Commentary & Podcasts

Recently, the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board has come under criticism. Originally set up to help improve farming, it is now simply maintaining the reputation of the industries and marketing their products - at great odds with the new government's objectives, Research Director Aveek Bhattacharya explains.

On Wednesday, political economist Ben Ansell provoked discussion by publishing an essay exploring whether Labour have a theory of growth. It’s a good question. In fact, it’s the question that prompted me and Neil Lee to convene some of country’s leading economists to dissect the party’s economic plans a year and a half ago.

With Sarah Owen MP's Fireworks Bill scheduled for its second reading in the Commons, Senior Researcher Niamh O Regan looks at why it can help make us the envy of our neighbours in Europe.

If you have only been in Westminster for the last five years then it is understandable why you might have been conditioned to expect the Chancellor to resign on Wednesday. Theo Bertram takes stock, reminding us that Chancellors have a history of enduring through the barbs, the polls, and bad headlines.

Levies, charges, dedicated pots - we have a plethora of taxes that are ringfenced for particular purposes. In this blog, Research Director Aveek Bhattacharya, argues that despite its popularity - such ringfencing should be used more judiciously.

Drug-related deaths have reached record levels. Among the threats are nitazenes, a class of synthetic opioids up to 500 times more potent than heroin that is increasingly linked to fatal overdoses. In this blog, Jake Shepherd examines the urgent need for proactive measures to curb this escalating crisis and argues that the government has a crucial opportunity to rethink the UK’s approach to drug policy.