Taken from the Evening Standard 5 August 2014, Gerald Lyons, Mayor’s Office advisor and economist, stated that’ the time frame over which business looks ahead can only be a few years… in that business model, there is bias towards the status quo, or avoiding unnecessary uncertainty.’  Mr Lyons also quoted from the new ‘Europe Report’, published in Aug 2014 with an analysis looking 20 years ahead and prepared with the help of Volterra economic consultancy. The report stated:

The current size of the London economy is £350B per yr, about a quarter of that in the UK.

1 The Report concludes that the best outlook for the UK and London over the next 20 years would be in a reformed EU. In that scenario, London’s economy could grow to £640B per yr, omitting inflation, so is real growth. This could generate 1M extra jobs in London to 2034.    …

Boris Johnson must remain an outsider on immigration if he is committed to Britain’s prosperity and wants to cultivate his leadership credentials  

Nonconformity defines Boris Johnson’s public image and wins him much admiration. Now he risks sacrificing this valuable asset to tailor himself for the Tory top job. Fellow Conservatives are ransoming the leadership, pressurising him to adopt tougher rhetoric on immigration. Such a move would surely dismay voters who value his tenacity, an attribute so vital for defending our open economy.

Mr Johnson’s relatively moderate attitude towards migrants is increasingly singular in Britain’s political elite. All the major parties compete in Ukip’s shadow to appear toughest on incomers, especially those from new EU countries. Theresa May, another potential contestant in any future Tory leadership tussle, fears immigration pushes up property prices – something Mr Johnson calls illogical – and backs David Cameron’s aim to supress net migration to…