It’s productivity, stupid: The chancellor must be bolder on the greatest threat to living standards March 7, 2017 Whenever a new Budget is in the offing, fiscal policy tends to take centre stage. But while an open and lively debate over the goals of fiscal policy in the coming year is to be welcomed, we should not forget about the economic problems that, lurking in the background, continue to afflict the country. In particular, [...]
The apprenticeship levy could be a disaster May 4, 2016 Manufacturers have a strong track record and a vested interest in providing quality apprenticeships in the UK. Which is why it’s worth listening when they say that there are serious flaws in the Government’s new apprenticeship levy that could derail the scheme when it is rolled-out. In its current state the levy will be detrimental [...]
Services PMI comes in at three-year low in April – rounding off hat-trick of weak economic data May 5, 2016 The UK economy could be growing at its slowest pace in three years, according to purchasing managers' index (PMI) data out this week, which has raised serious concerns about the security of the economic recovery. Today it was the turn of services – which makes up four-fifths of the UK economy – to show signs [...]
“It has not been an easy journey”: David Cameron’s final speech in full July 13, 2016 David Cameron delivered his final speech on the steps of 10 Downing Street as he departed today. Here's the full text of his final words. Read more: Cameron pays tribute to the UK's "spirit of service" "When I first stood here in Downing Street on that evening in May 2010, I said we would confront [...]
CIPD: The Bank of England and the Office for Budget Responsibility are wrong about wage growth in 2016 December 30, 2015 Wage growth next year won't be as optimistic as the Bank of England and Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) anticipate, the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) has warned. Despite the introduction of the National Living Wage, wage growth will remain at two per cent in 2016, the organisation said – much lower than [...]
Retailers face uncertain jobs outlook over fears of rising costs January 29, 2016 The number of retailers planning to hire more staff has dropped sharply over the last year, a new survey today shows, due to concerns over rising costs from the introduction of the National Living Wage and the Apprenticeship Levy. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) and law firm Bond Dickinson’s latest employment monitor found that 21 [...]
We should all be concerned by Britain’s anxious, insecure young people January 9, 2017 "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” is the opening line of Charles Dickens’s novel A Tale of Two Cities, published in 1859. While the words were written over 150 years ago, I cannot think of a better phrase to encapsulate the situation facing young people in London and the rest [...]
We’ve given over a million people a pay rise: Now here’s how we’ll achieve full employment April 15, 2016 Today marks the launch of the first ever UK Employability Day, when businesses dedicated to helping people into work will open their doors to showcase what they do best. It’s a fantastic idea by the Employment Related Services Association that will see more than 70 employment centres across the country take part – including several [...]
“We have certainly not seen a period remotely like it in the last 70 years”: Think tank’s dire warning on wage growth November 24, 2016 The director of one of the UK's most respected think tanks has issued a dire forecast about UK wage growth, warning workers are in the middle of more than a decade of stagnant wages. In a highly emotive release, Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), said its projections suggested real wages [...]
No, Jeremy Corbyn – income disparity is not getting worse in the UK January 10, 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has proposed putting a cap on earnings in the UK, saying that the income disparity in the UK "is getting worse". Speaking on the BBC Today programme, Corbyn said: "I can't put a figure on it and I don't want to at the moment. Read more: Corbyn's only hope of power may be [...]