Public finances
Towns Fund
The Towns Fund for England (hereafter the Towns Fund) is a £3.6 billion fund for ‘struggling’ towns across England to support local economic growth.
Levelling up
The government’s flagship levelling up agenda lacks clear objectives, with policies often contradicting ministerial rhetoric about decentralising powe
Bring forward funding to ease Covid disruption in public services
Thomas Pope argues that it not just the NHS that should have its funding frontloaded in the spending review
How would an independent Scotland borrow?
The steps an independent Scotland could take to reassure investors and limit increases in debt interest costs.
Currency options for an independent Scotland
Any currency choice for a newly independent Scotland would require its government to bring borrowing down to a sustainable level.
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
The furlough scheme risks providing poor value for money and should end as planned at the end of September – even if it is still supporting many jobs.
Tax and spending questions facing the government in autumn 2021
Numerous spending pressures on government mean Rishi Sunak will face a difficult balancing act this autumn.
Productivity and innovation: not such a simple story
Research and development spending is not sufficient to restore the UK economy to productivity growth
Productivity: firing on all cylinders
A narrow focus on high-value sectors will not address the UK’s £300bn growth gap.
Now is the right time to phase out the furlough scheme
Thomas Pope says it is the right time to remove this economy-wide support