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Up-skilling the middle

Anna Vignoles

Successive governments have certainly placed skills policy at the heart of strategies to raise living standards and tackle low pay. Yet now there are growing doubts about whether upskilling workers will be enough to bring about genuine improvements in the living conditions of people currently on low to middle incomes (LMIs). In a new paper for the Commission on Living Standards, hosted by the Resolution Foundation, I re-examine the links between skills, the changing labour market and wages, arguing that in the long run, skills policy has a crucial role to play in equipping LMIs to thrive in the modern labour market.

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Why GDP growth does not mean recovery for everyone

James Plunkett

This Blog first appeared on the New Statesman

It's fairly widely assumed that the outcome of the next election will pivot on the strength -- or otherwise -- of Britain's economic recovery. But what kind of recovery are we seeking? The perceived wisdom suggests that the key figure to look out for is strong and sustained GDP growth. Other stats -- like those for household spending released this week -- are pored over mainly for what they tell us about when growth will return.

 

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