Original Broadcast: The Weeks Update
This week on the Weeks Update we take a pause at the end of what's been a very busy news period for the UK markets and look at some of the most topical highlights from our regular commentator Professor John Week's recent shows, starting with discussion on Theresa May's article 50 comments with Professor Jan Toporofski of SOAS, then the merits of the new Chancellor Phillip Hammond and the performance of his predecessor with the economist Ann Pettifor & finally a closer look at the appeal of Donald Trump to white working class American voters with Professor Michael Zweig of New York State University.
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Original Broadcast: The Weeks Update
The new PM Theresa May stressed that Article 50, which gives EU member states a two year window to leave the bloc, would not be invoked this year. However choosing when to activate Article 50 is only part of the story. Could the UK negotiate the terms of a BREXIT and the shape of a future trade relationship, at the same time? What about the business community? Could British and foreign companies exit these shores if the uncertainty drags on? Jan Toporowski is Professor of Finance & Economics at the School of Oriental and African Studies, at the University of London. He joined Juliette in the studio along with Professor John Weeks, Share Radio's regular economics commentator.
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Original Broadcast: The Weeks Update
The new face at Number 11 Downing Street will almost certainly have his work cut out for him. So how will Phillip Hammond’s stint at the treasury differ to Osbornes? Ann Pettifor is an economist & Director of Policy Research in Macroeconomics and Professor John Weeks is Share Radio's regular economics commentator and they were in the studio to discuss.
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Original Broadcast: The Weeks Update
Professor John Weeks - Share Radio's regular economics commentator and Dr Graham Gudgin part-time Senior Economic Advisor with Oxford Economics & Research Associate, Centre For Business Research, University of Cambridge discuss the nature of the EU debate as it appeared especially in terms of the economic arguments & the future under Theresa May.
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Original Broadcast: The Weeks Update
We begin with a clip of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders speaking after his victory in Indiana over rival Hillary Clinton, as they slug it out for the Democratic nomination in the US presidential elections. Although Mrs Clinton as good as has the top prize in her pocket, Mr Sanders has refused to make life easy for her. Despite trailing by an average of seven points in opinion polls and losing bigger states on the east coast, his latest victory shows that he still appeals to disaffected mid-west voters. So...does Bernie Sanders have any further rabbits to pull from a hat...or could Hilary Clinton yet outfox him by inviting him onto her ticket as her running mate? In the studio is Jeff Faux, author of The Servant Economy and founder of the "Economic Policy Institute in Washington", and Professor John Weeks, Share Radio's regular economics commentator.
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Original Broadcast: The Weeks Update
With the local elections just two days away the Labour party could be on track to suffer one of its worst results in opposition for 34 years....according to one of the country's leading polling experts. Professor John Curtice of Strathclyde University believes Labour could lose 170 councillors and control of key local authorities like Redditch and Crawley. It's the latest run of bad news for a party still reeling from claims of anti-Semitism in its ranks. Labour's candidate for Mayor of London, Saddiq Khan, has even warned party leader Jeremy Corbyn that accusations of anti-Semitism will make it more difficult for him to beat his Conservative rival Zac Goldsmith. Could Mr Corbyn's days as leader be numbered, and what last minute actions can the party take to avoid a massacre at the polls? Councillor Angela Mason, Cabinet Member for Children at Camden Council, is in the studio along with Professor John Weeks, Share Radio's regular economics commentator.
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Original Broadcast: The Weeks Update
This week experts from Greenwich University's Political Economy Research Centre will publish a report which include proposals to strengthen trade unions and increase the statutory minimum wage in Britain and Europe. Similar themes will be addressed in May when a conference hosted by the University, will argue the case for raising public and private investment to stop Europe lagging behind the US and Japanese economies. The reports are published as the debate over the UK's position in Europe gathers more heat in the run up to June's referrendum, and as questions are raised about the future of think tanks like the "Political Economy Research Centre", which get some or all of their funding from Europe. What future do they have if Britain leaves the EU and what could happen to their research? In the studio are Professor Ozlem Onaran and Doctor Giovanni Cozzi, from the Political Economy Research Centre, and Professor John Weeks, Share Radio's regular economics commentator.
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Original Broadcast: The Weeks Update
For those who've yet to decide which way they're going to vote in the EU referendum, the claims and counter claims from the rival camps are probably about as helpful as driving through fog without lights or a Sat Nav. So have George Osborne's Treasury backed findings made the road ahead any clearer....or worse? Juliette Foster is joined in the studio by Professor John Weeks, Share Radio's regular economics commentator.
Guests: John Weeks
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Original Broadcast: The Weeks Update
On the day that Chancellor George Osborne made his budget speech to the House of Commons, the government's controversial Trade Union Bill was dealt a major blow by peers in the House of Lords. By a majority of 320 votes to 172, they defeated a proposal to change the way that union members pay their dues. It was a strong show of support to a recommendation from a cross-party committee which had said that any changes to party funding should be restricted to new members only. The Lords then ended what had been a bruising session for the government, by giving its overwhelming support to two other bill ammendments. So what happens now? Is the Trade Union Bill dead in the water? Will the government now have to rip it up and start again? Silkie Cragg is the "Policy & Campaigns Support Officer" for the TUC, and Professor John Weeks is Share Radio's regular economics commentator.
Guests: John Weeks
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Original Broadcast: The Weeks Update
The House of Lords will consider a series of amendments to the government's controversial Trade Union Bill when it goes before peers on Wednesday. Condemned by critics as "undemocratic", the bill would only allow workers to go on strike if more than 50% of them voted for industrial action. Employers would also have the authority to hire agency staff to cover the jobs of workers who go on strike. However the greatest outrage has arisen from proposals to change the way that union members pay their dues, which according to Labour, could lose the party up to £8 million a year. Joining Investment Perspectives host Juliette Foster for more analysis of that story is Matt Wrack, Head of the Fire Brigades Union, and Professor John Weeks, Share Radio's regular economics commentator.
Guests: John Weeks
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