Years of political turbulence, economic shocks and the failure to ‘level up’ as pledged have turned English devolution into a key political and constitutional issue
Angela Rayner’s expansive policy brief faces the threat of ‘short-termism’ perhaps more than any other. If Labour win power, will Rayner be able to fight against these short-term political incentives?
With all delays on this train line over the last decade, it may have been a costly distraction from other projects that could have contributed to levelling up in the meantime.
Economists do not have the analytical tools to properly measure the full value of a megaproject. Deciding on whether to pull the plug or not is always a political matter.
Whether moving away is a good idea depends as much on a young person’s aspirations as it does on their resources. Staying put – or moving back – does not necessarily mean personal failure.
The way high streets function has fundamentally changed, and we need to start prioritising their social value over their monetary value for the benefit of local communities.