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Recent Blogs
Indiscriminate on Discrimination
David Goodhart, Policy Exchange’s Head of Demography, Immigration and Integration and Richard Norrie, Policy Exchange Demography, Immigration and Integration Research Fellow, respond to the publication of two Government commissioned reviews last week, both related to the life chances of minorities. The Lammy Review, led by David Lammy MP, investigated the treatment of and outcomes for ethnic minorities in the criminal justice system and a report by the Social Mobility Commission looking at the economic chances of young Muslims.
School superunion offers even more power to the far left
The merger of the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers has created the largest education union in Europe. The National Education Union (NEU) clearly believes it is a force for good but experience suggests the far-left elements of...
Will a fiscal policy fix Europe’s defective monetary policy?
Policy Exchange Director of Research & Head of Economics and Social Policy, Warwick Lightfoot, assesses the prospects for fiscal policy to correct the divergences of incomes within the Eurozone. The scope and scale of policy – even with a Eurozone Ministry of Finance and fiscal transfers will not be sufficient to offset the forces of monetary policy pushing in the opposite direction. Structural reform of labour markets, not fiscal policy, is the best way to improve economic prospects throughout the Eurozone.
The meaning of Sean O’Callaghan
Sean O’Callaghan, one of the most senior defectors from the Provisional IRA during the Troubles, died suddenly last week. He launched his most recent book, James Connolly: my search for the man, the myth and his legacy — here at Policy Exchange in 2015. Dean Godson, Policy Exchange’s Director and author of Himself Alone: David Trimble and the Ordeal of Unionism, looks at the wider strategic meaning of O’Callaghan’s career for the Spectator’s Coffee House.
One and a half cheers for the Integration APPG
David Goodhart – Policy Exchange Head of Demography, Immigration & Integration – responds to the new report from the All Party Parliamentary Group on Social Integration. He also appeared on BBC News to discuss the report.
One year after the referendum – the economy has not done so badly
Policy Exchange Economics Research Fellow, Michael Taylor, assesses the performance of the UK economy in the year following the EU referendum. Contrary to many analysts’ forecasts the economy has held up well with growth close to its trend rate. Inflation and unemployment are both low by historical standards and public sector borrowing is finally under control. Sterling’s depreciation should soon see a recovery in exports. The economy is in pretty good shape as departure from the EU draws closer.
Brexit is the least of the financial service sector’s worries
Policy Exchange Economics Research Fellow, Michael Taylor, analyses the implications of the forthcoming MIFID 2 European regulations for financial services. He argues that the effects will be far-reaching but on the whole should be positive. By comparison the impact of Brexit on financial services will be relatively modest.
US Debt, War Finance and Playing with Fire
Policy Exchange Director of Research & Head of Economics and Social Policy, Warwick Lightfoot, looks at the anxiety surrounding the US Debt Ceiling. He is confident that the American economy has the capacity to service a growing public debt, but questions whether her federal political institutions can be relied on to do so in a predictable way in the manner envisaged by Alexander Hamilton’s the first US Treasury Secretary, who established the credit of the US and laid the foundations for Treaury debt to serve as the world’s risk free benchmark.
After the North Korean crisis
Britain in the World Research Fellow Gabriel Elefteriu discusses further implications of the North Korea crisis, noting that there is “no historical precedent for the present crisis, and attempting to apply ‘lessons’ from the past is extremely dangerous in these circumstances.” War “could be catastrophic in material and geopolitical terms, with incalculable evolutions and consequences” but the crisis is likely to force the US to devote even more resources to the Pacific, with consequences for its strategic posture in other parts of the world.
Can hydrogen and CCS save one another?
Matt Rooney, Policy Exchange’s Energy and Environment Research Fellow – argues that marrying the visions for CCS and hydrogen manufacture could bring multiple benefits to the UK.
