Expert insight, analysis and comment on key public policy issues
By Ewan Munro Filed Under: Europe, Featured Posted:
Costas Simitis, a former Greek Prime Minister, has urged Europe’s political leaders to demonstrate solidarity and have a vision for Europe’s future, reports Ewan Munro. Given the traumatic nature of recent Greek political and economic history, and the extent of the demands placed on the Athens government by the Troika, it might have been expected […]
By Kirstin Kerr Filed Under: Featured Posted:
This year’s Manchester Policy Week witnessed a lively debate on how we can close the socio-economic attainment gap in education. Dr Kirstin Kerr heard some clear recommendations emerge. If there’s one thing the major political parties agree on, it is that the link between poverty and poor educational outcomes must be broken. Ever since Tony Blair set out his priorities […]
By David Omand Filed Under: Featured Posted:
Intelligence agencies are responding to the threats posed in the internet age. We should be relieved, argues Sir David Omand. Faced with the growing threats posed in the internet age, UK law enforcement has reorganized. It is recruiting more cyber professionals, notably through the new National Crime Agency. Increasingly the police have looked to the […]
By Nicola Banks Filed Under: Featured Posted:
As Global Entrepreneurship Week celebrates innovation, Dr Nicola Banks warns that youth entrepreneurship is no magic solution to mass youth unemployment. The Apprentice is one of my TV highlights. Watching through open fingers as Lord Alan Sugar tries to find his next business partner amongst a bunch of hapless contestants makes one thing very clear. […]
By Marius Guderjan and Robert Grimm Filed Under: Europe, Featured Posted:
Despite the growth of the Eurosceptic AfD, most young East Germans support European solidarity, explain Dr Marius Guderjan and Dr Robert Grimm. Eurosceptic parties, including UKIP, made major gains across the EU in the 2014 European Parliament elections. In Germany, a traditionally Europhile nation, the Eurosceptic Alternative for Germany (AfD) made substantial gains and received […]
By Rob Ford, Mark Pickup, Will Jennings and Christopher Wlezien Filed Under: Featured, Polling Observatory Posted:
This is the forty-second 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 be […]
By David Omand Filed Under: Featured Posted:
Effective controls and regulations ensure that the UK’s intelligence agencies use their advanced knowledge of cyberspace for the collective good, argues Sir David Omand. Our law enforcement and intelligence agencies can answer complex questions about legitimate targets that would previously have been hopelessly intractable. That capability in the hands of authoritarian governments can be used […]
By Ed Cox Filed Under: Featured, Westminster Watch Posted:
Should the Government’s new devolution settlement for Greater Manchester be welcomed? Ed Cox – who is set to speak in Manchester this Thursday about the regions – offers a clear ‘Yes’ vote. There can be little doubt that the agreement reached between the Chancellor and the leaders of the 10 local authorities that make up […]
By Patricia Garcia-Duran Huet Filed Under: Europe, Featured Posted:
Far from creating an expanded free trade area in which anything goes, as critics claim, the TTIP is more likely to raise international standards through a regulatory ‘race to the top’, argues Patricia Garcia-Duran Huet. As part of Manchester Policy Week, policy@manchester will host a debate on the pros and cons of TTIP in Manchester […]
By Clarissa Giebel Filed Under: Featured Posted:
Attention around dementia has focused on medication and support for carers. But social activities are critically important, explains Clarissa Giebel. Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease has just become recognised by the Office for National Statistics as the number one killer of women in the UK. It is estimated by the Alzheimer’s Society that 850,000 people living […]