Labour’s planned tax rises for those earning over £80 000 have attracted their fair share of controversy. While these will affect comparatively few (around 5%), some critics argue that Labour would have to impose wider increases in income tax to pay for its program. But as the graph below shows opportunities appear limited. Levels of … Continue reading Income inequality and Labour’s mild tax reforms
Author: Site Manager
Climate apprenticeships or new green jobs?
Jeremy Corbyn has announced that a Labour government would deliver 320,000 new ‘climate apprenticeships’ during its first term – part of a wider commitment to creating a million high skilled jobs in a Green Industrial Revolution. There’s a general recognition that a Green New Deal would be kick-started in the building and construction sector, energy … Continue reading Climate apprenticeships or new green jobs?
Labour puts Adult learning back on the agenda
After a torrid debate about Labour’s spending plans, Angela Rayner has indicated which of the Party’s education policies will make it into next week's Manifesto. The Tories, themselves (at least officially) ditching the ‘austerity economics’ of George Osborne and Phillip Hammond, have continued to accuse Labour of ‘reckless’ spending. But as previous posts have argued, … Continue reading Labour puts Adult learning back on the agenda
UTCs. Another expensive failure?
What's happened to University Technology Colleges - the 14-19 schools created by one time Secretary of State Kenneth (now Lord) Baker? Citing ‘academic snobbery’ for the failure to establish proper technical education in this country, which he argues has caused skill shortages and contributed to further industrial decline, Baker has established 60 UTCs with employer … Continue reading UTCs. Another expensive failure?
Youth unemployment on the way up?
This week's ONS labour market data shows unemployment’s rising again. A slight increase to 3.9% in the last quarter (the number of people working also fell) but enough to suggest that the labour market's cooling.- if not reaching full capacity (pay has continued to grow in real terms). Youth unemployment grew more significantly. Up to 11.2% … Continue reading Youth unemployment on the way up?
25 T-Levels coming your way!
The government has just published another Action Plan (apparently this is the third!) for T-levels, now buoyed by the enthusiasm of Secretary of State Gavin Williamson ‘a former FE student myself’ for vocational alternatives. Having much in common with Labour’s Specialist Diplomas, there are some important differences. Unlike the post-16 Ts, the Dips started … Continue reading 25 T-Levels coming your way!
‘Doing it better than the Germans’. Gavin Williamson and pies in the sky.
Over a third of German secondary school students go on to a vocational/technical programme. Now, Gavin Williamson, the latest in what is getting to be a long line of Tory education ministers, has promised that UK young people will have even better opportunities than young Germans, by the end of the next decade. https://www.tes.com/news/gavin-williamsons-tory-conference-speech-full … Continue reading ‘Doing it better than the Germans’. Gavin Williamson and pies in the sky.
