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final h-e youtube background 10.2.23.jpg

I have been an economic consultant for the past 30 years but it's time for a new challenge.  Having graduated with distinction as an MA in Fine Art 7 years ago, I have been wanting to bring more creativity into my work.  Still wanting to use my extensive economic expertise and experience, I decided to start a Youtube channel on current economic topics.  The Helpful Economist was born!  This will allow me to indulge my passion for forensic attention to technical details and simplifying complex economic issues in new and creative ways.

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We can’t always trust what newspapers & politicians tell us. My job is to check what they say against the data. I’ll do the hard work & make it easy for you to have the key economic facts. I’m passionate about simplifying complex economic issues in new and creative ways.

 

I’m committed to equality & won’t hold back from offering my opinions but I’ll always be accurate & honest. And I’ll try to set out the logic of opposing views. I also believe we need new economic ideas and I’ll be exploring that on the channel. An economics that considers alternatives to the neoliberal, capitalist growth model. An economics that doesn’t treat people as commodities & cares about the environment.

 

I’ve been a professional economist for the past 35 years. After lecturing in economics, I joined the UK Government Economic Service. I’ve been a government policy & regulatory consultant for the past 30 years, including 7 years as Chief Economist at the law firm Mayer Brown & freelance since 2007.  He has an MSc Economics and an MA Fine Art.  For more information see the 'about' tab above.

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What is spiritual economics?
09:46

What is spiritual economics?

I’ve wanted to make this video for some time, exploring “spiritual economics.” While many of my videos tackle conventional economic issues, I feel compelled to go beyond the current system. By “spiritual,” I don’t mean religion or dogma, but rather the metaphysical aspects of life—love, kindness, and connection. Mainstream economics overlooks these truths, focusing solely on material aspects. Ancient wisdom suggests a reality beyond the physical. Our economic system must consider this broader reality to reflect the true nature of human existence. Transformation starts individually, leading to an economy rooted in collaboration, cooperation, and kindness.
The NHS Needs Investment, Not Just Change
11:31

The NHS Needs Investment, Not Just Change

Labour has promised NHS reform, but it’s unclear how much change will really occur. Starmer’s plan centers on three reforms: digitizing the NHS, shifting care from hospitals to communities, and focusing on prevention. While these are positive steps, they lack the necessary financial backing. The Darzi report highlights austerity’s damaging effects, showing that underfunding and outdated infrastructure are key issues. Starmer’s refusal to raise taxes for investment, echoing Tory rhetoric, leaves the NHS in danger of continued decline. Without significant funding increases, the reforms amount to little more than sticking plasters on a system needing major surgery.
Does it make sense to cut the winter fuel allowance?
09:13

Does it make sense to cut the winter fuel allowance?

The winter fuel allowance cuts will cause harm, even deaths, among pensioners, though Labour claims the cuts are necessary. While the payment is unnecessary for wealthy pensioners, the savings of £1.3 billion represent a mere 0.1% of government spending and about 6% of a perceived £22 billion deficit, which is exaggerated. The cuts will exclude millions of pensioners, with Age UK warning that many just above the low-income threshold will be left without help. Labour’s 2017 analysis warned of 4,000 deaths from similar cuts proposed by the Conservatives, showing the grave impact of such austerity measures.
Guide to Environmental Economics: Rethinking Ownership and Sustainability
09:01

Guide to Environmental Economics: Rethinking Ownership and Sustainability

The idea of “owning” the Earth is a profound misconception, driving centuries of economic activity, colonization, and environmental exploitation. Neoliberal economics, focused on growth and consumption, ignores natural limits and fails to account for externalities like pollution. Environmental economics challenges this view, urging a radical shift toward sustainability, degrowth, and valuing natural capital. Market-based solutions, like carbon pricing, commodify nature without addressing long-term ecological balance. Instead, we need a new economic model, one that prioritizes sustainability, equity, and spiritual interconnectedness, recognizing that true progress lies in consuming less and living within the Earth’s limits.
UK Green Party: beyond left and right economics
10:08

UK Green Party: beyond left and right economics

The UK Green Party offers a radical economic vision by blending environmental policy with socialist and spiritual ideas, focusing on sustainability and social justice. Unlike mainstream parties stuck in neoliberal and fiscal conservatism, the Greens propose wealth taxes, public ownership of utilities, and higher wages. Their inclusive, non-divisive approach appeals across political divides, with a focus on ecological sustainability and respect for nature. This holistic “spiritual economics” transcends left-right politics, aiming for a new, humane economic model that addresses climate change, inequality, and public well-being, while avoiding the dilution of radical principles through mainstream political assimilation.
The paradox of losing money
09:06

The paradox of losing money

We fear losing money as if it defines us, but financial loss can liberate rather than diminish us. Wisdom from ancient teachings suggests detaching from material outcomes brings freedom. Three principles emerge: (1) offset monetary loss by valuing broader benefits, as seen with investors finding fulfillment beyond profit; (2) view loss as a learning experience, echoing Edison’s perseverance; and (3) embrace non-attachment to money, as Buddha and Jesus taught, freeing us from suffering when we disconnect our identity from possessions. This reframing opens the door to a more radical, purpose-driven approach to economics. ____________________
The Post-COVID Wealth Boom: how wealth soared while inequality increased
06:55

The Post-COVID Wealth Boom: how wealth soared while inequality increased

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the wealth inequality in the UK, where the top 10% already owned 43% of the wealth. While real wages stagnated, asset prices soared, largely driven by Quantitative Easing (QE). QE, which involved the Bank of England purchasing £895 billion in bonds, inflated financial and property assets, disproportionately benefiting wealthy asset owners. Meanwhile, the lower half of the population saw minimal gains. This growing divide highlights the distinction between productive and non-productive wealth, where asset appreciation enriches the rich without contributing to broader economic growth, exacerbating inequality and social instability.
Why house prices have not crashed
06:52

Why house prices have not crashed

After COVID, the rich got richer while others suffered. Despite economic hardship and predictions of a housing market crash, house prices increased by 3-4%. This is because the wealthiest 10%, who own 38% of UK property, were largely unaffected by high interest rates and continued to invest. The wealthy, whose post-COVID wealth surged, now dominate the market, while the bottom 30-40% of earners are effectively priced out, often forced to rent from the wealthiest. Traditional economic logic about house prices, interest rates, and mortgage defaults simply doesn’t apply to the wealthiest half of the population.
Trust Our Politicians, Not Arbitrary Fiscal Rules
08:08

Trust Our Politicians, Not Arbitrary Fiscal Rules

The Conservatives accuse Labour of manipulating fiscal rules to allow for more borrowing, highlighting the absurdity of these constraints. Fiscal rules are economically flawed and politically expedient rather than helpful. Abandoning or changing them would be desirable, though Labour’s changes seem minimal. Both parties adhere to rules requiring debt reduction within five years, but these are arbitrary and lack economic basis. Such rules restrict government flexibility, leading to poor long-term investments and short-term thinking. Moreover, they undermine democratic accountability, infantilizing politicians and allowing them to shirk responsibilities. Markets, driven by laziness, rely on these simplistic, misleading metrics.


Cliff Stevenson
 

Consultant, Economist, Artist, Mentor

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