Olly Bartrum
Senior Economist
Olly's recent work
The parties should focus on substance as well as sales ahead of the election
Election fever is hotting up in the aftermath of the local elections.
When to run the next spending review
The next government must hold an urgent spending review before a budget 'cliff edge'.
Four things we learned from Rachel Reeves’ Mais lecture
What is the shadow chancellor’s vision for the economy?
All work
Rachel Reeves has made welcome moves to improve fiscal policy making
Liz Truss's autumn mini-budget is a lesson in how not to do fiscal policy.
George Osborne’s Treasury could have done more to prepare for the pandemic
The former chancellor appeared at the Covid Inquiry this week to defend his record in the years leading up to the pandemic.
The successes and failures of the Treasury's Covid response
The Treasury’s secretive approach to working with other departments hindered aspects of the government's Covid pandemic response.
The Treasury during Covid
The Treasury's Covid approach contributed to "tug of war" in government.
Six things we learnt from the spring budget 2023
What the chancellor's announcement revealed about the government's plans for tax and spending policy.
Energy regulation requires trade-offs the regulator cannot make alone
Government must not cut Ofgem adrift in political seas.
Better use of data is needed for better energy support policies
The energy crisis has exposed the Treasury’s failure to use data to shape policy, a gap which needs fixing across government.
Energy price cap
Amid soaring energy bills, we explain what the Ofgem price cap is and how it's calculated.
Blocking OBR forecasts undermines the credibility of Liz Truss’s economic plans
The new prime minister and chancellor should stand up for the Official for Budget Responsibility instead of blocking the publication of its forecasts
Electricity market
The price of natural gas continues to largely determine the price that consumers pay for electricity.