Expert insight, analysis and comment on key public policy issues
Indefinite detention of asylum seekers and refugees in the ‘abusive’ Immigration Removal Centres such as Yarl’s Wood is a scandal and a stain on the UK’s reputation, argues Dr Claire Fox. The UK’s treatment of asylum seekers and refugees came under severe, critical, scrutiny last week. A report was published by two All Party Parliamentary […]
By Martin Stanley Filed Under: All posts, Featured, Westminster Watch, Whitehall Watch Posted:
Respected scientist Sir Paul Nurse recently expressed his distress that politicians sometimes “ignore” scientific evidence. Here is a slightly different take on the issue from the perspective of a recent senior civil servant. At one level, of course, I agree with Sir Paul. I can’t prove it but I suspect that many if not most […]
By Victoria Johnson Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted:
Would it be possible for the UK’s electricity system to transition to one where 50% of final demand was met by distributed, low-carbon sources and delivered by communities, cooperatives, local authorities, town and parish councils and social housing providers? And, if it was technologically possible, how might the transition come about? What kinds of policy […]
Northern England’s great cities are used to competing. So, asks Iain Deas, is it realistic to expect them to work together for the collective good? George Osborne’s continuing endorsement of a ‘Northern Powerhouse’ raises important questions about future local economic development strategy. The idea underpinning the powerhouse proposal is that some of England’s principal Northern […]
By Kingsley Purdam and Rosalynd Southern Filed Under: All posts, Featured, Westminster Watch Posted:
Politicians seeking election this May need to communicate effectively with potential voters. Rosalynd Southern and Kingsley Purdam explain that – judging by the last General Election – many of them could do better. Good communication skills and an ability to connect with the electorate are key attributes for MPs. But in the UK MPs undertake […]
By Anita Greenhill Filed Under: All posts, Featured, Science and Technology, Urban, Whitehall Watch Posted:
The Government’s proposed Northern Powerhouse is all well and good, but, asks Anita Greenhill, where does the digital economy fit in this? The concept of a Northern Powerhouse and establishing an alternative to the dominant ‘London Powerhouse’ has strong Government support. It also has cross-party backing, with both the Conservative and Labour parties proposing their […]
By Ferdi De Ville and Gabriel Siles-Brügge Filed Under: All posts, Europe, Featured Posted:
European Commissioners calling the adoption of the TTIP trade agreement a ‘no-brainer’ is not conducive to the honest debate on the EU-US free trade agreement that is needed, argue Ferdi De Ville and Gabriel Siles-Brügge. European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström and European Financial Services Commissioner Jonathan Hill have written that concluding the Transatlantic Trade and […]
By John Read Filed Under: All posts, Featured, Whitehall Watch Posted:
The starting gun for the General Election has been fired, with less than 100 days to go before we vote. But, asks John Read, will the parties have the courage to discuss how future governments will pay for workers’ retirement? Financing the state pensions of the next generation of retired workers is a key challenge […]
By Nicholas Lord Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted:
Last week BBC Panorama and the Guardian newspaper, following international collaboration with various other media organisations, broke news of how Britain’s biggest bank, HSBC, aided some of its wealthiest clients in evading tax. Here, Dr Nicholas Lord analyses why it is that otherwise ‘good people’, in the context of business organisations, indulge in such ‘white-collar’ […]
By Ian Crowther Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted:
The Ship of Fools – in Foucault’s book Madness and Civilisation – set sail from Basel in the 14th Century. Today the European Central Bank is launching its own Ship of Fools with quantitative easing, argues Ian Crowther. Basel is home to a museum of alchemy and micro prudential banking regulation. It was also where […]
