Project Fear warning on house prices was wrong – EXPRESS COMMENT
IF you cast your mind back to the first half of 2016 and the days of the EU referendum campaign you may just recall George Osborne’s warning that a vote for Brexit would see house prices fall by 18 per cent.
This was Project Fear at its very worst as the then chancellor used a flimsy report stuffed with dubious statistics to threaten British homeowners.
Fast forward to the present day and we can see what really happened to house prices after the Leave victory. A report from the Office for National Statistics – based on actual figures rather than bogus projections – shows that average house prices have risen almost five per cent in the 12 months leading up to June this year.
One by one the doom and gloom warnings are being proved wrong. Economic growth is strong and employment is high.
Even the leaders of big businesses, many of whom backed Project Fear, are showing confidence in Britain with a number of important firms having announced big plans to invest and expand in this country.
Just think what more we can achieve when we are freed from the EU shackles. We can cut red tape and encourage enterprise, sign new trade deals and engage with the world again, and spend the billions we send to Brussels on our own priorities whether that’s improving public services, paying down the national debt or lowering taxes.
What a relief that on June 23 last year voters said no to the scaremongering of Project Fear and chose to believe in Britain instead.
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Get serious about care
Britain's ageing population means nearly 190,000 new care home places could be required within less than 20 years.
This is a major concern to millions yet our politicians cannot resist using the difficulties facing the care system as nothing more than an opportunity to score points over their opponents.
This issue is too important for such games. What we need is for opposition parties to work constructively with the Government towards a proper plan that can secure the long-term future of the care system. There’s no time to waste.
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Modern etiquette update
A new survey on what makes a modern gentleman includes 21st-century tips such as not using a mobile phone at the dinner table.
However suggestions such as holding doors open and walking on the road-side of the pavement would be just as familiar to a polite Victorian.
While some of what counts as good manners may change, it’s good to know that they still maketh the man
