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 212 Articles

Do long prison sentences work? Economics has the answer

August 15, 2024

Sentences deter different groups in different ways - and behavioural economics shows how, says Paul Ormerod
Don’t be so quick to dismiss the ‘doped Olympics’ – at least they’re honest

August 7, 2024

The Enhanced Games have faced a lot of criticism, but are they really any less fair than the Olympics, asks Paul Ormerod Despite all the glitches and the controversies, the Olympics have provided a great spectacle of skill and prowess. Not least was the dramatic men’s 100 metres final, won by America’s Noah Lyles by [...]
Crawling back to the EU after Brexit will only end badly for Britain

July 31, 2024

The new government is seeking closer ties to the EU, but Brussels will not be kind to a prodigal son, writes Paul Ormerod Clear signals are being emitted by Keir Starmer’s government on the European Union (EU). A much closer relationship is being sought on a wide range of issues such as trade and defence. [...]
The great student loans swindle

July 26, 2024

Vast quantities of student loans will never be repaid, representing a massive subsidy not just to students themselves but to universities. No other industry is cosseted in this way, failing universities should be allowed to go to the wall, say Paul Ormerod The university sector in the UK is in financial trouble. The annual fee [...]
It’s the energy price stupid

July 12, 2024

It’s not just the Conservatives, governments across the Western the world are being punished for failing to manage expectations in the face of an energy price shock, writes Paul Ormerod The scale of the Conservative defeat in the election has been amply documented. But what has been mentioned much less is the fact that they [...]
Start-ups and spin-outs: The secret ingredients to growth

July 3, 2024

In the US, start-ups create 3m jobs in their first year and employ 2.6m workers five years later. Britain is lagging way behind when it comes to innovation and entrepreneurship, says Paul Ormerod Going into the election tomorrow, the two main parties agree on a crucial issue. Economic growth is needed to achieve their respective [...]
Keir Starmer could be more like Harold Wilson than Tony Blair

June 26, 2024

Comparisons with 1997 start and finish with the polls. Unlike Blair, Starmer will inherit an economy in desperate need of a sharp turnaround, says Paul Ormerod Labour’s massive lead in the opinion polls is generating many parallels with the 1997 election. Will Keir Starmer end up with a bigger majority than Tony Blair or not? [...]
We can’t borrow our way back to growth

June 12, 2024

When 7.3 per cent of public spending goes on interest spending, the debt burden is completely unsustainable – and it’s only getting worse, says Paul Ormerod This week’s manifesto launches have made the poor state of the public finances clear – simply put, there’s very little money for any party to play with. One reason [...]
We’re still paying for lockdown, so why is no one talking about it?

June 7, 2024

We borrowed billions to pay for lockdown but neither Starmer nor Sunak will admit that the resulting debt is holding the public finances in a vice-like grip, says Paul Ormerod To borrow a famous phrase from Karl Marx, a spectre is haunting the election campaign. Despite the frantic efforts by the Conservatives to portray Keir [...]
Economic performance under Labour and Conservative governments: a reckoning

May 29, 2024

Voter apathy over the upcoming election is rational – history suggests the economic outcome will be broadly the same regardless of whether Labour or the Conservatives form the next government, says Paul Ormerod The election campaign has kicked off and already the air is thick with promises and counter-promises. Despite all the efforts of politicians [...]

Why we can’t just dismiss Infantino’s sports diplomacy with Trump

Why we can’t just dismiss Infantino’s sports diplomacy with Trump

What’s on in London in May

By: Paul Ormerod

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