This blog post has been produced to provide insight into the findings of the Birmingham Economic Review. The Birmingham Economic Review 2019 is produced by City-REDI, University of Birmingham and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, with contributions from the West Midlands Growth Company. It is an in-depth exploration of the economy of England’s second … Continue reading “From Grade A Office Space to Affordable Housing: Towards a Responsible and Inclusive City”
Author: John Bryson
Professor of Enterprise and Competitiveness,
City-Region Economic Development Institute,
Birmingham Business School,
The University of Birmingham, UK
Housing and Local Industrial Strategy: Reflections on the 100th Anniversary of the Addison Act
On 11 November 1918, the war to end all wars, World War 1, ended with the signing of the armistice. The next day, David Lloyd George, then UK prime minister, called a general election promising that the government would provide “habitations fit for the heroes who have won the war”. This became known as the … Continue reading “Housing and Local Industrial Strategy: Reflections on the 100th Anniversary of the Addison Act”
Precarious Lives or Resilient Living? Homelessness and the West Midlands Combined Authority Area
I still reflect on ideas that were introduced to me during my undergraduate degree. I have an unusual first degree. This was a four-year degree. In the first year, I had to take modules from three disciplines and until the end of the third year, my module selection had to include one from the natural … Continue reading “Precarious Lives or Resilient Living? Homelessness and the West Midlands Combined Authority Area”
Clean Air Day, City-Regions and Responsible Citizenship: The Invisible Killer and Zero Carbon Emissions
Thursday 20 June 2019 is designated as Clean Air Day. This is an important event. Air pollution is now increasingly recognised as the invisible killer. It is a primary constraint on the performance of city-region economies, on the life chances of those exposed to polluted air and on social welfare costs. On the 20th June, … Continue reading “Clean Air Day, City-Regions and Responsible Citizenship: The Invisible Killer and Zero Carbon Emissions”
Fake News, Flooding and the West Midlands: Dave Throup’s Reality versus The Daily Mail
One of the most interesting West Midlands twitter feeds is that of Dave Throup, the Environment Agency Manager for Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Dave provides a moment-by-moment account of the Environment Agency’s activities across these two counties. This covers many important aspects of this Agency’s work including soil erosion, environmental pollution and managing rivers including flooding … Continue reading “Fake News, Flooding and the West Midlands: Dave Throup’s Reality versus The Daily Mail”
The End of the British Automotive Industry as We Know It: The Closure of the Ford Bridgend Factory and the Shift Towards the Electric Revolution
Last week, Ford announced the closure of its Bridgend engine plant with the loss of 1,700 jobs. For some, this was a surprise. Perhaps, the only surprise is that policy-makers and politicians have not been working to overcome the impacts of this closure for the last 12 months. This closure was predictable and it is … Continue reading “The End of the British Automotive Industry as We Know It: The Closure of the Ford Bridgend Factory and the Shift Towards the Electric Revolution”
Spacetime and Singapore: Towards a Four-Dimensional Understanding of City-Region Economies
I am based in Singapore this week and this provides an opportunity to consider Singapore as an extraordinary place. There are many aspects to Singapore as an extraordinary place. It is possible to argue that all places are extraordinary or special in some way. Context matters or perhaps more correctly ‘geography matters’. It is important … Continue reading “Spacetime and Singapore: Towards a Four-Dimensional Understanding of City-Region Economies”
Never-exit Brexit and Remaining within the European Union: Half-Hearted versus Enthusiastic Remainers
It has been the day of all fools. The UK Parliament continues in its inability to make any progress regarding the on-going relationship between the UK and the EU. I am beginning to wonder about time and space and the entry of the UK and the EU into a new historical period. This is perhaps … Continue reading “Never-exit Brexit and Remaining within the European Union: Half-Hearted versus Enthusiastic Remainers”
From Washington DC: Geographies of Human Rights, Responsible Inclusive Prosperity and the Annual Conference of the Association of American Geographers
It is that time of year when geographers from across the world descend on to some American city to discuss all things geographical. Last year, the annual conference of the Association of American Geographers (AAG) was in New Orleans. This year the conference is based in Washington DC. The conference location always tends to favour … Continue reading “From Washington DC: Geographies of Human Rights, Responsible Inclusive Prosperity and the Annual Conference of the Association of American Geographers”
Parliamentary ‘Constipation’: Toilet Paper, Brexit Apocalypse and the Kalends or Ides of April
I had a dream last night. I awoke on the Kalends or perhaps the Ides of April to a Brexit Apocalypse. The UK Government had failed to persuade Parliament to approve the withdrawal deal and the UK had left the EU without the benefits of a negotiated and agreed deal. There is much confusion here … Continue reading “Parliamentary ‘Constipation’: Toilet Paper, Brexit Apocalypse and the Kalends or Ides of April”