Well before being elected, Labour set out intentions to increase labour market participation. At the centre of its policies, was achieving an 80% participation rate for 18–66-year-olds over a ten-year period, way above the current 75% - though this includes part-time working. ‘Rebuilding’ Britain’s labour force has been the main brief of the Department for … Continue reading Labouring under Labour
Category: Economy
The White Paper, immigration, automation.
In press releases leading up to the recent White Paper Getting Britain Working, Labour frontbenchers argued that the high levels of economic inactivity, particularly the increased number of NEETs, prevents the UK economy from growing. The question is whether the various support measures outlined in the WP are likely to backed up by more detailed … Continue reading The White Paper, immigration, automation.
Does the Reeves budget take things forward?
Make no mistake, there are some progressive intentions behind this week’s budget, as the Starmer government sets out to address the UK economy’s miserable performance since the financial crash, the rapid decline of public services and disintegrating infrastructure. Labour plans a £70 billion increase in public spending, with over £20 billion for the NHS, just … Continue reading Does the Reeves budget take things forward?
No repeat of ‘education, education, education’ under a Starmer government
There’ll be no repeat of Tony Blair’s ‘education, education, education’ by a Starmer government. For Blair and Gordon Brown ‘education’ became a key economic policy. Getting ‘qualified’ would, it was argued, sharpen people’s ability to take advantage of opportunities in the new global economy, whereas those who didn’t would be left behind. In other words, … Continue reading No repeat of ‘education, education, education’ under a Starmer government
‘Work or we’ll cut your benefits’ Hunt seeks to rebuild the ‘reserve army’.
'Work or we'll cut your benefits' Compared to many others, the UK economy is labour intensive and low-skill. In recent years the limited amount of growth that has been achieved has come by adding to the labour force, rather than increasing productivity through investment in technology. Hunt’s Autumn Statement will do little to change this. … Continue reading ‘Work or we’ll cut your benefits’ Hunt seeks to rebuild the ‘reserve army’.
Skill deficits or labour shortages?
As the UKs economic difficulties persist, there’s a continued focus on skill shortages. Most discussions ignore issues of job quality, yet it’s evident that labour supply issues are more visible in jobs deemed ‘low skilled’ with lower wages and poor employment conditions. In otherwords, rather than productivity and increased output being held back by skill … Continue reading Skill deficits or labour shortages?
‘Farewell to the working class’? Or good-bye to parts of the middle?
It’s getting on for forty-five years since the publication of Andre Gorz’s Farewell to the Working Class led to controversy – and accusations of heresy, from socialist and labour movement quarters. Gorz claimed that as a result of developments within capitalist society, particularly the increased role of machinery, groups of workers would be ejected from … Continue reading ‘Farewell to the working class’? Or good-bye to parts of the middle?
‘Off to work we go’?
Jeremy Hunt’s budget is unlikely to get many more people into the labour market. Most of the newspaper headlines have focussed on the child care reforms – particularly providing up to 30 hours for very young children (from 9 months to 2 years) but, as child care sector representatives have been quick to point out, … Continue reading ‘Off to work we go’?
Filling (or digging?) a ‘black hole’
With the economy slipping into recession, (by all accounts maybe the longest ever), you’d think it would be generally accepted that at the very least, as even right-wing Tory Ian Duncan-Smith acknowledged on TV at the weekend, a bit of ‘Keynesian’ public spending is necessary, if only to stop things getting significantly worse. But paving … Continue reading Filling (or digging?) a ‘black hole’
As Neo-liberal factions slug it out, how do we pay for energy and public services?
Recent days have seen two factions of Neo-liberalism going head-to-head in a bruising encounter, with mainstream Neo-liberalism moving quickly to crush a rebellious (and even more right wing) tendency led by Prime Minister Truss and Chancellor Kwarteng. Mainstream Neo-liberalism ( in the UK, also referred to as ‘Treasury Orthodoxy’ and most recently associated with defeated … Continue reading As Neo-liberal factions slug it out, how do we pay for energy and public services?
Education, Economy and Society 