Economics · Data Science · Public Policy | Founder & Chief Economist @EconAnalyticsUK | Economic Data Lead @OpenInnovates | Chief Economist @PlaceManagement
United Kingdom
Joined March 2010
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As David Hume might have said, "Empires may rise and fall; liberty and slavery succeed alternately; ignorance and knowledge give place to each other; but profit per partner will still remain, and will never be affected by the revolutions of human society." ft.com/content/94a227c6-cded…
All good things must come to an end, but I (and many others) have had an absolute ball working for @OpenInnovates over the years, and have learnt so much. Their mantra of #RadicallyOpen and #KillAllReports will live on in my own work.
@OpenInnovates is elegantly winding down over the next 12 months.
open-innovations.org/blog/20…
First day at the desk in the new financial year and gently easing myself back into things. There's lots planned at @EconAnalyticsUK over the coming months after an extended absence for a number of personal reasons. There's no shortage of issues: more on those in due course.
Budget chatter everywhere ("will she, won't she, we don't know"), but this (Sky News), is intriguing.
'Rachel Reeves is unlikely to hike these taxes because the Treasury says those earning £45,000 or less qualify as "working people".'
Higher rate threshold to come down?
Link to Sky News story: news.sky.com/story/income-ta…
Looking forward to this. One reason why I'm dubious about killing NI and switching it onto IT (both IFS and Mirrlees Review say we should) is that the UK has never had a proper debate about a contributory benefits system, particularly around the issue of tax morale.
NEW PODCAST: Should the middle classes get benefits?
@HelenMiller_IFS, @tomwatersecon and @NicholasTimmins trace the history of UK welfare system and examine whether benefits should be universal, means-tested or contributory.
🎧 Listen here: ifs.org.uk/articles/should-m…
Bonne rentrée! After the August break (and a somewhat enforced break for personal reasons in June and July), it's good to be fully back at the desk for the big push through to Christmas. 1/2
Interesting new publication from @NIESRorg today on seasonally-adjusted inflation series.
niesr.ac.uk/publications/sea…
#Economics
Christian Spence retweeted
🚍 A historic moment for South Yorkshire’s buses.
Today, South Yorkshire’s Mayor @olivercoppard made the landmark decision to take back control of South Yorkshire’s buses, putting passengers back at the heart of our transport system.
Watch the moment it happened.
Christian Spence retweeted
Today @BBCRobertCooper piece on #TourismTax was on #BBCPoliticsNorth featuring analysis by @ChristianSpence @OpenInnovates for @NP_Partnership as part of our work on #fiscaldevo
bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0…
Tomorrow at 810am I’ll be joining @BBC_Cumbria breakfast show to discuss
I'm already 1½ working days into 2025, but this is my first opportunity to sit down at a desk and start the catching-up process after travelling around the snowy north for some new year meetings yesterday and today. Here's to a bustling 2025 with some interesting projects!
So, tonight it's going to be:
☃️snowy
❄️ cold
🍃 windy (with nippy windchill 🥶), and
*checks notes*
🤷♂️>100% humidity.
Today to Leeds for an @ONS Local Subnational Data Conference. A nice reminder of local government past on the way in.
In Manchester today for a new @NP_Partnership paper on fiscal rules with @EYnews and hosted by @JenWilliams_FT.
Some days I love curl. Some days I hate curl. Today has been a challenging one, but the puzzle is solved.
👀
I remember when Eric Pickles said he had a pearl-handled revolver in his desk for anyone who even mentioned this.
Big news for local government...
EXCLUSIVE: Government to launch full reorganisation themj.co.uk/exclusive-govern… via @themjcouk
A terrifying chart from an excellent thread; well worth reading.
Christian Spence retweeted
At @OpenInnovates we asked 33 pro-growth economists almost exactly the same questions as @UKDayOne had asked different economists (one overlap) a month earlier on how they thought the government should boost economic growth in the UK. Here are our results. open-innovations.org/blog/20…