By Johannes Read, Senior Policy and Data Analyst City-REDI, University of Birmingham One year on from winning the General Election, the Labour Government have outlined their 2025 Spending Review. Throughout the Government’s first year, headlines have focused on tightening public finances. This Spending Review follows in a similar vein. But there are also relatively significant … Continue reading “What does the 2025 Spending Review mean for local economic development?”
Category: Politics
Taking back control or back to the future? The abolition of NHS England presents risks and opportunities.
By Steve Gulati, Associate Professor and Director of Healthcare Leadership at the Health Services Management Centre The announcement that NHS England will be formally disbanded, with its functions moved to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), hit the headlines last week. However, this shift had been signalled for some time, with departures of … Continue reading “Taking back control or back to the future? The abolition of NHS England presents risks and opportunities.”
UK Defence Expenditure: If you want peace, prepare for war
By Professor John Bryson Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham Everyday living is saturated with paradoxes. One of these can be traced back to Vegetius, a writer from the late 4th century, who stated that Igitur quī dēsīderat pācem, præparet bellum or ‘Therefore let him who desires peace prepare for war’. This expression is often … Continue reading “UK Defence Expenditure: If you want peace, prepare for war”
TRUMP coin: A strategic power play in the world of cryptocurrency and politics
By Dr Anandadeep Mandal Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham On 17 January 2025, just days before his inauguration as the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump made an unexpected and strategic move into the world of cryptocurrency with the launch of his TRUMP coin. This new meme coin, designed to capitalize on … Continue reading “TRUMP coin: A strategic power play in the world of cryptocurrency and politics”
The UK’s AI superpower ambition: A bold leap or a complex challenge?
By Dr Anandadeep Mandal Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham The Prime Minister’s recent revelation of the government’s goal to transform the UK into an AI powerhouse sparked global attention. The programme aims to apply artificial intelligence to boost economic development and public service delivery, notably in education and small company operations. The plan has … Continue reading “The UK’s AI superpower ambition: A bold leap or a complex challenge?”
From Trailblazer to Troll: Elon Musk’s Distortion of UK Politics, Media, and Society
By Dr Hannah Absalom Institute of Local Government Studies (INLOGOV), University of Birmingham Elon Musk is one of the most recognisable figures of the 21st century. As the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and other ventures, his influence extends far beyond technology, shaping public discourse, politics, and culture. Yet, like many of the super-rich, Musk is … Continue reading “From Trailblazer to Troll: Elon Musk’s Distortion of UK Politics, Media, and Society”
How could the US election results impact the UK?
By Dr Anandadeep Mandal Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham The U.S. presidential election results have a substantial ripple effect on the U.K., influencing areas like economic stability, security cooperation, trade agreements, and global environmental goals. As the U.K.’s closest ally, U.S. leadership plays a pivotal role in shaping U.K.’s policies, especially regarding trade, military … Continue reading “How could the US election results impact the UK?”
Labour’s new Employment Rights Bill: an initial assessment
By Tony Dobbins, Professor of Work and Employment Relations Department of Management, Birmingham Business School The Labour Government’s new Employment Rights Bill undoubtedly heralds a significant boost in workers’ rights after 14 years of Conservative government espousal of a liberalized flexible labour market model – translated as let the market run its course/let people do … Continue reading “Labour’s new Employment Rights Bill: an initial assessment”
Harris baits Trump into self-sabotage
By Dr Adam Quinn, Department of Political Science and International Studies, School of Government, University of Birmingham The question going into Tuesday’s debate was which candidate could more successfully exploit the format to expose their opponent’s biggest weaknesses in front of the largest audience of the campaign. By that standard, Donald Trump performed extremely poorly … Continue reading “Harris baits Trump into self-sabotage”
From Protest to Power: Will Bangladesh’s student victory lead to national transformation?
By Dr Md Shajedur Rahman, Research Fellow, School of Education, University of Birmingham Bangladesh recently faced one of its most intense political crises, with nearly 500 people killed in student-led anti-government protests. The unrest forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, long criticized for her increasingly autocratic rule, to resign and flee to India. In her absence, … Continue reading “From Protest to Power: Will Bangladesh’s student victory lead to national transformation?”