Growth· Political parties and elections Second half comeback? Resetting Government economic priorities for the remainder of the Parliament Thursday 14 May 2026 The Labour Government has had a bruising start to the Parliament. It is trailing badly in the polls and is expecting a battering in the local, Welsh and Scottish elections in early May. Another relaunch and plan for a comeback in the second half of the Parliament is expected soon. But the parameters of this relaunch are hotly disputed. READ MORE
Growth· Economy 2030 Kicking the can on growth? Assessing Britain’s economic strategy and where it should go next Monday 19 January 2026 The Labour Government came into office 18 months ago promising to kickstart growth – ambition that is sorely needed after nearly two decades of poor economic performance that has left Britain as a stagnation nation. But despite a flurry of pillars, plans and policy initiatives, prospects for growth remain weak. Should the Government be bolder, move faster, change course, or try new avenues? READ MORE
Growth· Trade Little Britain? What might happen if globalisation goes into reverse Thursday 22 May 2025 Book launch for Exile Economics: What happens if globalisation fails by Ben Chu. To mark the publication of Exile Economics, the Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive after-work event with Ben to discuss its themes, and why the possibility of globalisation going into reverse matters so much to both policy makers and the wider public. READ MORE
Growth A league of their own What can the UK learn from the US’ post-pandemic productivity acceleration? Tuesday 8 April 2025 What is driving the US’ impressive productivity outperformance? How does it differ from the UK, and what lessons can be drawn? And what can firms and policy makers do to reverse the UK’s productivity woes, and prevent another decade of economic stagnation in Britain? READ MORE
Growth The metrics that really matter How can we better measure economic and societal change? Thursday 3 April 2025 Book launch for The Measure of Progress by Diane Coyle. Britain has endured a prolonged period of economic stagnation, with real household disposable incomes having barely grown since the financial crisis. But beneath these two harsh facts lie a country that has changed considerably, and indeed seen considerable economic, technological and societal progress. The way we measure our economy, let alone our ability to measure it accurately, means that a lot of the changes that really matter to people – for good, and for ill – is missed in official statistics. READ MORE
Growth A build-up economic strategy How much growth could the Government’s reforms deliver? Thursday 19 September 2024 The past 15 years of economic stagnation has caused families’ living standards to flatline, and the new Government is right to put ‘kickstarting’ growth at the heart of its agenda. Already, Ministers have set out what many of their pro-growth reforms will be – from reforming planning rules to delivering 1.5 million homes, to setting … Continued READ MORE
Wales· Scotland· Public finances· Growth· Cities and regions Policy making beyond Westminster Economic lessons from 25 years of national devolution Monday 29 April 2024 1999 saw the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Senedd all meet in their full form for the first time. This marked the most significant act of devolution of the 20th Century, and it has changed the United Kingdom significantly over the past quarter of a century. The process of devolution has continued … Continued READ MORE
Incomes· Prices & consumption· Public finances· Growth· Net zero Powering Britain Can we decarbonise electricity without disadvantaging poorer families? Monday 22 April 2024 The UK’s transition towards a net zero economy requires a complete overhaul of our power sector. We don’t just need electricity generation that has been decarbonised, but a huge amount more of it as we switch away from heating our homes with gas and powering our cars with petrol. This will require a huge step … Continued READ MORE
Incomes· Firms· Growth· Net zero· Trade· Tax· Cities and regions· Macroeconomic policy· Demographics· Economy 2030 Ending Stagnation A New Economic Strategy for Britain Monday 4 December 2023 The final report of The Economy 2030 Inquiry The UK has great strengths, but is a decade and a half into a period of stagnation. The combination of slow growth and high inequality is proving toxic for low- and middle-income Britain. The result is a country falling behind its peers, where taxes, rather than wages, … Continued READ MORE
Growth· Economy 2030 Inventing a better Britain How does R&D fit into a new UK economic strategy? Wednesday 15 November 2023 Low productivity is the foundational cause of Britain’s recent economic malaise, and raising it is a top priority for policy makers. Public and private investment in research and development is a key route to boosting productivity and future economic growth. But businesses often complain that policy makers are failing to create an environment that encourages … Continued READ MORE
Public finances· Growth· Economy 2030 Creaking at the seams Can we bring Britain’s trains, drains and mains into the 21st Century? Wednesday 1 November 2023 Britain faces a simply huge infrastructure challenge. As well as decarbonising our homes, we need to modernise our water, energy and transport networks, replacing basic infrastructure that often dates back to the Victorian era. Achieving this is likely to require major investment, regulatory reform and new institutions to drive forward change, as well as a … Continued READ MORE
Firms· Growth· Economy 2030 More change please Why Britain needs a more dynamic economy Monday 25 September 2023 Change is accelerating, or so we are told. But while the world is changing, it’s far less clear that Britain’s economy is. In fact we’re seeing less industrial change, as some sectors grow and others shrink, than has been the case for decades. Fewer workers are moving jobs. This matters because, while many of us … Continued READ MORE
Incomes· Work· Growth· Economy 2030 Risk reduction Can earnings insurance underpin a more dynamic jobs market and a more productive economy? Thursday 21 September 2023 Losing your job in Britain can be a very expensive business. Low and flat rate benefits leave many workers facing huge income falls if they face a period out of work. This gives them a strong incentive to take a new job quickly – but not necessarily the best fit for their talents. And it … Continued READ MORE
Firms· Growth· Economy 2030 An investment nation Can Britain shift from living off its past to investing in its future? Thursday 22 June 2023 Britain is in relative decline, as productivity and wages stagnate. This reflects a decade of shocks but also a longer lasting problem – Britain has spent recent decades living off its past rather than investing in its future. In both public and private investment the UK consistently lags behind its international peers, leaving British workers … Continued READ MORE
Growth· Economy 2030 Shaping the next revolution How can we ensure that technological change boosts our national prosperity? Wednesday 24 May 2023 Technological innovations – from new agricultural machinery to industrialisation and the invention of the computer – have powered economic progress over the past 1,000 years. But technological leaps do not automatically lead to living standards improvements, and can instead cause economic disruption and pose threats to workers. As we stand on the precipice of a … Continued READ MORE
Growth· Economy 2030 Saving capitalism, rescuing democracy Book launch for The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism by Martin Wolf Tuesday 7 February 2023 Recent decades have not been kind to liberal democracy. Growth has slowed, inequality risen. Powerful voices argue that capitalism is better without democracy, while others argue that democracy is better without capitalism. But despite the travails of democratic capitalism this system brings substantial benefits. Turning the tide on populism requires both reflecting on these advantages … Continued READ MORE
Growth· Political parties and elections The experts strike back? A joint Resolution Foundation and Political Quarterly launch event for Politicians and economic experts: the limits of technocracy by Anna Killick Thursday 8 December 2022 The relationship between politicians and economists has always been complicated, and it has become particularly rocky in Britain over the last decade. Divisions during the Brexit referendum prompted Michael Gove to quip that Britain had ‘had enough of experts’ while a key pillar of Trussonomics was challenging existing economic institutions from the Treasury to the … Continued READ MORE
Wales· Growth· Cities and regions· Economy 2030 The future of the UK economy Navigating a route to a fairer and more prosperous Wales, and beyond Thursday 24 November 2022 The whole of the United Kingdom is facing a decisive decade of huge economic change, from tackling the energy bills crisis, to restructuring after Brexit and the pandemic, and urgently transitioning towards a net zero future. These shifts present big new opportunities for people and places throughout Wales, such as being a hub for renewable … Continued READ MORE
Growth· Cities and regions· Economy 2030 Stagnation Nation The role of Greater Manchester in renewing the UK’s economic strategy for the 2020s Wednesday 12 October 2022 A joint event with Resolution Foundation and Greater Manchester Combined Authority The United Kingdom is facing a decisive decade of huge economic change, from tackling the energy bills crisis, to restructuring after Brexit and the pandemic, and urgently transitioning towards a net zero future. But it is doing that against a backdrop of low growth … Continued READ MORE
Incomes· Budgets & fiscal events· Public finances· Growth What next? The impact of Trussonomics, tax cuts and market turmoil Thursday 29 September 2022 The last few days have seen a radical reshaping of the Government’s economic policy and a radical reaction from financial markets. Out have gone both Treasury orthodoxy and the legacy of the Johnson premiership, and in are lower taxes, higher borrowing – and higher borrowing costs as spooked markets respond. Will this new strategy boost … Continued READ MORE
Growth Slouching towards utopia? Brad DeLong on the economic history of the 20th century Wednesday 14 September 2022 The 20th century was one of unparalleled economic growth – from rising living standards and an explosion of material wealth, to massive falls in poverty and deprivation. But it was also one of huge economic disruption, caused by, and the cause of, brutal global conflicts, as well as one of competing economic philosophies and outlooks, … Continued READ MORE
Growth· Trade· Cities and regions· Economy 2030 The future of the UK economy Navigating a route to a fairer and more prosperous Northern Ireland, and beyond Monday 12 September 2022 The whole of the United Kingdom is facing a decisive decade of huge economic change, from tackling the energy bills crisis, to restructuring after Brexit and the pandemic, and urgently transitioning towards a net zero future. These shifts present big new opportunities for people and places throughout Northern Ireland, such as being a hub for … Continued READ MORE
Firms· Growth· Net zero· Trade· Economy 2030 Stagnation Nation? The Economy 2030 Inquiry conference Wednesday 13 July 2022 The UK is facing a decisive decade of economic change, as we emerge from the pandemic, adjust to Brexit, and urgently transition towards a net zero future. Some hope these changes will help us overcome the stagnation that has seen the UK enter the 2020s with low growth and high inequality – be that via … Continued READ MORE
Growth· Economy 2030 Mind the gap (part II) What drives productivity gaps across the UK? Thursday 30 June 2022 People’s incomes are fundamental to their living standards, and productivity is fundamental to those incomes. But Britain is beset by big productivity gaps – between North and South, and between metro and non-metro areas. Understanding what has driven these gaps and how they’ve changed over time is critical for an economic strategy that successfully tackles … Continued READ MORE
Growth· Cities and regions· Economy 2030 All change please? What going for growth could mean for different places across Britain Tuesday 7 June 2022 After a decade of stagnation and many decades of persistent regional economic divides, the task of securing a brighter economic future for a wider range of places is now up in lights. It’s an ambition that resonates with the public too, and if policy makers across local, city-wide and national government are to take effective … Continued READ MORE
