Publications Trend setters What is the OBR’s forecast for trend productivity growth, and why it matters so much for the Budget 14 October 2025 by Greg Thwaites and Elliott Christensen The Budget in November is likely to reveal a significant deterioration in the outlook for the public finances, requiring the Government to raise taxes in response. A key reason for… Continue Reading
Comment Turbulent times How should the Chancellor respond to recent movements in the gilt market? 10 January 2025 by Emily Fry and Cara Pacitti Turbulent gilt markets, a devaluing pound and speculation about the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) downgrading its economic forecasts is not the start to 2025 the Chancellor was hoping for.… Continue Reading
Comment They’ve only just begun… Government fires the starting gun on a Spending Review that must plot a path to prosperity 10 December 2024 by James Smith and Tom Clark Rachel Reeves certainly isn’t the first Chancellor to turn to financiers for line-by-line scrutiny of public expenditure, as she is reported to be doing, as she fires the starting gun… Continue Reading
Publications Over-ruled? Assessing the options for changing the fiscal rules 4 October 2024 by Cara Pacitti and James Smith Although the Chancellor said she would stick with the previous Government’s much-criticised rule of reducing public debt in the fifth year of the forecast, Rachel Reeves’s conference speech has sparked… Continue Reading
Events 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… Continue Reading
Events Riding the economic rollercoaster Is Britain’s macroeconomic policy framework fit for purpose? Thursday 19 October 2023 Britain’s macroeconomic policy that the Treasury and Bank of England have got used to is crisis management – from a financial crash to a global pandemic and a huge inflation… Continue Reading
Events Wealth booms and debt burdens How Britain’s recent economic history and outlook affects different generations Wednesday 11 January 2023 Part of the ESRC funded Connecting Generations Thought Leader series. The financial crisis is largely considered to have increased inequalities between generations, with rising public debt leading to higher taxes… Continue Reading
Events 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… Continue Reading
