The 14p stealth tax rise that is hammering ‘just managing families’

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Judging new governments‎ is hard. Without decisions taken, let alone results delivered, we are left to judge the early months of an administration by the purpose that ‎motivates it. On this measure how does the first three months of Theresa May’s government measure up? First and foremost of course this government is about delivering Brexit. … Continued

Pay
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Living Wage
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Economy and public finances
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Political parties and elections

Money can’t buy you love. But can it help you win an election?

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  The centrepiece of John McDonnell’s conference speech in Liverpool today was a pledge to “write a real Living Wage into law”, creating clear (if still lyrically confusing) water between Labour and the government’s national living wage (NLW) policy. The apparent consensus around the benefits of a higher wage floor is a long way removed … Continued

Act now or shrink later: trade unions and the generational challenge

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Union membership to fall below one in five employees by 2030 unless current trends reversed The future should be full of potential for trade unions. Four in five people in Great Britain think that trade unions are “essential” to protect workers’ interests. Public concerns about low pay have soared to record levels over recent years. And, … Continued

Living standards
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Intergenerational Centre
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Political parties and elections

Millennials need more democratic firepower to fight the growing inequalities between generations

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The demographers used to argue that it was bad news to be born into a big generation – there would be more competition for jobs and for houses.  You would travel through live economy class not club class.  But it has not turned out like that. Instead the big generation, the baby boomers, born from … Continued

Intergenerational Centre
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Political parties and elections

Baby Boomers enjoyed a ballot box advantage over millennials worth four million votes at the last election

Decline in youth turnout dates back to mid-90s and presents a major democratic challenge A combination of their large population and high turnout gave the baby boomers a four million ballot box advantage over millennials at the 2015 General Election, creating a democratic imbalance that should concern all political parties. This is according to new … Continued

Matthew Whittaker

Amid all the Brexit uncertainty, a clearer picture is emerging

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Among the many things that feel different in the post-referendum world, there is an unusual air of anticipation surrounding what would previously have been considered relatively underwhelming statistical releases. Today we were treated to a quartet of such publications. On the face of it they appear to point in different directions, allowing commentators on both … Continued

Elephants, globalisation, and why we shouldn’t let domestic policy makers off the hook on living standards

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From political rallies to university seminars, it is becoming fashionable to say that globalisation has led to stagnant living standards for working and middle classes of the developed world, leaving national governments powerless to deliver rising incomes and explaining rising political dissatisfaction with the status quo. But these are dangerous words in such simple form, … Continued

Prime Minister’s ambition to help the 2.1 million “just managing” families means tearing down the “here and now” barriers to social mobility

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It’s understandable and right that all politicians want to focus on social mobility. Having “a fair chance to go as far as their talent and their hard work will allow”, as the Prime Minister said today, is what everyone wants for themselves and their children. And as a society the last thing we can afford … Continued

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