Expert insight, analysis and comment on key public policy issues
With growing calls for the UK to reverse an historic trend of chronic under investment in infrastructure, IPPR North’s Ed Cox believes it’s time to seek out the best and the brightest big ideas. The UK has “chronically underinvested in infrastructure, trailing that of other leading global economies.” That was the damning verdict of the RSA’s City […]
By Rob Ford, Will Jennings, Mark Pickup and Christopher Wlezien Filed Under: Featured, Polling Observatory Posted:
As explained in the inaugural election forecast, up until May next year the Polling Observatory team will be producing a long term forecast for the 2015 General Election, using methods first applied ahead of the 2010 election (and which are also well-established in the United States). The authors’ method involves trying to make the best […]
The decision of the General Synod to allow women to become bishops ends an unpopular (if legally protected) policy of gender discrimination. It brings the Church of England into the modern world while drawing on ancient traditions of shared leadership, explains Professor Kate Cooper. A collective sigh of relief could be heard round the Anglican […]
By Michael Pryce Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted:
Technology policy and defence acquisition can present striking contrasts, writes Dr Michael Pryce. Government policy is supportive of innovation – and often the more disruptive the better. But the highest spender in government on ‘high technology’ – defence – often has an old-fashioned look to it. Looking closely at examples of current military projects, we […]
Anti-immigration parties gained support in the European elections, but politicians’ real challenge is to reform a system that treats undocumented migrants unfairly, argues Dr Claire Fox. Despite the election rhetoric and growing support for anti-immigration politicians, the number of undocumented, ‘irregular’, migrants in the UK probably fell in recent years. Increasingly tough immigration policies and […]
By Alexandra Mullock Filed Under: Featured Posted:
Legislation to permit assisted dying will be debated in Parliament this week, after hitting the headlines at the weekend. Dr Alexandra Mullock explains the legal background and some of the issues Peers and MPs will need to consider. Lord Falconer’s Assisted Dying Bill – due to be debated in the House of Lords later this week – […]
By Anita Greenhill Filed Under: Featured Posted:
As cities get ‘smarter’ and are managed by ever increasing streams of data, so the need for clear cross-border legislation becomes paramount, says Dr Anita Greenhill. The news last week that the UK government was passing an emergency law to ensure police and security services can continue accessing people’s phone and internet records, is just […]
By James Nazroo Filed Under: Ethnicity, Featured Posted:
Despite government programmes to address high levels of unemployment in ethnic minority groups, inequalities persist, explains Professor James Nazroo. The impact of the economic crisis on members of ethnic minority groups has been strangely overlooked. Discussions of falls in unemployment rates and how these relate to part time and insecure – zero hours – employment, […]
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Featured, Whitehall Watch Posted:
Without effective policy deliberation, the Civil Service will struggle to do anything well. Professor Colin Talbot makes the case for postgraduate qualifications for the Civil Service Policy Profession. Since the introduction of ‘Professional Skills for Government’, we have had a defined group within the Civil Service known as the ‘Policy Profession’. Although the ‘Professional Skills […]
By Rob Ford, Will Jennings, Mark Pickup and Christopher Wlezien Filed Under: Featured, Polling Observatory Posted:
This is the thirty-eighth in a series of posts by Dr Robert Ford, Dr Will Jennings, Dr Mark Pickup and Prof Christopher Wlezien that report on the state of the parties in the UK as measured by opinion polls. By pooling together all the available polling evidence, the impact of the random variation that each individual survey inevitably produces can […]
