Coronavirus And The EconomyA busy weekend in international affairs kicks off with G7 leaders discussing the recovery from Covid-19 at the summit in Cornwall – and the opening matches in the UEFA European Football Championship, postponed from 2020. Economists are providing some perspective on both. Newsletter from Friday 11 June Last week, the Economics Observatory celebrated its first […]
With UK households facing soaring energy bills, the government has announced a windfall tax on oil and gas companies. Whether this is enough to support those experiencing fuel poverty may depend on the duration of the war in Ukraine and its effects on the global economy. Newsletter from 27 May 2022 After months of resisting […]
While the number of UK Covid-19 cases remains worryingly high, particularly in the light of reports that the NHS could be weeks from becoming overwhelmed, by some measures there have been improvements. But while the vaccine may quell the pandemic, its economic effects will remain for years to come. Is this the end of the […]
If there is one lesson that policy-makers should have learned since the pandemic began, it is that indecision is costly. This has proved true repeatedly for public health and is just as relevant for education. Lives have been lost; and young people’s futures damaged. Newsletter from 8 January 2021 The UK is facing a bleak […]
Supporting the fishing industry after Brexit; deciding how university places should be allocated based on young people’s exam results; putting a value on human life to inform decisions about healthcare or lockdown – current examples of the complexity of effective policy-making. Newsletter from 29 January 2021 It being Friday, the main course in this week’s […]
Markets have been in turmoil over the past year. The flux has been widespread, hitting finance, jobs, goods and services. For the UK, Brexit is adding to the upheaval caused by the pandemic – both will have long-term effects on our lives and livelihoods. Newsletter from 5 February 2021 The Economics Observatory was set up […]
The centenary of the creation of the Irish border offers a chance to reflect on the economic performance of the two Irelands over the last 100 years, as well as looking at some policy lessons from the past. Newsletter from 30 April 2021 I was born in 1971, the year Northern Ireland turned 50. On […]
Vaccinating the population, moving out of lockdown and then ‘building back better’ all require policy informed by different measures and methodologies. A balanced approach that incorporates a variety of perspectives is essential. Newsletter from 26 February 2021 To solve any difficult problem, there is value in looking at things from a range of perspectives. Using […]
From the start, the pandemic’s impact has been felt unequally across the UK. Lockdowns have brought some industries to a standstill while others have been able to let their staff work from home. Smaller firms and the jobs of young people seem to have been hit hardest. Newsletter from 23 April 2021 The lockdowns and […]