By James Banks and Xiaowei Wu, courtesy of the Institute for Fiscal Studies The COVID-19 episode has had substantial negative impacts on mental health across the population. The biggest impacts have been on the gender and age groups – broadly women and the young – that already had relatively low levels of mental […]
Tag: UK
Thriving UK food culture exists thanks to free trade
“Briefing: Free Trade and the Agriculture Bill 2019-21” Courtesy of the TaxPayers’ Alliance In recent decades, global food trade has liberalised substantially. According to the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs, Britain imports 47 per cent of its food, 19 per cent coming from outside the European Union. This means that, no matter […]
COVID-19 will force change on UK’s welfare state
“Very unlikely” current welfare system will survive the Covid-19 pandemic, says new IEA briefing By Dr. Stephen Davies, courtesy of IEA Radical changes to the welfare system are historically associated with major crises and events such as wars, civil unrest, famines or epidemics. There is no reason that it will this time be any different, says a new […]
Why Johnson won’t ask for a Brextension
By Jannike Wachowiak, courtesy of the European Policy Centre By running down the clock and refusing to ask for an extension, Boris Johnson’s hope seems to be to secure concessions from the EU at the last minute. This form of brinkmanship is likely to backfire and increases the chance of no deal. Why an […]
Germany exports to UK declined after 2016
“German Exports to the UK: declining since the Brexit referendum in 2016” IAB The rules defining trade between Germany and the United Kingdom (UK) have not changed despite Brexit. Nevertheless, there is a clear downward trend in German exports of goods to the UK since the referendum in June 2016. The strongest reductions are […]
Key workers make 8% less than other Brits, on average
“Key workers’ hourly wages are 8% lower on average than other employees” Institute for Fiscal Studies The response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has underlined the critical role of the UK’s key workers, many of whom are in relatively low-paid sectors such as food or social care. Overall, a third of key worker employees […]
Does the UK need a “Department for Coronavirus”?
Do we need a ‘Department for Coronavirus’? By Jill Rutter, courtesy of UKIACE We had a Department for Exiting the EU when Brexit was the all-consuming task of the UK government under Theresa May. That department has now been replaced by a team in No.10 running the negotiations in Task Force Europe, and by […]
Corona downturn and NHS disruptions will hit elderly, low-income hardest
Courtesy of IFS The coronavirus pandemic poses clear and obvious dangers to the health of individuals who are infected with the virus. But worsening economic conditions and disruptions to NHS services will have important and far-reaching consequences for the health of the broader population. New briefings from researchers at the Institute for Fiscal […]
Nicholson: Of course, we should do everything to stop Coronavirus. But maybe…
By Calum Nicholson, UK Correspondent There is a famous piece, by the comedian Louis CK, widely known as ‘of course…but maybe’. The clip‘s subtle power and disarming truth doesn’t survive transcription, but in it the American makes an important point: there are many things in life that, of course, are incontrovertible. But maybe, […]
Carbon tax would be disruptive, destructive for Britain
“Why a carbon tax would be bad for Britain” By Sam Packer, courtesy of Taxpayers’ Alliance UK In 2011, Australia introduced the Clean Energy Act to levy additional taxes on carbon emissions. It was repealed just three years later. Since then, British politicians have repeatedly advocated following suit, with 516 references made to the idea […]