How can I help? That is the question I’ve been asking myself ever since I knew COVID-19 was approaching the UK. And it finally arrived, as expected, but it caught us unprepared, even though we have been observing speechless what was happening in many other countries around the corner, like Italy (where I have many … Continue reading “Economic Exposure to COVID-19 (Part I): The Situation in the West Midlands Region – Closing the Borders”
Tag: Trade
Capitalism and Its Impact on Global Living Standards
In a world where living standards have dramatically risen in the developed nations, technology and science are often credited with this outcome. Advancements in technology have created better farming techniques and increased food production. Medical science has eliminated disease and prolonged life through organ transplants, keyhole surgery and pacemakers. So how has capitalism impacted on … Continue reading “Capitalism and Its Impact on Global Living Standards”
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)”
Trade Policy, Tariffs and Job Creation and Destruction in the West Midlands: Lessons from Coventry and the 1860 Cobden–Chevalier Treaty
On the 13th of March, the UK government published a 1,477-page document outlining the new approach to tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. There is much to think about here. Under the proposed temporary scheme 87% of imports to the UK by value would be eligible for zero-tariff access. It is important to … Continue reading “Trade Policy, Tariffs and Job Creation and Destruction in the West Midlands: Lessons from Coventry and the 1860 Cobden–Chevalier Treaty”
The Implications of Brexit for the UK’s Regions
Our research for the UK in a Changing Europe (“The economic impacts of Brexit on the UK, its regions, its cities and its sectors”) has demonstrated that the implications of Brexit are profoundly different for the different cities, regions, and nations of the UK. Yet, the proposed UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement brokered by Prime Minister Theresa … Continue reading “The Implications of Brexit for the UK’s Regions”
The Exposure of the West Midlands Region to Brexit
There are many unknowns relating to Brexit, regarding (i) the nature of the final trade deal and (ii) the potential responses of firms and consumers to any major shock like Brexit. Nevertheless, “a partial but still very wide-ranging and impact assessment can be undertaken even without such specific knowledge of the final trade deal and … Continue reading “The Exposure of the West Midlands Region to Brexit”
City-REDI at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool: Understanding and Mitigating the Risks of Brexit at Local Level
On the 24th of September, City-REDI held a fringe event at the Labour Party Conference on ‘Understanding and mitigating the risks of Brexit at local level’. The conversation ranged from the impact on places that voted Leave, how Brexit will affect the UK’s productivity, and what the future of skills and migration looks like after … Continue reading “City-REDI at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool: Understanding and Mitigating the Risks of Brexit at Local Level”