Scope Articles

Poverty in the UK

Poverty will be a major concern for the Assembly

27 Jan 2021

The UK was struggling to get to grips with poverty before the pandemic. Immediate needs and underlying issues both need to be addressed in any recovery.

How to train the workforce for the future

18 Dec 2020

If we are going to build a strong economy in Northern Ireland post pandemic and Brexit we are going to need to have the right workforce to power it.

Covid-19 has highlighted NI’s lack of support for childcare

2 Dec 2020

The pandemic has shown once more how important childcare is to many families in Northern Ireland – and why proper help from Stormont is essential.

Jobs, jobs, jobs: a hard winter beckons

30 Oct 2020

One of the biggest problems in dealing with the economic aspects of the pandemic is that the statistics we need to shape responses are not available in time to make the right decisions.

The economy, the doughnut, and the myth of eternal growth

21 Aug 2020

One of government’s most pressing concerns is to get life back to normal. Critical to that is returning the economy to growth.

The economy: the long, hard road ahead

7 Aug 2020

It will take Northern Ireland’s economy between four and five years to recover from the Covid-19 economic crash, according to an Ulster University report released this week.

Covid-19 and our young people: Don’t. Look. Down.

Don't. Look. Down. Oblivion - image by by Carlos Delgado; CC-BY-SA

5 Aug 2020

The pandemic has highlighted many economic weaknesses. A terrible downturn is inevitable, and young people will be worst affected. Throw in other factors, like climate change, and new thinking seems necessary.

Hey, remember Brexit?

15 Jul 2020

2020 is our annus horribilis. Until, perhaps, 2021.

Childcare is infrastructure - investment is essential

25 Jun 2020

The Executive has plenty on its plate but now is the time to look at childcare in Northern Ireland.

After Covid-19 let’s not return to business-as-usual

1 May 2020

Joe Bilsborough, researcher at the Centre for Local Economic Strategies, argues for a better approach to re-building NI’s economy when the crisis abates.

Coronavirus: cross-party discussions are taking place at Westminster on UBI

22 Apr 2020

The Covid-19 pandemic is forcing us to examine the mechanisms of our society and economy. Options that were previously just theoretical are now on the table. The impacts could be enormous.

Northern Ireland: more Tallinn than Finchley

19 Dec 2019

We are often told that the UK is a powerful western economy. But that is profoundly misleading.

Reductive politics is on collision course with reality

18 Dec 2019

It wasn’t just election week, it was Brexit election week. Or was it? And what about the Stormont talks? Voters are more subtle than politicians and we stand at a policy crossroads. Without fixes there could be enormous public anger.

Employment highs are obscuring a great malaise

Credit to PropertyPal for analysing NISRA and LPS figures. We are working more because we think we have to. So keep the champagne on ice (or sell it).

13 Nov 2019

The latest job market updates look great. Take a peek behind the figures, however, and the story is different.

How is NI performing? (part three)

16 Oct 2019

Our third and final article looking at how our public sector is doing, by its own measure.

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