Very helpful post. I’ve been trying to get my head around what ministers are trying to do here. Reynolds comes closest when he says he wants regulators to be pro business in order to drive growth. As you observe that might well not be the same as promoting the UK’s strategic economic interests, helping consumers and certainly isn’t the remit of the CMA which is to prevent abuse of market power. I also see a report in today’s FT that ministers aren’t keen on private operators competing with the nationalised train franchises. All a bit of a mess but ultimately looks like there’s a strong anti competition streak in the present administration.
After 40 years experience in UK tech and having grown 2 businesseS to US market leadership, there are no material regulatory barriers nor benefits of deregulation.
Very interesting and troubling. The troubling part is that what is now drawing media coverage of Musk’s overt, arrogant actions appears to be happening/has happened in the UK under the radar. I used to worry about regulatory capture but this is governmental capture of a disturbing
I drew breath at one of your early paragraphs citing environmental regulation as anti-growth. Reading on, I could see why you made the distinction but I wonder what your views are on the tension between growth and environment. It feels like we’re saying “Lord, make me pure but not yet” as immediate term concerns trump longer term survival.
I think this tension is fundamental, even existential. The whole world economy is and has long been predicated on exponential demand/supply and consumption. It can’t continue on this trajectory if we want a habitable future for our children and theirs but I can’t see how this inertia can be redirected when it is driven by such a scale of rent-seeking. There’s obviously more at play but oligopoly and monopoly are in a dangerous ascendancy. I’m too old and too much of a centrist dad but, shit, we do need a revolution!
Very helpful post. I’ve been trying to get my head around what ministers are trying to do here. Reynolds comes closest when he says he wants regulators to be pro business in order to drive growth. As you observe that might well not be the same as promoting the UK’s strategic economic interests, helping consumers and certainly isn’t the remit of the CMA which is to prevent abuse of market power. I also see a report in today’s FT that ministers aren’t keen on private operators competing with the nationalised train franchises. All a bit of a mess but ultimately looks like there’s a strong anti competition streak in the present administration.
The Kill Zone is real
After 40 years experience in UK tech and having grown 2 businesseS to US market leadership, there are no material regulatory barriers nor benefits of deregulation.
William, your article is spot on. Big tech has secured control by taking positions in critical roles in the hierarchies.
Very interesting and troubling. The troubling part is that what is now drawing media coverage of Musk’s overt, arrogant actions appears to be happening/has happened in the UK under the radar. I used to worry about regulatory capture but this is governmental capture of a disturbing
I drew breath at one of your early paragraphs citing environmental regulation as anti-growth. Reading on, I could see why you made the distinction but I wonder what your views are on the tension between growth and environment. It feels like we’re saying “Lord, make me pure but not yet” as immediate term concerns trump longer term survival.
I think the environment vs growth tension is real in many cases and each case poses a dilemma for all parties, and us.
I think this tension is fundamental, even existential. The whole world economy is and has long been predicated on exponential demand/supply and consumption. It can’t continue on this trajectory if we want a habitable future for our children and theirs but I can’t see how this inertia can be redirected when it is driven by such a scale of rent-seeking. There’s obviously more at play but oligopoly and monopoly are in a dangerous ascendancy. I’m too old and too much of a centrist dad but, shit, we do need a revolution!