This week has seen the first Labour Party Conference since the General Election in July 2024. Looking ahead to the Chancellor’s first budget in October, Rachel Reeves announced there would be no increase in income tax, national insurance or VAT, refusing to return to austerity. There was an announcement of the return of industrial strategy. … Continue reading “West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 26 September 2024”
Month: September 2024
Rail Nationalisation – Real Policy Change or Just Ideology?
The UK Labour Government’s plan to renationalise train operating companies aims to gradually transition them to state control as contracts expire, but this move is more a continuation of existing trends than a radical shift. Professor Donald Houston, Dr Magda Cepeda-Zorrilla and Dr Sara Hassan look at the core challenges facing British railways. The UK … Continue reading “Rail Nationalisation – Real Policy Change or Just Ideology?”
Project Spotlight: Socio-Economic Impact Model for the UK (SEIM-UK)
In a new series of blogs, we will be reviewing the current and historical work of City-REDI and WMREDI. In the first blog from this series, we look at SEIM-UK, an economic model that City-REDI has used to assess the economic impact of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, the impact of Council tax cuts, and help … Continue reading “Project Spotlight: Socio-Economic Impact Model for the UK (SEIM-UK)”
Rethinking Regional Policy: Embracing the Capability Approach (Key Learnings From Maria Abreu’s Seminar)
In the realm of regional policy, there exists a conventional approach which focuses on resources and life satisfaction. However, a more inclusive and pluralistic perspective, known as the capability approach, has gained popularity. Though commonly implemented in small-scale projects, it has the potential to revolutionize regional policy. In this blog, Sara Hassan writes about Maria’s … Continue reading “Rethinking Regional Policy: Embracing the Capability Approach (Key Learnings From Maria Abreu’s Seminar)”