Don’t believe Starmer’s spin on skills Opinion Keir Starmer has abandoned the target of sending 50 per cent of young people to university, but he risks extending the worst failings of universities into further education, says Iain Mansfield Last week, to great fanfare, Keir Starmer tore up Tony Blair’s target of sending 50 per cent of young people to university. He is [...]
Immigration reforms don’t go far enough Opinion The UK government’s immigration reforms take a step toward prioritising high-skilled migrants but fall short in scale, clarity, and immediate impact, says Iain Mansfield The government’s proposals to prioritise highly skilled immigration are welcome – the only question is whether they go far enough. Since the pandemic, the profile of immigration patterns has shifted sharply [...]
Build, Baby, Build: Rachel Reeves has shown she’s serious about growth Iain Mansfield In announcing a suite of planning reforms in her first speech as Chancellor, Rachel Reeves has addressed the biggest barrier to growth in Britain today, says Iain Mansfield The new Chancellor is serious about growth. By putting planning front and centre of her first speech, Rachel Reeves addressed the single biggest obstacle to economic growth [...]
Tough new US tech laws could open up a whole new UK market October 2, 2023 The US, known for its friendly approach to tech, is looking to toughen up rules against Web3 and blockchain technologies, giving the UK a fresh chance to seize billions worth of investment, writes Iain Mansfield
We must not put a salami slicer to our public services in a bid to balance the books October 27, 2022 Our country is deeply in debt, with a deficit that is viewed by the markets as on an unsustainable path. The mini-budget and the subsequent reaction from the markets have undoubtedly made the situation significantly more challenging. The new prime minister must now seize the opportunity to restore fiscal credibility. Both unfunded tax cuts and [...]
DEBATE: With student debt now blowing a hole in the government’s budget, should tuition fees be cut? December 20, 2018 With student debt now blowing a hole in the government’s budget, should tuition fees be cut? Iain Mansfield, a former senior civil servant, says YES. This week’s decision to reclassify student loans has exposed the myth that tuition fees were the only way of making mass higher education affordable – they were never affordable, just off [...]
