Richard Exell
Richard writes for Left Foot Forward on labour markets; he is the TUC’s senior policy officer, covering social security, tax credits and labour market issues - including the debates about the European social model and labour market flexibility.
Will the Labour market take a turn for the worse this week?
This week we should find out whether the labour market has taken the turn for the worse that many economists have been expecting for some time.
Some genuine good news from today’s employment stats
Today’s labour market statistics reveal an employment recovery that is picking up, but remains very weak – though there is some genuine good news in today’s results.
Child benefit cuts will result in a worse deal for the poor
Today’s Guardian reports that the new Lib Dem/Tory Chancellor George Osborne has made plans to cut spending on child benefit by ‘targeting’ the benefit.
Lib Dems set to support regressive Tory VAT increase
A BBC survey of economists reports that they expect value added tax to rise from 17.5 to 20 per cent.
The Express is wrong: Half of all new jobs have gone to UK citizens
Contrary to the Express's claims that 98% of new jobs go to "foreigners", 50.3% of the jobs created since 1997 have been taken by Britons - 1,375,000 positions.