Search results for: brexit

What Do We Know About the Current Economic Conditions and What Does the Latest Data Indicate for the West Midlands’ Economy?

Official data has a habit of being out of sync and lagging, necessarily as its aim is to get an accurate understanding of performance, that takes time, effort and a drive for quality. Big decisions are made on this data and we need to know it’s right. But how do we know what’s going on … Continue reading “What Do We Know About the Current Economic Conditions and What Does the Latest Data Indicate for the West Midlands’ Economy?”

New Report Released: Governance and Urban Development in Birmingham

For the past three years, an interdisciplinary (and international) team of geographers, political scientists and urban planners working across the universities of Birmingham and Zurich has been studying Birmingham’s urban development, governance, and social and economic trends from the year 2000 to present. Now, as our research project draws to a close, we have reached … Continue reading “New Report Released: Governance and Urban Development in Birmingham”

How do the Internet and the Digital Realm Influence Political Discourse in the UK?

We all think we know the internet right? It’s a vast playground where the very good and the very bad can occur. It’s an environment where political debate, memes, and likes all form the cohesion of discourse online. Yet I would dare say we don’t know the real impact the internet is having today on … Continue reading “How do the Internet and the Digital Realm Influence Political Discourse in the UK?”

Trade and the West Midlands Economy (WME)

This is the second of a series of policy briefings (view the first one here) linked to the Socio-Economic Impact Model for the UK  (SEIM-UK) project. In this policy briefing, we describe the trade relationships between the West Midlands Economy (WME) and the rest of the UK and the EU. In the last decades, WME … Continue reading “Trade and the West Midlands Economy (WME)”

From Grade A Office Space to Affordable Housing: Towards a Responsible and Inclusive City

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”

West Midlands Economic Monitor: October 2019

October’s edition of the West Midlands Economic Monitor is now available for you to keep up to date with recent developments in the region. The headlines for this month’s monitor are: The WMCA have signed a contract to order 21 new battery-operated trams to operate on the new Edgbaston line making the region. They will … Continue reading “West Midlands Economic Monitor: October 2019”

Employers Wary of Hiring Refugees and Migrants to Help Fill Shortages Need Help Understanding the Law

A recent survey I conducted of employers in Coventry in the West Midlands found that while 80% of the businesses we interviewed had hard-to-fill job vacancies, less than 5% had employed a refugee and nearly one-third had never even considered hiring one. Yet, for most refugees, integration into their new home is heavily dependent on … Continue reading “Employers Wary of Hiring Refugees and Migrants to Help Fill Shortages Need Help Understanding the Law”

Devolution in the UK: A Look at Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

  Previous blogs in this devolution series have considered the political and economic benefits of devolving decision-making power and looked at the situation in England, with the new combined authorities and the office of the Mayor of London. The countries of the Celtic fringe of the UK – namely Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – also … Continue reading “Devolution in the UK: A Look at Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland”

What is the Extent of Devolution in England?

Across the UK there is a range of devolution models in operation. This blog will consider the form that devolution takes among the new combined authorities in England and the Greater London Authority in the capital. It is part of a series of blog looking at devolution and follows on from a previous blog asking … Continue reading “What is the Extent of Devolution in England?”

What Is the Point of Devolution?

It is not uncommon to hear that the UK is the most centralised country in the developed world. London utterly dominates the rest of the country to an extent that is quite remarkable. From politics to business, media to culture, the wealth and power of the UK is almost entirely within London’s orbit. Indeed, if … Continue reading “What Is the Point of Devolution?”