By: Paul Ormerod

Paul Ormerod is an economist at Volterra Partners LLP, author and an Honorary Professor at the Alliance Business School at the University of Manchester

All 233 Articles

How bad has the ‘cost of living crisis’ really been?

Opinion

The 'cost of living crisis' has become a well-worn phrase over the last four years, but what do the numbers actually say, asks Paul Ormerod.
The case against devolution? Wales’ declining education system

Opinion

Devolution is great when it works. But where are the sanctions for poor outcomes like Wales' appalling education results, asks Paul Ormerod.
What can steam trains teach us about progress in AI?

Opinion

Contrary to popular belief, Stephenson’s Rocket did not hail the dawn of the steam age. Likewise, AI has actually been in development for decades, but progress could now begin to move faster than steam trains ever could, says Paul Ormerod The economics Nobel Laureate Robert Solow famously stated in 1987: “you can see the computer [...]

If Brexit is to blame for Britain’s economic woes what’s the EU’s excuse?

September 23, 2026

The Labour government is blaming Brexit for low growth but ignoring that’s it’s a phenomenon plaguing the EU as well, says Paul Ormerod At the weekend, Bridget Phillipson became the latest leading politician to pin the economic woes of the UK on Brexit. She recognised that youth unemployment will continue to rise but argued that [...]
Economists may have ignored the biggest reason for our productivity decline

September 16, 2026

Productivity in the West has slowed dramatically since the late 2000s, but there is no consensus as to why.
Burnham bounce? Business confidence tells a different story

September 9, 2026

Labour may be improving in the polls under Andy Burnham, but overall support for the party is still very low. Economic confidence tells a similar story, says Paul Ormerod Both in the opinion polls and in local authority by-elections, there is clear evidence of a “Burnham bounce” for Labour. But in historical terms, support for [...]
The answer to regional inequality isn’t public money, it’s productivity

September 2, 2026

Andy Burnham’s ambitions for Number 10 North are nothing new, but successive governments have failed to focus on the key reason for differing regional outcomes, says Paul Ormerod The creation of Number 10 North symbolises a key aspect of Andy Burnham’s policies. Namely, to revive the economies of the more deprived parts of the UK. [...]
Josh Kerr took the mile record. But how much further can we go?

August 18, 2026

Josh Kerr’s performance prompts the question as to how much further world records might be expected to improve, says Paul Ormerod.
It’s not just Jason Arday, most of sociology is a scam

August 12, 2026

Jason Arday is not the only second rate academic working in sociology. His Cambridge colleagues have also published papers that are impossible to read and contain no evidence, says Paul Ormerod The Jason Arday story has been covered intensively from many different angles. But relatively little has been written on the academic discipline in which [...]
The only answers to over-tourism are prices or queues

August 5, 2026

Major tourism sites are becoming over crowded as a result of rational herd behaviour. The inevitable result will be charges or queues, says Paul Ormerod Peak holiday season, and the media is full of stories and pictures of popular sites across Europe being overwhelmed by the crowds of visitors. Shots on social media show the [...]

Top court rejects Tesco appeal in ‘equal pay’ case

Royal Antwerp: Legal bid to torch football’s homegrown quotas suffers shock defeat

Ian McKellen flirts with Ncuti Gatwa in delightful Frank and Percy film – review

By: Paul Ormerod

All 233 Articles

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