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?”
Tag: Donald Houston
Long COVID: Job Loss, Work Hours and Mental Health of Workers
Darja Reuschke explains some of the key findings of her latest paper with Donald Houston and Paul Sissons on the impacts of Long COVID on workers. Context COVID-19 infections are on the rise again. While for some, the symptoms will be flu-like, for others, an infection with the virus will cause long-term illness. By the … Continue reading “Long COVID: Job Loss, Work Hours and Mental Health of Workers”
Inequality
Professor Donald Houston discusses the effects of inequality on social cohesion, wellbeing, and the economy, and how it can be reduced in the long run. This article is a chapter from the recently published UK in a Changing Europe report. Inequality – the gap between those towards the top and bottom of the income distribution … Continue reading “Inequality”
What Is Behind the UK’s Labour Shortage?
Professor Donald Houston and Stephen Hunsaker explore the UK labour shortage, suggesting that a combination of baby boomers retiring, high Covid infection rates during the pandemic, capacity constraints in the NHS, and Brexit are all at play. This article was first published in the UK in a Changing Europe website. Much has happened in the … Continue reading “What Is Behind the UK’s Labour Shortage?”
Money Talks – Reassessing Transport Priorities Following HS2
Magda Cepeda-Zorrilla and Donald Houston discuss how transport priorities have changed following HS2. They argue that buses are good value for taxpayers, important to those who do not have any other form of transport and can foster inclusive economic growth. In England, public support for bus operators and users totalled £3.1 billion in 2021-22 – … Continue reading “Money Talks – Reassessing Transport Priorities Following HS2”
Unemployment in Greater Birmingham and the UK
Donald Houston looks at levels of unemployment in Greater Birmingham and how the region compares with other metropolitan areas in the UK. This article was written for the Birmingham Economic Review 2023. The review is produced by City-REDI / WMREDI, the University of Birmingham and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. It is an in-depth … Continue reading “Unemployment in Greater Birmingham and the UK”
London Wins Again – The Debacle of the UK’s High-speed Rail ‘strategy’
Donald Houston and Rebecca Riley discuss the scrapping of HS2 and the significant economic impact on the North of the UK. This blog was originally written for the Birmingham Business School Blog. A branding failure HS2 has always suffered from a branding failure. HS2 sounds rather anodyne and the ‘2’ reminds those north of London … Continue reading “London Wins Again – The Debacle of the UK’s High-speed Rail ‘strategy’ ”
Reflections on an Academic’s Secondment to the Office for National Statistics (ONS)
Donald Houston discusses his recent secondment at the ONS. What did he learn whilst he was there and what did the ONS gain from having an academic on board? I am a labour market researcher and a long-time user of ONS data. I have always been impressed at the quality and precision of the labelling … Continue reading “Reflections on an Academic’s Secondment to the Office for National Statistics (ONS)”
The UK Regional Economy and the Uneven Impacts of Brexit
Donald Houston and Iain Docherty highlight that insufficient attention has been paid to the regional implications of economic policy choices such as Brexit, which has hampered efforts to address place-based inequalities. This blog was originally posted on the UK in a Changing Europe website. For almost a century, the UK policy system has – with … Continue reading “The UK Regional Economy and the Uneven Impacts of Brexit”
It’s the Pandemic, Stupid. Understanding Rising Economic Inactivity in the UK.
Donald Houston discusses research undertaken with colleagues at the ONS on economic inactivity in the UK. This blog is part of a series looking at the UK Labour Market. See also: – Why are the Over-50s Leaving the Workforce?- Labour Market Flows and Future Participation Flows – What Are the Current Challenges in the UK … Continue reading “It’s the Pandemic, Stupid. Understanding Rising Economic Inactivity in the UK.”