Radical Rethink on GVA

That Wales’s low Gross Value Added (GVA) is well below the UK average is hardly news-worthy, nor is the failure of successive Welsh Governments to close the gap headline material. But it might be time to rethink…

Learning from history

What can Co-operative Development learn from history? As the Welsh Government considers a proposed ‘Co-operative Commission’ to help pave the way for innovative co-operative development in Wales, what lessons can history teach us?

With all the attention being…

2012 outlook

An outbreak of unanimity has occurred amongst economic forecasters – and the outlook for Wales and the UK in 2012 is not good.

The Treasury’s summary of the many forecasts made by city…

Mutual Respect

It is my task to provide you with some good news at the end of a year filled with relentlessly depressing economic headlines.

Whilst shops have continued to close and tens of thousands have been made redundant, one sector…

The Recession and small business

Some economists have jokingly define a recession as ‘If your neighbour gets laid off, it’s a recession. If you get laid off, it’s a depression’.

The impact on small business is in some ways similar to the impact experience…

A social enterprise in the community and of the community

DOVE Workshop emerged in 1984 out of a very troubled and turbulent period in the history of the South Wales Valleys. Its purpose – to alleviate poverty through the provision of community based learning that would support people’s search…

An attack on basic employment rights?

In my Bevan Foundation blog just after the general election I suggested  the Conservatives were planning an attack on basic employment rights  and health and safety. I don’t like to say I told you so, but, I told you…

The Welfare Challenge*

Of all the UK Government’s spending cuts, those to benefits will probably affect the largest number of people and hit the poorest most.

The scale of change is truly staggering. In Wales, nearly one in five people of working age…

Merthyr’s Economic Miracle Challenges Valleys Myths

For decades, Merthyr Tydfil has been synonymous with deprivation, disadvantage and decline.  Politicians and academics have struggled with what to ‘do’ about Merthyr, with ideas ranging from moving everyone away to encouraging everyone to get on the bus or…

Valleys Metro = Cardiff puff

The news that the south Wales valleys lines are to be electrified is both long overdue and very welcome. All kinds of extravagant claims are now being made about the investment being the solution to the valleys’ problems,…