No turning back: Balls stays firm on cuts, pay, and the deficit
Ed Balls defended Labour’s new direction last night, insisting he would not make promises he couldn’t keep and could be trusted to make the big decisions.
Growth
Memo to Osborne: Jobs and growth will cut the deficit. Please listen
Cormac Hollingworth explains to George Osborne how rising unemployment and recession are increasing the deficit, and how jobs and growth will cut it. Simples.
Manufacturing’s recovery ends before it starts
Tony Burke presents the bad news about UK manufacturing, and asks what the government is doing to improve the situation.
Growth revision shows economic recovery is off track
Revisions to the national accounts data published by the ONS just before Christmas show economic recovery in the UK was stronger in 2010 than previously thought.
Glasman is battling over postage stamps, but growth is the priority
Cormac Hollingsworth argues that Lord Glasman is focusing on the smallest, least relevant areas of policy, and ignoring the only one that can make a difference: Growth.
Preview 2012 – Northern Ireland
Left Foot Forward’s Ed Jacobs looks ahead to the political situation in Northern Ireland in 2012.
Preview 2012 – Wales
Left Foot Forward’s Ed Jacobs looks ahead to the political situation in Wales in 2012.
Preview 2012 – Scotland
Left Foot Forward’s Ed Jacobs looks ahead to the political situation in Scotland in 2012.
Manufacturers still fear a double-dip recession in 2012
Manufacturers remain worried a double dip recession is looming as the slight revised increase was based on higher growth in agriculture, construction and services.
The south is on its way out of recession, but the north is stuck
IPPR North report on the growing economic split between the north and south of England; while the former may be recovering, the latter is stagnating – or worse.