Global cyber-attack: not a new problem
Last month, the largest global cyber-attack in history recently infected Windows computers in a network. It utilised a security glitch in the Windows operating system that allowed it to jump from computer to computer on an internal network. Only this week, yet another ransom attack spread across the world. The WannaCry attack was in terms […]
Ellie speaker at Policy Forum for London event
Ellie was recently invited to speak at the Policy Forum for London’s event on the priorities for developing London’s night time economy. Specialising in the economic impact of developments and proposals, Ellie spoke about London’s night time economy hotspots and historic growth, as well as the business case for the Night Tube. When thinking about the […]
How to stop tech hubs in urban hotspots from intensifying geographic inequalities
Perhaps George Osborne’s most abiding legacy from his time as chancellor will be the creation of the concept of the Northern Powerhouse. Certainly Manchester, its principal focus, is booming. The landscape of the centre is being altered dramatically by skyscrapers. Peel Holdings, the huge investment and property outfit, is planning to double the size of […]
Volterra: industry partners at UCL’s hands-on training event
Paul Buchanan and Kieran Arter were recent ‘industry partners’ at UCL’s How to Change the World hands-on training programme (HtCtW, 30 May – 9 June 2017). Students were challenged to come up with ways to improve the Strategic Road Network. Paul and Kieran were on hand to answer questions from the participating students. Group discussions then […]
Less austerity will always mean more tax
There is a great deal of discussion, following the election, of relaxing or even abandoning austerity. There is an equal amount of confusion about this, because the same word is being used to describe two quite separate concepts. The consequences of the government changing its policy on austerity are dramatically different, depending on which one […]
Sorry Corbyn, consumers aren’t as sold on nationalisation as you’d like to think
One of the most remarkable features of the Conservative election campaign was the dog which did not bark. There was no systematic attempt to undermine Jeremy Corbyn’s wholly implausible economic narrative. Magic Money Tree comments aside, Labour’s economic incompetence was allowed to pass almost unchallenged. One part of Labour’s economic offer which really did strike […]
Does the productivity gap actually exist?
Whoever wins the election tomorrow will have to grapple with what appears to be a fundamental economic problem. Estimated productivity growth in the UK is virtually at a standstill. The standard definition of productivity is the average output per employee across the economy as a whole, after adjusting output for inflation – or “real” output, […]
Volterra are challenge partners for UCL’s How to Change the World Programme
UCL Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy has run a hands-on training programme – How to Change the World – for its students since 2014. The programme aims to teach students how to direct their own learning and use their initiative to scope out problem statements and design solutions, with guidance from industry […]
The UK could teach the Eurozone a thing or two about successful monetary unions
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) published last week some figures which show how a successful monetary union works in practice. It is not obvious at first sight, from the dry heading: “regional public sector finances”. The ONS collects information on the amounts of public spending and money raised in taxes across the regions of […]
Labour’s plans add up on paper, but that won’t translate to the real world
The two main manifestos have been published. Initially at least, the Labour one seems the more popular. Many people are susceptible to being bribed with other people’s money. Labour claims that their plans to spend an additional £49 billion have been fully costed. At one level, this is true. A set of tax changes and […]
