By Dr Nathan Critch Department of Political Science and International Studies (POLSIS), University of Birmingham Whilst the relatively low vote share Labour achieved in the 2024 general election was enough to secure a landslide in terms of parliamentary seats, a lack of real popular enthusiasm for their governing project is sure to cause problems for … Continue reading “What does Labour’s “sandcastle majority” mean for the new government?”
Category: Politics
How will minority groups vote in the general election?
By Professor Aditya Goenka, Department of Economics, Birmingham Business School Understanding the voting intentions of the minority groups is important as they constituted 19.3% of the population in 2021 in England and Wales. The distribution within England varies with a much higher representation in urban areas such as greater London, Birmingham and West Midlands, Leicester, … Continue reading “How will minority groups vote in the general election?”
General Election 2024: Whatever happened to levelling up?
By Abigail Taylor, Research Fellow & Johannes Read, Policy and Data Analyst, City-REDI, Birmingham Business School The phrase ‘levelling up’ – which refers to tackling inequality between places – has been cast aside in the 2024 election campaign. There has been relatively little detailed discussion about addressing regional inequalities by any of the main parties. … Continue reading “General Election 2024: Whatever happened to levelling up?”
The future of devolution under a new government – a manifesto guide
By Associate Professor Rebecca Riley City-REDI, Birmingham Business School Each party’s stance on place and devolution reflects their broader political philosophies, with Labour and the Conservatives focusing on managed devolution within a united framework, while the Liberal Democrats, Greens, SNP, and Plaid Cymru push for more substantial devolved autonomy and constitutional reform. Reform UK doesn’t … Continue reading “The future of devolution under a new government – a manifesto guide”
Closing the gender pay gap ‘once and for all’
By Dr Fuk Ying Tse – Assistant Professor in Organisation, Work and Employment, University of Birmingham Dr Manuela Galetto – Associate Professor in Employment Relations, University of Warwick In an exclusive interview with the Guardian on 20 June 2024, Rachel Reeves, the contesting Chancellor of the Labour Party, pledged to close the gender pay gap … Continue reading “Closing the gender pay gap ‘once and for all’”
Why Labour’s promise of 6,500 teachers is not likely to work
By Professor Beng Huat See School of Education, University of Birmingham Labour’s promise of 6,500 new teachers is unlikely to solve the chronic teacher shortage. The issue extends beyond just a lack of teachers or interested individuals. Despite various financial incentives and the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy—which aims to reduce workload, improve school culture, … Continue reading “Why Labour’s promise of 6,500 teachers is not likely to work”
Mind the (wealth) gap
By Dr Huw Macartney Department of Political Science and International Studies, School of Government, University of Birmingham Three million emergency food parcels were handed out in the UK over the past 12 months; the number of people living in absolute poverty is predicted to increase by 300,000, to almost 12 million, in 2024; and 17 … Continue reading “Mind the (wealth) gap”
How stable is India’s new government?
By Professor Aditya Goenka Department of Economics, Birmingham Business School On 4 June 2024 the parliamentary election results were announced for India after a 7 stage elections process held over 44 days. 642 million votes were cast of which 312 million were women. 543 seats were up for grabs. The incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) … Continue reading “How stable is India’s new government?”
Trans rights? Not under Starmer’s Labour Party
By Jonathan Pettifer, Doctoral Researcher, Department of Political Science and International Studies, University of Birmingham The UK has plummeted down the rankings of LGBTQ-friendly countries over the last decade. With a general election set for 4 July, could a change in government mean an improvement in LGBTQ+ rights? When New Labour took office in 1997, … Continue reading “Trans rights? Not under Starmer’s Labour Party”
SoS – Save our Shops! Will the forthcoming election bring about effective retail change?
By Professor Sarah Montano & Dr Inci Toral, Department of Marketing, Birmingham Business School We are used to seeing the news headlines stating that the High Street is dying. The recent loss of Wilko emphasises the precarious nature of retail. In 2022 Ordnance Survey data showed that department stores had declined by 13.4%. However, there … Continue reading “SoS – Save our Shops! Will the forthcoming election bring about effective retail change?”