The Policy Watch is a weekly update which aims to provide concise insights into the current policy landscape. Tailored for our members and individuals interested in international affairs, this update offers a brief yet comprehensive summary of key developments affecting policy decisions and political trends in the UK, Sweden, and the EU.UK AND US ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP TO ADDRESS AI SAFETY CONCERNS The United States and Britain have announced a collaboration aimed ...
Read More
Ministry of Defence looks to shake things up Minister for Defence Procurement James Cartilidge stated that overseas sales prospects would get more weighting when the Ministry of Defence assesses various bids for new weapons as it looks to implement major reforms. Britain has had a disastrous history of buying weapons with “exquisite procurement”, whereby extra improvements are made during the process, resulting in significant delays and unexpected costs. This reform is designed ...
Read More
The Policy Watch is a weekly update which aims to provide concise insights into the current policy landscape. Tailored for our members and individuals interested in international affairs, this update offers a brief yet comprehensive summary of key developments affecting policy decisions and political trends in the UK, Sweden, and the EU.BCC PROPOSES STRATEGIES FOR GLOBAL TRADE BOOST The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has launched its Global Britain Challenge report, ...
Read More
Pause on minimum wage rising The British government has announced a shift away from using minimum wage increases to narrow income disparities, opting for a slower rise to alleviate pressure on employers following this year's nearly 10% jump. In April, the minimum wage will increase next week by 9.8% to £11.44 per hour, affecting around 3 million workers and with potential side effects that will greatly impact businesses. Jonathan Haskel at the Monetary Policy ...
Read More
British retail sales remain steady in February despite expectations In February, British retail sales unexpectedly remained unchanged, signalling stability amid improving consumer confidence in financial outlooks. This was attributed to a slowdown in inflation and anticipated interest rate reductions. According to the Office for National Statistics, retail sales volumes remained flat, standing 1.3% below pre-pandemic levels in 2020, contrasting economist predictions of a 0.3% decline. Despite adverse weather impacting food and household goods ...
Read More
The Policy Watch is a weekly update which aims to provide concise insights into the current policy landscape. Tailored for our members and individuals interested in international affairs, this update offers a brief yet comprehensive summary of key developments affecting policy decisions and political trends in the UK, Sweden, and the EU.OMBUDSMAN ACCUSES DWP OF FAILING THOUSANDS OF WOMEN OVER STATE PENSION AGE COMMUNICATION. According to an investigation by the Parliamentary ...
Read More
The Policy Watch is a weekly update which aims to provide concise insights into the current policy landscape. Tailored for our members and individuals interested in international affairs, this update offers a brief yet comprehensive summary of key developments affecting policy decisions and political trends in the UK, Sweden, and the EU.SUNAK DISMISSES GENERAL ELECTIONS ON 2 MAY In an interview with ITV News West Country, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated ...
Read More
UK public inflation expectations fall In the spring, the average British person expected the inflation rate to be 3%, down from 3.3% in November, as recorded by the Bank of England (BoE) survey published this week. This reached close to the average over the last 21 years between 2000-2021, which was 2.8%, and the lowest rate since August 2021 before inflation rates proliferated. These figures will contribute to the BoE cutting ...
Read More
UK shift in green policy Rishi Sunak has backed investing more in gas-fired power plants as he wants to take a cautious approach in tackling climate change. Sunak stated this week that he would not “gamble” with the UK’s energy security whilst still attaining the goal of decarbonising the electricity grid by 2035. The secretary of state also backed his support for energy security and claimed that we could expect blackouts ...
Read More
The Policy Watch is a weekly update which aims to provide concise insights into the current policy landscape. Tailored for our members and individuals interested in international affairs, this update offers a brief yet comprehensive summary of key developments affecting policy decisions and political trends in the UK, Sweden, and the EU.GOVERNMENT PRESENT ITS SPRING BUDGET On Wednesday, The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, presented the UK Government’s Spring Budget ...
Read More