Publications by the Manchester Centre for Economic Policy

Research reports

Teaching Economic Policy Institutions

Published: May 2020
Dr Craig Berry with Dr Adam Barber, Christine Berry and Sabaa Jahangir

The report details the findings from Friends Provident Foundation research on pedagogical practice around economic policy institutions in economics and political science.

Disadvantage in early secondary school

Published: December 2020
Dr William Cook, Bart Shaw and Prof Stephen Morris

This report details the findings from the Nuffield Foundation funded project ‘The academic trajectory of disadvantaged pupils during Key Stage 3’. This project aimed to assess the latest evidence on the academic trajectory of disadvantaged pupils during early secondary (ages 11-14) using literature reviews and data analysis.

The Relationship Between Firm Financing and Investment in Productivity in a Very Low Interest Rate Environment

Published: October 2020
Dr Craig Berry, Dr John Evemy, and Dr Edward Yates

This report with the Productivity Insights Network evaluates how business investment behaviour is driving, or impeding, productivity growth.

Discussion papers

An Evaluation of the EU-UK Free Trade Agreement

Published: January 2021
Dr Dimitrios Syrrakos

This paper evaluates the economic consequences of the Agreement by focusing on a qualitative and, where possible, a quantitative assessment of its medium-term impact.

Urban Growth Strategies in Rural Regions: Building the North Wales Growth Deal

Published: November 2020
Dr David Beel, Prof Martin Jones and Dr Alexandra Plows

This paper explores the ways in which New Localism and devolution has been delivered at the City-Regional scale within the UK. Specifically, it has studied six case study areas; Swansea, Cardiff, Manchester, Sheffield, Stoke-on-Trent and Mersey-Dee/North Wales.

Negative Nominal Interest Rates and their Implications

Published: June 2020
Dr Dimitrios Syrrakos

This paper evaluates the merits and demerits of a policy of adopting negative base rates.

Older discussion papers
Greening the ‘Green Shoots’ of Recovery
Published: May 2020
Dr Dan Bailey
This paper sets out some key elements of the policy agenda for a crisis response that is attuned both to the short-term crisis of Covd-19 and the looming crisis of climate change.
Is the UK the new Italy?
Published: May 2020
Dr Dimitrios Syrrakos
The paper assesses the viability of public finances and debt sustainability in the UK in the light of the Coronavirus lockdown and its suppressing influence on economic activity.
The Covidist Manifesto: Assessing the State’s Emergency Enlargement
Published: April 2020
Dr Craig Berry, Dr Nick O’Donovan, Dr Dan Bailey, Dr Adam Barber, Dr David Beel, Dr Katy Jones, Dr Sean McDaniel and Rebecca Weicht
This paper proposes solutions to solving the economic crisis left in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Paying for the Pandemic
Published: April 2020
Dr Nick O’Donovan
This paper examines how policymakers might reconfigure the UK tax system in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis.
Who Owns the Future? Data Trusts, Data Commons, and the Future of Data Ownership
Published: January 2020
Stuart Mills
This paper consider various stakeholder claims to data ownership and the value generated by data, through a political economy lens.
Industrial Policy in the Context of Climate Emergency
Published: December 2019
Dr Dan Bailey
This paper analyses the relationship between the UK economy and the current climate emergency in the context of a developing industrial strategy and emerging Green New Deal.
Johnsonomics: British industrial policy (and beyond) from Brown to Boris
Published: September 2019
Dr Craig Berry and Dr Tom Barker
This policy paper analyses the approach of a Boris Johnson-led government to the UK’s industrial strategy and outlines the uncertain future that industrial policy faces after Brexit.
Brexit and the North: Not Our Problem
Published: June 2019
Dr Craig Berry
This policy paper challenges a prevailing Brexit narrative that Northern votes were decisive is the outcomes of the 2016 Referendum and 2019 European Elections and offers policy recommendations for the North.
What We Really Mean When We Talk About Industrial Strategy
Published: November 2018
Dr Craig Berry