish economy, once the poster child for deficit hawks, from returning to growth - 25th September
 * is George Osborne's chance to back away from austerity'' - The OECD's volte-face over the dangers of spending cuts gives the chancellor plenty of cover to rethink his approach. If he doesn't, he will be making a catastrophic blunder - 10th September
 * slowdown part of a wider downward spiral'' - None of the recent surveys yet suggest that the UK has slid back into recession following its strong performance in the second quarter of 2010 - 4th September
 * deniers and deficit deniers. Let the battle begin'' - In the impending economic debate Labour must ensure it defeats the ideology of George Osborne's austerians - 2nd September
 * brand of austerity about as progressive as Thatcher's'' - Sorry Clegg, but the 'we're all in it together' budget would definitely exclude Liberal greats like Beveridge and Keynes - 26th August
 * rebound a double-edged sword for George Osborne and the Bank of England'' - The Bank of England will be concerned that the economy is not strong enough to withstand a hike in interest rates and a tightening of fiscal policy - 31st July
 * Osborne hopes spending cuts will boost growth, but what if they don't?'' - Government's austerity measures could create double-dip recession and there's no real plan B - 19th July
 * risky business'' - According to the Bank of England, we may have overestimated banking's contribution to the economy – and it's all down to risk - 14th July
 * Budd: the end of Osborne's honeymoon'' - The shambles of Budd's departure has called into question the independence of Osborne's Office for Budget Responsibility - 7th July
 * the budget deficit will have a dire effect on the north'' - George Osborne's budget cuts will lead to grinding unemployment in places dependent on the public sector - 30th June
 * has hit a cynical low on aid'' - The richest nations are looking to wriggle out of Gleneagles aid promises, and Cameron's commitment seems skin-deep - 25th June
 * Dems will feel the pinch'' - Osborne's remedy for the dire economy is likely to put his coalition partners under massive pressure - 20th May
 * is right to fear Vince Cable'' - As business secretary, Cable could really shake up banking – unless George Osborne's Treasury blocks his reforms - 13th May
 * parliament: The markets will take a dim view of prolonged horse-trading'' - The UK's AAA rating risks being downgraded - 8th May (Cif at the polls)
 * Greek bailout is not a recovery plan – it is an economic death spiral'' - Normally, the IMF demands countries boost exports by devaluing their currencies and cutting interest rates – but eurozone member Greece can do neither - 4th May
 * Greece may be the first domino'' - Greece's plight could soon be Portugal's. The pound helps Britain, but we are not immune- 29th April
 * by breaking up the big banks'' - We are sleepwalking towards an even deeper crisis. It's time to pinch ourselves, and embark on fundamental reforms - 1st April
 * unemployment data is splendid news on the face of it but ...'' - Britain's flexible labour market has resulted in people taking wage cuts or pay freezes rather than losing their jobs – but this won't do much for the feelgood factor ahead of the election - 20th March
 * from hell'' - Despite the souring of their relationship, both Brown and Darling know who the real enemy is - 25th February
 * faces devaluation, default or deflation. Next stop the IMF'' - Greece left isolated and vulnerable to markets by German refusal to pay for Athenian errors - 12th February
 * of realism blows through Davos after the pessimism of 2009'' - Talking points at the World Economic Forum 2010 included repairing the financial system and gauging the pace of weaning leading economies off stimulants - 1st February (Davos)
 * is unwise to talk Britain down'' - Davos: The more that David Cameron likens the UK to Greece, the more likely that he will have to pick up the pieces if elected - 30th January
 * lament on trade liberalisation'' - Davos: There may be the will to build global institutions to run the world economy, but let's get real: nation states still rule - 28th January
 * have we learned from the worst downturn since the Great Depression?'' - After the mayhem, some conclusions are obvious - but what is not yet clear is what happens next - 26th January
 * said about Wall Street could have been said about the City'' - Obama provided an echo of the New Deal era when he talked of a 'binge of irresponsibility' - 22nd January
 * Old Trafford to Bourneville, it's business as usual for the City'' - The lesson from the sale of Cadbury is that the dominance of the finance sector over the economy remains unchecked - 20th January
 * for retailers to be cheerful in 2010'' - Interest rates will stay low and property prices are on the rise, so there is good cause to expect consumers to continue spending this year - 9th January



Articles: 2009

 * global economy's decade of debt-fuelled boom and bust'' - The story of the noughties is one of unsustainable growth, humbled bankers and a shift in power from west to east - 21st December
 * report: A wolf in sheep's clothing'' - Darling's levy on City bonuses will attract the most attention, but it is low paid workers who will suffer in the end - 10th December
 * on a green industrial revolution'' - Idea of a national investment bank to steer economy towards low carbon future gains ground - 30th November
 * deficit of patience'' - Cameron isn't all wrong about Britain's finances. But to slash spending now would be madness - 26th November
 * is right: rich western banks should pay for the developing world to go green'' - A global tax on banking transactions would curb speculation and the proceeds could break the deadlock on Copenhagen climate talks - 14th November
 * death of the American economic dream'' - This crisis has been a long time in coming, and history suggests that the period of upheaval will be long and painful, just as it was between 1914 and 1945 - 2nd November
 * high will only last so long. Then we're into rehab'' - The employment figures are a boost for Brown, but that can't mask deep structural weaknesses. A jobless recovery looms - 15th October
 * dip likely to be short-lived'' - Downward pressure on inflation will fade over coming months, though prospects for 2010 are less clear - 14th October
 * false economic dawn?'' - To rebalance the world economy we need to keep Americans out of the malls and rush China into spending. Don't hold your breath - 1st October
 * Cameron takes his cues from Black Swan man, the Tories are in trouble'' - A pick-and-mix approach to economics, embracing the idea of banks' creative destruction, hardly befits a future prime minister - 21st August
 * we're back to business as usual it's curtains for Labour'' - The crisis was the perfect opportunity to correct postwar economic policy and face down the City's swinging dicks culture - 12th August
 * talk low blood pressure, not high growth rates'' - Our individual wellbeing can tell us much about the economic health of the nation - 29th July
 * cuts are not the only option. Taxes can be raised, too'' - The ballooning deficit is more about a collapse in revenue than a state splurge. It seems perverse to talk solely of spending - 22nd July
 * on the cheap is costing soldiers' lives'' - With the collapse of communism at the end of the 1980s governments in the west – including Britain, felt they no longer had to spend as much on defence after the Russian threat disappeared - 18th July
 * the G8 tell the truth about aid?'' - The G8 plans to become more accountable on meeting its aid promises – but will it really admit to its own stinginess? - 18th July
 * the bullish G8 leaders wanted'' - The summit in L'Aquila was supposed to be so different. Far from setting the scene for economic recovery, the outlook is still bleak - 9th July
 * the wrong body, the wrong members, the wrong time'' - This summit is even more of a shambles than usual. But there are a couple of reasons to give the G8 a brief stay of execution - 8th July
 * cloud around economy's silver lining'' - Expect mixed economic news – we may see modest growth, but it is unlikely this severe crisis will have short-lived effects - 1st July
 * shoots may not flower'' - Alistair Darling and Mervyn King are right to advise caution in talk of recovery – Britain is still firmly in the grip of a credit crunch - 19th June
 * and Darling too soft on bankers'' - There has never been a better time to cut finance down to size, but Washington and London have ducked the chance to do so - 18th June
 * double-dip recession?'' - As evidence of deflation fails to surface, markets and policy makers are starting to react to inflation threats that may not exist - 17th June
 * of England sucks it, sees and sits on its hands'' - The economy may not be as strong as it looks so the Bank of England is right to resist being trigger happy - 5th June
 * the economy to mend the politics'' - Brown wasted the chance to make radical reforms – and it has rebounded on him - 24th May
 * averted'' - The economy, we're told, is bouncing back. Here is a checklist to help test if the recovery is for real - 13th May
 * Labour's last gasp'' - Darling's budget tried to create a 'dividing line' that you can't cut your way out of recession. But will voters buy it this time? - 23rd April
 * for change: five proposals'' - Road to recovery, how to fix the global economy - 22nd April
 * won't save our jobs. But he may save his own'' - The G20 deal still leaves fundamental problems, despite the PM's upbeat view - yet any recovery could swing an election - 3rd April
 * Maynard Keynes' golden rule breached by Winston Churchill'' - Road to recovery: How to fix the global economy - 24th March
 * shoots are greener'' - Bernanke was trying to boost confidence in the US economy. But in truth the UK signs are brighter - 18th March
 * creates cash: 'This is the last roll of the dice - an unconventional weapon'' - quantitative easing - printing money (audio) - 7th March
 * up the presses'' - The experts agree: the decision to print money is right. But the experts have been wrong before - 6th March
 * east freezes when the west catches cold'' - Eastern Europe is on the verge of mimicking the 1997 Asian economic catastrophe - 2nd March
 * evidence points to paralysis of global economy'' - Data from US and Japan triggered fears that the downturn has turned into the worst slump since the 1930s - 28th February
 * chance of a return to the dark days of the 30s? Don't kid yourself'' - Public fury at Fred Goodwin is a diversion from the real issue: the utter cluelessness of our policymakers - 27th February
 * are on the brink - perhaps it is time to look to the Romantics for what lies ahead'' - The mechanistic approach to economics has failed. We need to embrace creativity - 21st February
 * it up as they go along brings nationalisation of banks ever closer'' - There are only three ways to tackle our financial problems; creative destruction, nationalisation and improvising - 13th February
 * free trade the best way to beat recession?'' - Backlash against globalisation has prompted fears that the world stands on the brink of a new protectionist era - 4th February
 * banks lost the people's trust - they can't recover without regaining it'' - Confidence will be restored only when there is a return to fairness and integrity - 2nd February
 * need to go back to being boring'' - It is time to rediscover the virtues of saving after years of living as spendthrifts - 26th January
 * Road to ruin - Larry Elliott travels along the M62 from Liverpool to Hull, to investigate the impact of the recession on industrial England - 25th January (VIDEO)
 * Obama needs to act fast - but America's problems won't be solved overnight - As the president takes office, he must ensure he remains focused on the recession - 19th January
 * The labour market isn't working - We had all better get used to lengthening dole queues - and fear for a lost generation - 12th January



Articles: 2008

 * Wanted: the Keynes for our times - Marxists and greens have critiques of the crisis, but what about the centre-left? - 22nd December 2008
 * times: how the Fed plans to save the world'' - 18th December 2008
 * such drastic action? The Fed is utterly petrified'' - After 18 months firing blanks, US policymakers have turned to printing money. Convention has gone out the window - 18th December 2008
 * Joining the euro would make things worse - Germany has the right plan but the single currency still makes no sense for the UK - 15th December 2008
 * Will Keynes save the world again? - The statistics become ever grimmer but any remedy requires patience - 8th Decmber 2008
 * room for wishful thinking - the slump is here with a vengeance'' - Forget all talk of soft landings. The shocking jobs data from the US yesterday should remove the last doubt about the potential of the current crisis to turn into the most serious economic shock to the global economy since the 1930s - 6th December 2008
 * convention'' - Twin spectres of deflation and depression mean the response will be more radical than just rate cuts - 5th December 2008
 * is gambling on V, but it could yet be W, U, or even L'' - Labour's fate rests on the shape of the recession. To get the rapid recovery they seek, everything has to come right - 26th November 2008
 * Obama has to find answer to the worst economic mess since FDR's day'' - Not since Roosevelt in 1933 has an incoming US president faced a tougher economic challenge than this one - 22nd November 2008
 * fear for the pound'' - There are many reasons to worry in this financial turmoil, but a sterling crisis is not one of them - 21st November 2008
 * just can't afford tax cuts'' - Gordon Brown has fallen into the trap of thinking bad economics makes good politics. He's wrong - 12th November 2008
 * U-turn shows the Bank to be way behind the curve'' - The late cut in interest rates raises doubts over the competence - and continuing independence - of those who set them - 7th November 2008
 * markets are clear: Britain is mutton dressed up as lamb'' - Labour has failed over 11 years to build an economy fit for the 21st century. And it seems no one has learned the lessons - 29th October 2008
 * in which global catastrophe was averted'' - 18th October 2008 with Jill Treanor
 * possibility'' - Beyond the plummeting markets and whingeing banks is a ray of hope - for a Green New Deal - 17th October 2008
 * nice little earner'' - A levy on currency transactions could raise billions and act to calm markets in turmoil - 15th October 2008
 * the hurricane'' - To avoid future disaster, those who guide the economy must learn to lean against the wind - 10th October 2008
 * ahead of the game'' - Now the denial is over, there are three key tasks: in philosophy, in policy, and practical action - 7th October 2008
 * primal scream of rage is a call for thorough overhaul'' - The whole system has to be rebuilt. A recovery must draw lessons from 90s Sweden, and focus on growth over inflation - 3rd October 2008
 * If a week is a long time in politics, it's an entire career in economics - The prime minister's luck may have turned as the financial crisis worsens - 22nd September 2008
 * finance now faces a long spell on the naughty step'' - 20th September 2008
 * parable of the pork pie'' - Imagine if a supermarket had knowingly sold tainted food. So why should City executives get away with trading 'toxic waste'? - Guardian.co.uk - 17th September 2008
 * week the crash went nuclear, and Britain will feel the worst of the fallout'' - The latest bank collapses reveal the depth of crisis. The UK is badly exposed, and the financial system is broken beyond repair - 16th September 2008
 * aims to blunt Labour's attack on tax and spending'' - 10th September 2008
 * Fannie and Freddie was nationalisation pure and simple'' - 9th September 2008
 * Well done for stating the obvious, Darling - We all know the economy is in a state, but in our dishonest political culture it's refreshing to hear the chancellor admit it - 1st September 2008
 * Can a dose of recession solve climate change? - Subverting the growth-at-all-costs model is appealing but not politically feasible - 25th August 2008
 * Street blues'' - No one expected inflation to be this bad – but decreasing it will be a painful process. What can the Bank of England do? - 12th August 2008 (Guardian.co.uk)
 * crisis - how it all began'' - Suddenly, one August day last year shook the world, turning an Edwardian summer of prosperity into a grim financial crisis - 5th August 2008
 * Lost in the mist - As the gloomy economic headlines pile up, Brown will struggle ever more to convince of his vision - 10th July 2008
 * Sanitation: essential, but not sexy - Clean water is vital to development – but it's low on the G8 list of priorities, because sanitation just doesn't get people fired up - 9th July 2008 (Guardian.co.uk)
 * Supertanker Brown set on the wrong course - 7th July 2008 (Guardian.co.uk)
 * A cut above the rest - Designers have been parading dresses costing £50,000 at the Paris couture collections. But how can anyone afford such extravagance during the current economic slump? - 3rd July 2008
 * The City has got its head in the clouds if it thinks business can go on as usual - Banks need reining in - and to be punished for their stupidity and recklessness - 16th June 2008
 * Take the Fed's rosy outlook with a hefty grain of salt - Brown and Darling will welcome the American optimism. But things seem sure to get worse before they get better - 11th June 2008
 * It's gone to meet its maker. It is no more - In Monty Python terms, voters are not convinced the economy is just resting - 9th June 2008
 * Bank still has plenty to chew on as economy flashes red - The Bank of England is in a tight spot - will it be prepared to cut rates while inflation is still above target?  - 5th June 2008
 * Darling caught between the devil and the MPC - With a raft of gloomy economic news, the chancellor can't even look forward to a cut in interest rates - 5th June 2008
 * A chill wind - The financial markets are in the same situation as Britain's trade unions during the winter of discontent, but there's little sign of reform to follow - 4th June 2008
 * Antic Hay - Hay festival 2008: It may be like Davos for nice people, but getting there by train is enough to turn anyone nasty - 28th May 2008
 * Applying the brakes - A City expert last night drew up a plan of how we might prevent future economic crises, with tough regulation at its heart - 24th May 2008
 * Economies in crisis - The Bank of England took the least worst option today, but cuts in interest rates are unlikely to help the British economy - 10th April 2008
 * Another winter of discontent - The banks can't ignore parallels with the 1970's; they've gained unfettered power and acted with supreme recklessness - 7th April 2008
 * Supernanny, Wallstreet needs you - The banks behave like stroppy teenagers. Little wonder, when their wardens are so inconsistent - 20th March 2008
 * King keeps his throne - The chancellor has given Mervyn King another five-year term at the Bank of England. Lucky or what? - 31st January 2008
 * Davos 08: The ghost of 2005 - The PM's attempts to make poverty history are admirable. But he badly needs others to help with the heavy lifting - 26th January 2008
 * Davos 08: Bill Gates goes red - Bono has not lacked for sceptics since launching his Aids campaign, but whatever you think of him, 'Red' has delivered the goods - 24th January 2008
 * Davos 08: an end in sight for Doha? - This year a new world trade pact may actually be agreed, after years of interminable wrangling - 25th January 2008
 * The market price - The Fed's interest rate-slashing response to this inevitable crisis is flawed and fraught with risk - 24th January 2008
 * Davos 08: When Keynes goes green - 24th January 2008
 * Davos 08: The shifting global balance - How will the world's new axis of power - Beijing, Washington and Brussels - shape future global policy? - 24th January 2008
 * Davos 08: Greed is bad - 23rd January 2008
 * Davos 08: What a difference a year makes - Everyone at the World Economic Forum expects the global economy to slow down - the only dispute is by how much - 23rd January 2008
 * Davos 08: The poacher turned gamekeeper - According to George Soros, this crisis really will be the big one - 23rd January 2008
 * Turn up the Abba, as Alistair takes us back to the 1970's - Britain's economic outlook looks worryingly like that of 30 years ago - and the chancellor is offering little reassurance - 9th January 2008



Links:

 * Wikipedia bio