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Hamish McRae
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Hamish McRae

Hamish McRae is an award-winning business and economics journalist. He writes a weekly column for i.

Article thumbnail: FILE PHOTO: People walk outside the Bank of England in the City of London financial district in London, Britain May 11, 2023. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls/File Photo
Hamish McRae

I was wrong about UK interest rates – economists like me need to understand why

My mistake, I think, was not paying enough attention to what the markets wanted

Hamish McRae

Thames Water has been a disaster for 20 years. We're too late for renationalisation

Hamish McRae

The clouds darken for home buyers but the Government must stand firm

Article thumbnail: New Pound coins. Introduced in 2017.
Hamish McRae

If Sunak wants to boost trade, he should forget Britain's 'special relationship' with the US

Hamish McRae

How the US debt ceiling deal could help steady the UK's housing market

Article thumbnail: NORTHWICH, ENGLAND - JULY 06: In this photo illustration a small selection of essential items sits in a shopping trolley on July 06, 2022 in Northwich, England. The British Retail Consortium recently said food manufacturers and supermarkets are having to pass on some of the cost of soaring raw materials to consumers, leading to the price of basic goods throughout the UK rising at the fastest pace since September 2008. Fresh food prices increased by 6% in the year to June 2022 coupled with an increase in inflation, and fuel and energy prices to create a cost of living crisis. This is leading to millions of low-income households going without essentials items, falling behind on bills and taking on debt. (Photo illustration by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Article thumbnail: NORTHWICH, ENGLAND - JULY 06: In this photo illustration a small selection of essential items sits in a shopping trolley on July 06, 2022 in Northwich, England. The British Retail Consortium recently said food manufacturers and supermarkets are having to pass on some of the cost of soaring raw materials to consumers, leading to the price of basic goods throughout the UK rising at the fastest pace since September 2008. Fresh food prices increased by 6% in the year to June 2022 coupled with an increase in inflation, and fuel and energy prices to create a cost of living crisis. This is leading to millions of low-income households going without essentials items, falling behind on bills and taking on debt. (Photo illustration by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Article thumbnail: Bundles of new polymer British 20-pound banknotes sit in a basket in a warehouse operated by G4S Plc in London, U.K. on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020. Political stability in the U.K. is keeping the pound steady, while rate-cut bets and falling hedging costs are luring borrowers. Photographer: Jason Alden/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Article thumbnail: Bundles of new polymer British 20-pound banknotes sit in a basket in a warehouse operated by G4S Plc in London, U.K. on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020. Political stability in the U.K. is keeping the pound steady, while rate-cut bets and falling hedging costs are luring borrowers. Photographer: Jason Alden/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Article thumbnail: LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 11: A general view of the Bank of England ahead of the central banks interest rate announcement on May 11, 2023 in London, England. The country's central bank has been steadily raising interest rates since last December to help curb the UK's persistent inflation. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Article thumbnail: LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 11: A general view of the Bank of England ahead of the central banks interest rate announcement on May 11, 2023 in London, England. The country's central bank has been steadily raising interest rates since last December to help curb the UK's persistent inflation. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Article thumbnail: LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - 2023/03/31: A woman walks past an estate agent in central London, as UK house prices fall at the fastest annual rate since 2009. (Photo by Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Article thumbnail: LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - 2023/03/31: A woman walks past an estate agent in central London, as UK house prices fall at the fastest annual rate since 2009. (Photo by Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)