Opinions from bankers
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Andrea Leadsom, Conservative Member of Parliament for South Northamptonshire
agrees
Fracking
In 2003, we were a net exporter of gas. By 2030 we expect to be importing close to 75% of the gas we consume. By making the most of our home-grown gas we can safeguard our own domestic supply whilst also cutting our carbon emissions.
Charles Dallara, American economist
disagrees
Tariffs
Threats of trade protectionism, plus unilateral actions on the exchange-rate front, such as the heavy interventions of China, Japan, and Switzerland in the currency markets - not to mention the retaliatory tariffs recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives - endanger growth prospects and could further depress financial market confidence.
Alan Greenspan, American economist
disagrees
Tariffs
Protectionism will do little to create jobs and if foreigners retaliate, we will surely lose jobs.
Manmohan Singh, Former prime minister of India
disagrees
Tariffs
Protectionism is a very real danger. It is understandable that in times of a severe downturn protectionist pressures mount but the lessons of history are clear. If we give in to protectionist pressures, we will only send the world into a downward spiral.
Bob Beauprez,
agrees
Fracking
I’m pro-fracking, because I’m pro-good science driving good policy. And the science is overwhelming. It’s, this isn’t brand new. It’s brand new to a lot of people, but as you know, Hugh, we’ve been fracking wells in the United States for over 60 years. Over a million of those wells have been fracked. Even people like Lisa Jackson, when she was the EPA administrator for Barack Obama, far from some ...
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Lawrence Summers, Economist and Harvard University Professor
It is widely feared that half the jobs in the economy might be eliminated by innovations such as self-driving vehicles, automatic checkout machines and expert systems that trade securities more effectively than humans can.
Emmanuel Macron, French President
I do not believe that autonomous vehicles will exist without any drivers at all. For me, that’s pure imagination. You already have fully automated programs to drive planes. Therefore we technically could have planes with no pilots. But you still have two pilots in every plane. Even if almost everything is automated. That’s because you need to have responsibility, precisely. So what we will reduce ... See More
Emmanuel Macron, French President
Being focused on protecting jobs is not the right answer. It’s the people you need to protect. You do so by giving them opportunities and by training and retraining them again to get new jobs. Don’t block the change because it’s coming and people will accept it. But try to be at the fore-front of change to better understand it and deal with it. Change can destroy jobs in the very short run, but cr... See More
Mike Bloomberg, American businessman and politician, former mayor of new york city
agrees
Soda taxes
Noncommunicable diseases are a growing global crisis, especially in low-and-middle income countries. There’s substantial evidence that taxes and fiscal policies are essential to confronting this health threat.
Mike Bloomberg, American businessman and politician, former mayor of new york city
agrees
Health taxes
Noncommunicable diseases are a growing global crisis, especially in low-and-middle income countries. There’s substantial evidence that taxes and fiscal policies are essential to confronting this health threat.
Emmanuel Macron, French President
agrees
Ban Autonomous Weapons
I’m dead against [autonomous weapons]. Because I think you always need responsibility and assertion of responsibility. And technically speaking, you can have in some situations, some automation which will be possible. But automation or machines put in a situation precisely to do that would create an absence of responsibility. Which, for me, is a critical issue. So that’s absolutely impossible. Tha...
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Emmanuel Macron, French President
[We need] deeper integration between eurozone states, including a real eurozone budget [and a] a permanent finance minister who leads this executive. This is a democratic responsibility on the eurozone level, and as such it requires maximum ambition
William C. Dudley, President of Federal Reserve Bank of New York
disagrees
Cryptocurrencies
[Bitcoin is] more of a speculative activity.
Jamie Dimon, Chairman, CEO and President of JP Morgan Chase
agrees
Cryptocurrencies
[Bitcoin ETFs could be the] holy grail for owners and investors.
Steven Mnuchin, 77th and current United States Secretary of the Treasury as part of the cabinet of Donald Trump
disagrees
Cryptocurrencies
We encourage fintech, we encourage innovation, but we want to make sure that all of our financial markets are safe and aren't being used for illicit activities.
Christine Lagarde, IMF Managing Director
disagrees
Cryptocurrencies
It's clearly a domain where we need international regulation and proper supervision.
Emmanuel Macron, French President
Pornography has nowadays entered schools. We cannot on the one hand blame violences against women, and on the other hand close our eyes on the influence that porn, which makes of sexuality a theatre of humiliation and violences against women - who come across as having given consent -, exerts on young souls.
Lawrence H. Summers, Harvard economist and former US Treasury secretary
agrees
Soda taxes
We have strong evidence from around the world that raising taxes on products like tobacco, sugar sweetened beverages and alcohol is highly effective at reducing harmful consumption and saving lives. I think this is about as close to free-lunch, win-win policy as economists have found
Lawrence H. Summers, Harvard economist and former US Treasury secretary
agrees
Health taxes
We have strong evidence from around the world that raising taxes on products like tobacco, sugar sweetened beverages and alcohol is highly effective at reducing harmful consumption and saving lives. I think this is about as close to free-lunch, win-win policy as economists have found
Alan Blinder, Economist
agrees
Carbon Tax
The 'bang for the buck' from a phased-in CO2 levy would be infinite at first—lots of jobs at zero cost to the federal budget.
Donal Marron,
agrees
Carbon Tax
Putting a price on carbon is the most efficient way to reduce carbon emissions.
Lawrence H. Summers, Harvard economist and former US Treasury secretary
disagrees
Robot Tax
First, I cannot see any logic to singling out robots as job destroyers. There are many kinds of innovation that allow the production of more or better output with less labor input. Why pick on robots? Second, much innovative activity, even of a robotlike variety, involves producing better goods and services rather than simply extracting more output from the same input. Third, and perhaps most fund...
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Peter Thiel, Technology entrepreneur and investor
Thiel foundation is the single largest donor to MIRI, an organization founded by the illustrious Eliezer Yudkowsky
Lawrence Summers, Economist and Harvard University Professor
agrees
Carbon Tax
But there should be no doubt that starting from the current zero tax rate on carbon, increased taxation would be desirable
Matt Ridley, Journalist, businessman and a Conservative member of the House of Lords.
agrees
Brexit
Harmonising standards is good but doing so at the regional level makes no sense. In fintech, in ag-tech, in digital, in biotech – the action is at the global level, where our voice is just 1/28th of a seat. We could be chairing these bodies.
Douglas Flint, Chairman of HSBC bank
disagrees
Brexit
Our strong economic view is that Britain is better within a reformed Europe.
Sajid Javid,
disagrees
Brexit
I am not suggesting everything is certain by remaining but there is a lot more uncertainty [if we leave the EU] … Uncertainty is the enemy of jobs and growth.
Emmanuel Macron, French President
disagrees
Brexit
When you [Britain] discuss your steel industry with China you are credible because you are part of the EU, not because you are just UK. You will be completely killed otherwise.
Andrea Leadsom, Conservative Member of Parliament for South Northamptonshire
agrees
Brexit
The EU’s cherished freedom of movement for people within its borders puts enormous strain on our NHS, our education and our housing.
Michael Geoghegan, International banking business executive, former CEO of HSBC
agrees
Brexit
The UK’s businesses and in particular its financial services sector would thrive outside the EU if the country votes to leave.
Christine Lagarde, IMF Managing Director
disagrees
Brexit
It is bound to be a negative on all fronts. For those that stay, because there are fewer of them, and for those who go, because they lose the benefit of facilitation of exchange.
Mark Carney, Bank of England Governor
disagrees
Brexit
Brexit could hit the country's £2.04 trillion economy and prompt some banks to move away from London's global financial powerhouse
George Soros, Business magnate, investor, and philanthropist
disagrees
Brexit
The UK will struggle if it cuts itself off from the rest of Europe
Jacob Wallenberg, Chairman of Investor AB
disagrees
Brexit
Brexit would be very negative for Europe. The axis of London-Paris-Berlin changing to Paris-Berlin would be a significant change to the core of Europe.
Marcus Wallenberg, Chairman of FAM and Vice Chairman of Investor AB
disagrees
Brexit
It would be negative for both European and British finance, and probably not a very good thing for the UK generally.
John Nelson, Chairman, Lloyds of London
disagrees
Brexit
I can’t emphasise too strongly the importance of the UK’s relationship with the EU, not only for Lloyd’s but also the rest of the UK economy.
Michael Sherwood, Co-CEO, Goldman Sachs International
disagrees
Brexit
In all likelihood we would transfer a substantial part of our European business from London to a eurozone location – the most obvious contenders being Paris and Frankfurt.
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