Policy@Manchester Articles

Don’t overlook old techology amid push for defence innovation

By Michael Pryce Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted: July 16, 2014

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 […]

Snakes and Ladders: the challenge of regularising immigration status

By Claire Fox Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted: July 16, 2014

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 […]

Complex and ethically contentious; how will the Assisted Dying Bill play out?

By Alexandra Mullock Filed Under: Featured Posted: July 15, 2014

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 – […]

Time for more forward thinking on data regulation

By Anita Greenhill Filed Under: Featured Posted: July 14, 2014

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 […]

Ethnic inequalities persist in the labour market

By James Nazroo Filed Under: Ethnicity, Featured Posted: July 10, 2014

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, […]

The case for a qualified Civil Service

By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Featured, Whitehall Watch Posted: July 9, 2014

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 […]

Polling Observatory 38: Polls may bounce, but public opinion usually doesn’t

By Rob Ford, Will Jennings, Mark Pickup and Christopher Wlezien Filed Under: Featured, Polling Observatory Posted: July 9, 2014

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 […]

Liverpool could sue Suarez

By Hannah Quirk and Elaine Dewhurst Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted: July 4, 2014

Following the four month ban issued to Luis Suarez by FIFA, Dr Hannah Quirk and Dr Elaine Dewhurst from The University of Manchester’s School of Law look at some of the legal consequences. FIFA, football’s world governing body, has banned the Uruguayan footballer Luis Suarez for four months and nine internationals for biting Italy defender […]

Taking the Rap

By Eithne Quinn Filed Under: Ethnicity, Featured Posted: July 4, 2014

The use of rap lyrics to suggest guilt or bad character is prejudicing criminal trials, warns Dr Eithne Quinn. In April 2014, Nicky Jacobs was found not guilty of the murder of PC Keith Blakelock in the 1985 Broadwater Farm riots in Tottenham, London. A key piece of evidence in the trial almost 30 years […]

Making shared housing work

By Sue Heath Filed Under: Featured, Health and Social Care, Whitehall Watch Posted: July 3, 2014

The Government wants people on housing benefit to share accommodation to bring down costs. But, Sue Heath warns, voluntary arrangements usually work better than compulsion. The Government’s welfare reform programme is penalising under-occupation of social rented accommodation that is paid for by housing benefit. One approach favoured by the Government is more sharing of accommodation […]