Latin America’s Democracies Hold Strong

In his most recent article for Project Syndicate, Professor Andrés Velasco discusses the resilience of democracy in Latin America.

He writes: "Liberal democracy lives in statutes, rulebooks, and institutions. But, more importantly, it lives in people’s hearts and habits of mind. Democracy – whatever its imperfections – is now the natural system of government for the nearly 700 million people who call Latin America home."

Read the article on the Project Syndicate website here.

Civic Data Innovation Challenge

This month, Dr. Omar Hammoud-Gallego won a grant from the Greater London Authority, the 2022 Civic Data Innovation Challenge. Congratulations!

The grant refers to a research project Dr Gallego bid for, as part of the Migrant Democracy Project, a new civil society NGO. Learn more here.

SPP Annual Lecture 2022

You can now catch up on the SPP Annual Lecture via our YouTube and podcast channels.

The 2022 School of Public Policy Annual Lecture featured a conversation between Zanny Minton Beddoes, Editor-in-Chief of The Economist, and Andrés Velasco, Dean of the LSE School of Public Policy, who discussed the future of liberalism.

Read all about the Annual Lecture on our website here.

The Unbearable Uselessness of Crypto

Following the collapse of FTX, in his latest opinion piece for Project Syndicate, Professor Andrés Velasco looks at the reality of the crypto industry.

He writes: "What is truly unforgivable is that in the 14 years since Bitcoin appeared, the crypto industry has failed to produce anything of value. What factories have been built with crypto? Which new goods and services are available? What government has raised money through crypto? Certainly not El Salvador, which adopted Bitcoin as legal tender and is now on the verge of debt default."

You can read the article in full here.

Brazil’s Lula joins leftist leaders pushing for change in Latin America

Professor Andrés Velasco was a guest earlier this month on the Financial Time's podcast Rachman Review, discussing the elections in Brazil and the changing political landscape in Latin America as a whole.

He said: "So what we have here really is a menu of offers, if you want, on the part of the political system which is very mismatched to what the electorate wants. Can that last for ever? I hope not. And I’m hoping that sooner rather than later, in some countries including my native Chile, you will have a rebirth of a stronger centrist offering."

Tune in to the episode here.

'Reclaiming Populism' Book Review

Professor Vanessa Rubio-Márquez had written a book review of 'Reclaiming Populism: How Economic Fairness Can Win Back Disenchanted Voters' by Eric Protzer & Paul Summerville.

She writes: "My own experience, mainly as Deputy Minister of Social Development in my native Mexico, appears to bear out their hypothesis. On the ground in developing public policy, it becomes absolutely clear that individuals could not care less about GDP, per capita income or the GINI coefficient. What they do care a lot about is access to opportunity and social and economic goods and services. In other words, they are focused foremost not on inequality but on social mobility: they want to be better off than their parents were and give their children an opportunity for the same."

Read the full review here.

Emerging Europe's chronic distrust: Lessons from the region's COVID puzzle

A new book, co-edited by Professor Előd Takáts and Professor Piroska Nagy Mohacsi (LSE Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa) has been published recently. The book, titled Emerging Europe's chronic distrust: Lessons from the region's COVID puzzle, looks at the impact of COVID and the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Central and Eastern Europe. LSE contributors featured in the book are Professor Sir Tim Besley, Department of Economics; Professor Joan Costa-i-Font, Department of Health Policy, Professor Christopher Dann, Department of Economics.

"The Russian invasion of Ukraine places Central and Eastern Europe once again at the centre of international policy attention. The region is experiencing a sharp crisis: economies are slowing dramatically as Russian gas and energy supplies are being scaled down or cut altogether, while inflation is rising. Yet, most societies in the region are standing firm to confront aggression and its economic consequences, and all societies are rallying to welcome and support refugees from Ukraine – a sharp contrast to their rejection of refugees from the Middle East just a few years ago."

Find out more here.

Veneco Podcast: Episode 15 - Omar Hammoud Gallego

Dr. Omar Hammoud Gallego has been featured as a guest on the Veneco Podcast, a compilation of weekly news, reports and analysis on democracy, social movements, human rights, and more in Venezuela.

He and host Juan Andrés Misle reflect on the history of asylum and refugee systems in Latin America and the challenges of adopting effective policies in light of the Venezuelan migration crisis. Listen to the episodes on the different podcast streaming platforms here:

Spotify / Apple / Google / Amazon / Podcast Addict

Early to Hike, Early to Thrive?

In his latest opinion piece for Project Syndicate, Professor Andrés Velasco discusses the decision by several countries to hike interest rates early, and whether this was a policy mistake

He writes: "Every undergraduate economics student knows that containing inflation when costs are rising is tough, because firms will refrain from passing the higher costs on to consumers only if their sales are weak and prospects dim. This means that a given reduction in inflation will require higher interest rates, and hence weaker economic activity."

You can read the article in full here.

Social Radio

Dr. Omar Hammoud Gallego was a guest for a political radio program in Panama to talk about the Venezuelan migration crisis. He argued that the situation in Venezuela is so dramatic (94.5% of population in poverty) that governments in the region cannot stop them from leaving their country and should instead seek to regularise them for the benefit of all.

Listen to the interview here (in Spanish)

The Evening Edition with Kait Borsay

Dr. Omar Hammoud Gallego was a guest on Times Radio to talk about the “migration crisis” in the UK in their Evening Edition with Kait Borsay.

He argued that the increase in asylum requests, while reaching its highest level compared to more recent years, simply follows a trend that other European countries are experiencing as well. I concluded by suggesting that the Home Office should deal with their immense backlog (over 100,000 people yet to be processed), and the government should increase resettlement of refugees to give people a realistic chance to get into the UK in a legal manner.

Listen to the show here (Dr. Gallego feature starts at 23.30).

Rishi Sunak will become the U.K.’s next prime minister

Professor Tony Travers has been quoted in an article from the Daily Mirror, following the news that Rishi Sunak will become the UK's next Prime Minister.

He said: "After the trauma of the last four or five months, even factions that do not support Sunak are going to give him a fair wind. They have to decide whether they want to win another election or spend a period out of government fighting with each other."

Read it here.

Bond Street station is finally open — just £500m over budget

Professor Tony Travers has been quoted in an article from the Times, discussing the opening of the Bond Street station on the new Elizabeth Line.

"For the past five months passengers travelling on London’s new Elizabeth Line could only peer through the carriage windows in frustration as the train sped through a deserted, and unfinished, Bond Street station. But at 5.30am tomorrow it will finally open — four years late and £500 million over budget."

Read it here.

The lesson from the first round of Brazil’s election: Bolsonarismo is here to stay

Dr Christopher Sabatini has written an article in The Guardian, discussing the first round of the election in Brazil.

He writes: "The first lesson from Brazil’s election on Sunday is that public opinion surveys severely misfired. Just a few days before the contest, many reported a 15% lead for Luiz Inàcio Lula da Silva over the incumbent, Jair Bolsonaro; and many also predicted a Lula first-round victory. The second lesson is that, far from being a flash in the pan – as many had hoped – the rightwing populist movement Bolsonarismo is an organised political force, and it is here to stay, at least for the medium term."

Read the full article here.

Hegemony in the Americas Has Been Turned on Its Head

Dr Christopher Sabatini has published an article through Foreign Policy, looking at the relationship between Washington and Latin American countries in the modern day.

He writes: "For decades, Washington was Latin America’s fulcrum on matters of immigration, trade, drug policy, democracy, and human rights. U.S. leadership produced a raft of free trade agreements and bilateral programs that seemed to advance these issues. But in recent years, the United States has become a hostage to this framework of engagement with the region."

Read the full article here.

Reclaiming human rights in a changing world order

Dr Christopher Sabatini has edited a book, titled Reclaiming human rights in a changing world order.

The book, published by Chatham House, examines the threats to international and regional human rights in Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. It offers insights and recommendations for activists, policymakers, and academics to better understand and address the challenges.

View a PDF of the book here.

Symbolic refugee protection: why Latin America passed progressive refugee laws never meant to use

Dr. Omar Hammoud-Gallego has published a blog post discussing Latin American refugee laws, their application and what they represent.

He writes: "In theory, refugees enjoy a wide variety of social and economic rights, ranging from free legal assistance in Nicaragua to the recognition of the right to refuge for people fleeing environmental disasters in Ecuador. The trouble is that most of these laws are hardly ever applied in practice."

You can read the full article here.

The Short-Term Effects of Visa Restrictions on Migrants’ Legal Status and Wellbeing: A Difference-In-Differences Approach on Venezuelan Displacement

Dr. Omar Hammoud-Gallego has recently presented his research at the Center for Global Development in Washington DC.

At the presentation, he discussed the development, determinants and effects of migration and asylum policies of three research articles examining the development of asylum policies in Latin America, the rationale behind the expansion of refugee protection in Latin America, and the effects of visa restrictions in a context of mass displacement and porous borders.

You can listen to a recording of the event here.

Welcome new School of Public Policy Students!

In September we welcomed over 250 new students to our programmes. Our new cohort represent over 50 nationalities and a broad range of professional backgrounds and areas of expertise. We are excited to welcome our new students to our growing SPP community of global policy change-makers.   

Read about our new cohort here.

Bank of England intervenes to avert credit crunch, economic fallout

Professor Tony Travers has been featured in The Washington Post discussing the Bank of England's intervention following the fallout of the government's recent mini-budget.

He said: "They are prepared to risk unpopularity because they think it will work in the long term."

Read it here.

Queen Elizabeth II was 'a figure of enormous stability for the UK'

Professor Tony Travers has been interviewed by France24, discussing Queen Elizabeth II's reign.

"Professor Travers describes a young constitutional monarch who hit the ground running at the tender age of 26, under the aegis of Winston Churchill. She presided over a post-war "period of extraordinary social and economic change in Britain, right away, through to today's information-driven age." And she will not just be remembered for her "longevity and continuity," explains Professor Travers, "but the way in which she did her job well.""

Watch it here.

God Save the Pound?

In his latest opinion piece for Project Syndicate, Professor Andrés Velasco argues that the real problem with the United Kingdom's growing budget deficit and public debt is that they can constrain monetary policy and lead to uncertainty, complicate the inflation-unemployment tradeoff, and hinder long-term growth.

He writes, "Ultimately, a bet on a currency is a bet on the strength of the political institutions that undergird it. Are we to conclude that markets no longer believe in the fundamental solidity of British institutions?"

You can read the article in full here.

After Queen Elizabeth’s death, Britain faces questions and uncertainty

Professor Tony Travers has been interviewed by the Washington Post, looking at the impact of Queen Elizabeth's death on Britain.

He says: "Britain has a separate head of state and government, and both have changed in the span of two days. The passing of a monarch and changing of a prime minister have happened before, of course, but it will be a profound moment for collective self-reflection in the U.K.."

Read the full piece here.

Symbolic Refugee Protection: Explaining Latin America’s Liberal Refugee Laws

Dr. Omar Hammoud-Gallego has published a research article in the American Political Science Review, titled "Symbolic Refugee Protection: Explaining Latin America’s Liberal Refugee Laws".

The abstract reads: "What drove an entire region in the Global South to significantly expand refugee protection in the early twenty-first century? In this paper, we test and build on political refugee theory via a mixed-methods approach to explain the liberalization of refugee legislation across Latin America."

You can read the article in full here.

Kwasi Kwarteng: baptism of fire for UK's new finance minister

Professor Tony Travers has been quoted in an interview with Yahoo News, discussing Kwasi Kwarteng's first policy announcement and its impact.

He says: "There is lots of pressure on Kwasi Kwarteng. He might have started out as believing in a smaller state and a more deregulated economy, but he's living in a world where the public expects almost exactly the opposite."

Read the full piece here.

Chile’s rejection of populism is an example for the world

Professor Andrés Velasco has been quoted in an article from the Financial Times, discussing Chile's recent constitutional referendum.

He says: "There will be a new constitution. The representation of women and ethnic minorities is now ensconced in politics, access to abortion will be broadened and gay marriage will remain legal. On values and inclusivity, Chile has moved forward and this will not change."

You can read the article in full here.

We’ve travelled too cheap for too long: Are tourism taxes a good idea?

Professor Tony Travers has been interviewed for an article with EuroNews, regarding the idea of introducing a tourism tax.

He is quoted as saying that such a tax "could be worth “hundreds of millions of pounds” a year."

Read it here.

Woke Politics Goes South

In his latest opinion piece for Project Syndicate, Professor Andrés Velasco argues that the shortcomings of "wokeism" become even more jarring and dangerous when transposed to Latin America. 

He writes, "Authoritarian populists are smiling. The international media are fixated on Latin America’s “pink tide” of recently elected left-leaning governments, but perhaps they should instead start preparing for a right-wing wave of Bolsonaro and Bukele clones."

You can read the article in full here.

Book review: Latin America and Refugee Protection: Regimes, Logics and Challenges

Dr. Omar Hammoud Gallego has published a review of the book Latin America and Refugee Protection, for the journal International Migration.

He writes: "The volume provides a much-needed comprehensive overview of scattered pieces of research on refugee policy in Latin America." 

Read it in full here.

On GPS: Rewriting a constitution

Professor Andrés Velasco has been featured in an interview from CNN, discussing Chile's bid to remake its constitution.

Watch the video on the CNN website here.

The Economic Complexity of Namibia

Dr. Miguel Santos has been interviewed by Faculti.net, discussing the economic complexity of Namibia, showcasing the work of the Growth Lab.

"Namibia has been grappling with three interrelated challenges: economic growth, fiscal sustainability, and inclusion. Accelerating technological progress and enhancing Namibia's knowhow agglomeration is crucial to the process of fostering new engines of growth that will deliver progress across the three targets."

Watch the video here.

Corruption in Ghana: People's Experiences & Views

Dr. Omar Hammoud Gallego has contributed several chapters to a new UN report, undertaking an empirical analysis of corruption in Ghana.

The report's introduction reads: "The main objective was to collect evidence-based information on forms of corruption affecting the population of Ghana in order to determine the prevalence of corruption and its prevailing typologies. The results of the survey will provide benchmark indicators that can be used to inform relevant policies and track future progress while ensuring international comparability with surveys of a similar nature carried out in other countries."

Find the full report here.

Professor Alexander Evans joins the School of Public Policy

We are delighted to announce that Professor Alexander Evans has joimed the School of Public Policy, as Professor in Practice from August 2022.

Professor Evans will teach two brand-new graduate courses in the School of Public Policy: Anticipatory Policy-Making and Technology, Data Science and Policy. Learn more about his appointment here.

Argentina's Never-Ending Tragic Farce

In this opinion piece for Project Syndicate, Professor Andrés Velasco argues that Argentina's latest bout of financial turmoil is following a familiar historical pattern. 

He writes, "Argentine voters are no strangers to financial turmoil, but they keep electing politicians who run large fiscal deficits and finance them by printing pesos. Could it be that the only way for politicians to show they want to save the economy is to destroy it first?"

You can read the article in full here.

The Leader podcast: How successful are union train strikes?

Listen to Professor Tony Travers taking part on the Evening Standard's The Leader podcast, discussing the effectiveness and impact of pickets.

"To discuss why unions use strikes as a strategy, we’re joined by one of Britain’s leading transport experts, Tony Travers, professor at the School of Public Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

"We discuss the complexities of the negotiating process, Mayor Sadiq Khan’s fabled “zero days of strikes” pledge back in 2016, government proposals to crack down on industrial action and what the future holds for passengers fares."

Listen here.

'Tory leadership contenders aren't trying to pitch to the general British population', says professor

Professor Tony Travers has been interviewed over video on CNBC, discussing the Conservative party leadership election.

He said : "You have to remember who the electorate is in this election. It's a tiny, tiny portion of the UK population; that is, it's Conservative party members and their views are clearly very different to the average views of the British electorate."

Watch the interview here.

The genesis of bitcoin: how the crypto market started

Dr. Frank Muci has been featured in The Saturday Paper, discussing bitcoin.

The article reads: "The catastrophe also provoked unmistakable schadenfreude. The Atlantic led its coverage with an essay entitled “The Crypto Crash Feels Amazing”. Frank Muci, a policy fellow at the London School of Economics, told WIRED magazine that the collapse was “a run on nothing”."

Read it here.

London could introduce a tourist tax to fund TFL and earn 'hundreds of millions of pounds'

Professor Tony Travers has been quoted in an article from the Express, discussing the idea of a 'tourist tax' being implemented in London.

The article reads: "Professor Tony Travers of the London School of Economics told the London Assembly that a tourist tax could earn the city hundreds of millions of pounds a year. He suggested that any money earned could be used to fund TFL and to help the city operate the extensive network."

Read the full piece here.

MPA graduate awarded prestigious Diana Award 2022

We are delighted that Hasti Modi, a graduate of our MPA programme, was awarded the prestigious Diana Award 2022. Congratulations!

Established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, the Award is the highest accolade a young person can achieve for social action or humanitarian efforts. Hasti was recognised for her environmental initiatives in India, France and the United Kingdom.

Read more on the Diana Award website.

A poor country made bitcoin a national currency. The bet isn’t paying off

Dr. Frank Muci has been quoted in an article about the impact of president Nayib Bukele's decision to make bitcon the national currency of El Salvador.

The article reads: "““Bukele has shown that he cares more about public image than sound economic management,” said Frank Muci, a public policy expert at the London School of Economics who has studied El Salvador’s bitcoin bond. “But eventually the chickens will come home to roost, at a very high cost for the country.”"

Read the article on the New York Times here.

Fact-Checking the Deglobalization Narrative

In this commentary for Project Syndicate, Professor Andrés Velasco questions the narrative of deglobalization, widely accepted by both progressives and conservatives. 

He writes, "If governments get it right, a more subdued, but also more sustainable and longer-lasting kind of globalization will emerge. And in an open and growing world economy, peddlers of deglobalization theories will find it easier to change jobs and re-skill."

You can read the article in full here.

Older population in England and Wales hits record high

Professor Tony Travers has been featured in a piece by the Financial Times, discussing the aging population in England and Wales, and in particular looking at the population of London.

"“It’s clear that the country is getting older and will continue to get older, but London is holding out against the trend,” said Tony Travers, a professor in the government department of the London School of Economics. He added that this was because people moving to the capital from the rest of the UK and the world meant London remained a relatively younger city."

Read the full article here.

Russia, Ukraine and the Future of Economics

Professor in Practice the Rt Hon Sir Vince Cable gave a speech at the Institute of Arts and Ideas, discussing economics post-Ukraine invasion, and how these events of the past few months have changed the economic future of the world completely.

Watch his speech on the IAI website here.

Strike-ageddon — the Tube, the unions and the biggest rail walk-out in 30 years

Professor Tony Travers has been quoted in an article from the Evening Standard, discussing the rail strikes currently taking place in the U.K.

He said: "For a long time, the strike threat and militancy have worked, because the unions knew that the government would not cut back on services. Now there is a genuine threat that they might."

Read the full article here.

Boris Survives No Confidence

Senior Lecturer in Practice Nick Rowley has been interviewed by ABC News about the no confidence motion brought against Boris Johnson.

"Nick Rowley, a senior lecturer at the London School of Economics, says while the UK Prime Minister has no major political rivals, his name recognition may be hurting him."

Watch the interview here.

The Ukraine Reconstruction Forum 

The SPP and Growth Co-Lab at LSE have jointly held the Ukraine Reconstruction Forum in May, attended by 50 government, private sector, financial and academic representatives. 

Learn more about the Forum and its goals on our dedicated webpage.

Rebranding the West

In this commentary for Project Syndicate, Professor Andrés Velasco plays the part of a consultant recommending that a longstanding geopolitical term be quickly retired.

He write, "As democracies from India to South Africa balk at being asked to join the coalition confronting Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, it has become clear that the idea of a Western bloc is failing to attract many otherwise like-minded countries. It is therefore time to abandon the concept of “the West.”"

You can read the article in full here.

The Beverage Report Podcast: An interview with Professor Andrés Velasco 

In this Beverage Report episode, the hosts speak with Professor Andrés Velasco, Dean of the School of Public Policy at LSE.

He talks about his role as the Minister of Finance in Chile. He also explains the need for unconventional fiscal policies in the post-pandemic world, and why it is essential for policymakers to understand the feedback loops between medical and economic factors.

Listen to the episode here.

Drug Policy and Development: Policy Brief

Following a discussion panel held last year with the Global Commission on Drug Policy, which reflected on the impact of current drug control policies, Professors Andrés Velasco and Vanessa Rubio-Márquez have published a Policy Brief based on what was covered.

Read the full brief here.

Years Late, London's 'Game-Changer' Subway Line Set to Open

In an article to mark the opening of the new Elizabeth Line, Professor Tony Travers has been quoted discussing the impact the project's delay has had.

He said: "But it was built — after a lot of effort and over a very long period of time — for a different economy. Its entire economic case was very heavily predicated on the continued growth of the economy of central London."

Read the full article here.

Labour takes key London councils but makes modest gains elsewhere

Professor Tony Travers was featured in an article from MSN News, discussing the impact of the recent local elections.

He said: "The Conservatives have to balance how many MPs they are willing to lose in London, the South East and the South West, in order to protect the “Red Wall” seats won in 2019."

Read the full article here.

SPP students awarded runners-up prize at the Turner MIINT Competition 

Team EmpowHER beat over 40 competitors from schools around the world and be named as overall runners-up and audience choice winners in the Turner MBA Impact Investing Network and Training (MIINT) competition. 

Read more

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As scandals overshadow vote, UK PM Johnson faces election test

Professor Tony Travers was interviewed by Yahoo! News, discussing the potential results of forthcoming local elections in the UK.

He said: "These elections are without doubt the biggest test of Boris Johnson since the 2019 general election and come after what has been a very difficult time for him and his government."

Read the full article here.

SPP students launch the 10th edition of the Public Sphere Journal of Public Policy (PSJ)

The Public Sphere Journal is is a journal of international policy studies produced by SPP students. The launch of the10th edition, centering on the theme of “social impact”, was celebrated with a special launch event featuring a panel discussion hosted by SPP Dean Andrés Velasco.  

Find out more here.

How to Get by Without Russian Gas

In this commentary for Project Syndicate, Professor Andrés Velasco and Dr Marcelo Tokman draw lessons from Chile's successful experience managing an energy supply shock in mid-2007.

They write, "In 2007, Chile was as dependent on imported natural gas from Argentina as Germany is today on natural gas from Russia. But in the face of a sudden supply shock, the Chilean government was able to mitigate the economic damage and lay the foundation for the country’s shift to renewables."

You can read the article in full here.

Labour daren’t say it, but some Tory strongholds could be within reach

Professor Tony Travers has been featured in an article from The Guardian, discussing whether Labour might see successes in historic Tory strongholds.

"Look at this political dividing line. Neighbouring Camden and Westminster have near-identical social and economic profiles, according to Tony Travers, ranging from super-rich Hampstead and Belgravia to abject poverty – yet with utterly different politics."

Read the full article here.

SPP student awarded Young Diplomat of the Year by Diplomat Magazine?

SPP EMPA student Rasha Haddad has been named Young Diplomat of the Year by Diplomat Magazine, at their IHG DIPLOMAT Of the Year Awards 2022. Congratulations!

Rasha is the first Secretary at the Embassy of Lebanon to the United Kingdom. Read more about the awards here.

Will local elections put the brakes on low-traffic neighbourhood schemes?

Professor Tony Travers has been interviewed by The Guardian, discussing the impact of local elections and how local councils can connect with voters.

He said: "And people say, yes, of course we do want all this, but we don’t want it to affect our capacity to get about. It’s a perfectly respectable position to hold in a democracy. Politicians volunteer to square off these conflicts. That’s what they are there for."

Read the full article here.

SPP students recognised with best presentation prize at the Global Public Policy Network (GPPN)

Congratulations to our School of Public Policy (SPP) student team who have been recognised with a best presentation prize at the Global Public Policy Network (GPPN) competition and as winners of the SPP Santander challenge 2022.

Hear more about their experience and their advice to future participants here.

Russia faces struggle to pay bondholders – rating firms 

Ousmène Mandeng has been quoted in an article for S&P Global, discussing the financial situation in Russia currently and discussing the effects of sanctions.

He said, "I find the fact that Russia was able to make the coupon payments utterly perplexing, to say the least, and severely undermining [to] the whole purpose of isolating Russia financially and impairing its ability to wage the war."

You can read the article in full here.

Democracy is the Next Identity Politics

In this commentary for Project Syndicate, Professor Andrés Velasco catalogues how Russia's war against Ukraine has spurred renewed global appreciation for liberal values.

He writes, "In recent years, many young people in rich democracies have been in a funk over the virtues of democracy and liberalism. But the widespread condemnation of Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine points to the emergence of a noble strand of identity politics based on the shared values of freedom, dignity, and respect for human rights."

You can read the article in full here.

SPP students take part in the Global Public Policy Network event 2022

Congratulations to all of our SPP students who took part in the annual GPPN conference this month.

The selected students were able to take advantage of being a part of the prestigious GPPN network of seven of the top global policy schools, to connect and network with over 100+ participants from around the globe. Twenty-five teams from across the network were given the opportunity to put their policy skills into action to actively identify and address an important policy challenge.

Read more here.

As Europe opens it doors to fleeing Ukrainians, Britain adopts a ‘do-it-yourself’ asylum plan

Professor Tony Travers was quoted in the Washington Post, discussing the British asylum plan for Ukrainians fleeing war.

He said: "But they [the Government] are suddenly being faced with the public having a completely different view of asylum seeking in this situation, and they are having a very hard time adjusting because they’ve spent 20 years trying to keep immigrants out."

Read the article here.

‘Spring of discontent’: wave of strikes looms for Covid-hit railways

Professor Tony Travers has been interviewed by The Guardian about possible strike action on the railways.

He said: "The government, in a curious way by guaranteeing the income, has re-empowered the unions. They can use their muscle in the normal way because the government and Khan still want to keep the tube and the national railway running."

Read the article here.

Russia’s FX reserves slip from its grasp

Ousmène Mandeng has been quoted in the Financial Times, discussing the current economic situation in Russia and central bank reserve management.

He said: "Foreign exchange reserves are not held by central banks. Securities and money never move, everything is external . . . In the case of securities, central banks would ask their brokers to sell the asset in question."

Read the article here.

‘We’re going from one crisis to another’: Tories fear even PM’s ‘mayoral magic’ can’t save him

Professor Tony Travers was quoted in an article for iNews, juxtaposing the Prime Minister's current situation with his Mayoral term.

He said: "So the mismatch between the scale of the job and the particular approach of the Prime Minister, where he doesn’t have a person at his side who’s got a grip on it like he did in City Hall, is all the greater."

Read the article here.

One English council’s painful journey into investing

Professor Tony Travers was quoted in an article from The Financial Times, regarding a council's decision to generate income with a portfolio of investments and loans.

He said: "Councils have been put under enormous pressure to find ways to increase their revenues. It is hard to tell from the outside but Warrington may have done relatively well."

Read the article here.

As Boris Johnson seeks a reset, more Tory lawmakers defect

Professor Tony Travers was quoted in an article from The Indian Express about the Prime Minister's new 'levelling-up' initiative.

"It’s a completely consensus policy, across British politics," Professor Travers said. "The opposition doesn’t oppose it — they just want more of it. But deindustrialization as an issue has gotten caught up in politics and populism."

Read the article here.

Sunak’s energy rebates won’t even come close to helping people with soaring bills

An article in The Guardian discusses the expected increase in energy prices and bills, and the government's proposed support package

Professor Tony Travers was quoted in the article, warning "that as this is just a one-off, when council tax bills soar next year the blame is likely to fall on hard-pressed local authorities, not on Westminster. “Many councils will try to make more cuts to keep that rise down,” he tells me – but there is no more to cut."

Read the article here.

Professor Vanessa Rubo-Márquez invited to Chatham House

We are excited to share that as of November 2021, Professor in Practice Vanessa Rubio-Márquez has been invited as an Associate Fellow for the US and Americas Programme at Chatham House.

Here she will be working on policy-analysis and policy dialogues in the Western Hemisphere - congratulations, Professor Rubio-Marquez!

The School of Public Policy launches the LSE-Fudan Global Public Policy Hub

The LSE-Fudan Global Public Policy Hub is a subcentre of the LSE-Fudan Research Centre for Global Public Policy. It supports collaborative research on global public policy, fosters multi-disciplinary cooperation and enhances communication between Fudan and LSE to generate research of global impact.

Dr Bingchun Meng, co-director of the LSE-Fudan Global Public Policy Hub, said: "I am very excited about this new collaboration between LSE and Fudan University. I look forward to working with colleagues from both institutions to develop a vibrant research agenda and to build the Hub into a leading forum for academic debates on global public policy."

To mark its launch, an interdisciplinary panel of experts will be discussing key public policy challenges that China and the world faces post-pandemic. You can register for the event, taking place 21 February at 6.30pm here.

Check out our website to find out more.

Argentina's Imaginary Miracle

In this commentary for Project Syndicate, Professor Andrés Velasco and Eduardo Levy Yeyati argue that the data do not support bullish assessments of the Fernández administration's economic record.

They write, "The oldest statistical trick in the book is to label as growth what is really just a rebound after a massive output dip. That is exactly what has happened in Argentina, where the rapid economic rebound in 2021 came as no surprise and does not look especially healthy or sustainable."

You can read the article in full here.

Populism and global unrest: How nations adjust

The emergence of polulism started even before the pandemic. In the context that Covid and its economic and social impacts have deepened social divides and distrust, polulist nationalist movements are challenging the values of globalisation and international institutions. 

The Deans of the world's top public policy schools will discuss populism and its impacts on international security relations and foreign policy when countries are reopening their borders and seeking to recover their economies. 

The event organised by the Global Public Policy Network will take place on 25 January 2022 and will see the participation of Professor Andrés Velasco.

Climate change's challenge to UK's ageing railways

The UK was a pioneer of the railways. However, climate change is causing damages to the country's ageing railways system, and the cost of those damages has risen significantly over the past decade. 

Professor Tony Travers says on Financial Times that to prepare the network for climate change would “cost a substantial amount of money,” and: “It is not at all clear that is available.”

Read the full article here.

The Political Center Does Have Meaning

Professor Andrés Velasco argues that centrist politicians can and do represent a distinct - and indispensable - set of ideas in this commentary for Project Syndicate.

He writes, "Centrist politicians accept some ideas from the left and some from the right, making it all too easy to dismiss them as unprincipled cynics. But not only can centrism represent a distinct set of ideas; it is also necessary for protecting democracy against populist authoritarianism."

You can read the article in full here.

The fight for the future of Chile

Professor Andrés Velasco commented on the Chilean presidential election in an article on Financial Times. According to the professor, 'Chile is a country which has changed socially at breakneck speed and become a more open and progressive society.' However, the next president will have to face serious divisions in many aspects that the country is having.

The professor also said that the outcome of the election was still hard to predict. 

Read the full article here. 

Audits strengthen electoral accountability in South Africa

Dr Joachim Wehner contributed to the article 'Audits strengthen electoral accountability in South Africa' published on The Journal of Politics. Starting the article with the question 'Does information about government performance and corruption shape voter behaviour?' the authors examined different answers that provide various perspectives on the topic.

Read the full article here. 

Even fewer could be travelling round London by 2030 as 'hybrid' working becomes norm

The number of trips in London is expected to be lower by the end of the decade because the 'hybrid' working model is becoming more common.

Professor Tony Travers is quoted on Evening Standard: 'The Government brought this situation about for good reason, but working from home became more embedded than anybody would have imagined,' he says, 'That raises the question now for the Government: do they want to revise their messaging about working from home to encourage people back to work?'

He also estimates: 'The Government faces the dismal choice between continuing bailouts of £1bn to £1.5bn a year or radically reducing the scale of public transport in London, which risks kicking off a spiral of decline.'

Read more here.

Sadiq Khan stages last-ditch battle to stop the London Underground going down the tube

TfL is facing a financial problem. The Mayor of London expects a full £1.7bn bailout from the government to keep services running until March 2023. Meanwhile, Westminster is expected to offer the bare minimum funding of £500m that can buoy Transport for London until March next year. 

Professor Tony Travers was quoted on The Telegraph: 'There is a real risk London will face substantial reductions in its transport system at a time when the central London economy is attempting to recover.'

Read the article here.

Boris Johnson's interventionist approach to industry defies UK election vow

An article on Financial Times criticises the interventionist approach to struggling industries that the Prime Minister has applied on multiple occasions. Critics say this policy lacks overarching stratergy. 

Professor Tony Travers commented on that: 'It is a very hyper-pragmatic approach, which is not at odds with the Conservative tradition of pragmatism, but there is a danger that he's drifting away from Margaret Thatcher's conservatism and towards a more Ted Heath approach.'

Read the article here.

Why has Chile Embraced the Extremes?

Professor Andrés Velasco blames the mistakes of center-left leaders for the polarized nature of the country's presidential election in his latest commentary for Project Syndicate.

He writes, "Many Chileans are frightened, and others are angry – not least because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing economic squeeze. But the political failures of the center-left also help to explain why the far right and the far left will contest the second round of the country’s presidential election."

You can read the article in full here.

When should democratically derived choices in the past bind our current and future democratic choices?

In the newly published podcast of the TRIUM Connect podcast series, Professor Andrés Velasco participated in the discussion about democratic choices and their impacts on the future ones. The podcast aimed to find the answer for the question of 'How and when should we decide today what areas of future public policy we are not prepared to trust our future selves to make wisely?'

Listen to the podcast here.

The 24-hour strike put the Tube network's future at risk

On Saturday 27 November, a 24-hour strike took place on more than one Tube line in London. The strike was a dispute over driver rotas which can wreck members' work-life balance, according to the Tube union RMT. The action affected central London business since last weekend, they were busy for Black Friday sales. The strike of RMT will also have an impact on the reintroduction of the Night Tube.

Professor Tony Travers said on BBC News: 'It appears the Tube unions are prepared to ignore the perilous state Transport for London is in. Most people now know how to work from home, so there's a risk the strike will encourage a 'managed decline' of the underground with fewer jobs.'

Read more here.

The project 'London Voices' helps Londoners to shape their city

Dr Omar H Gallego participates in the project 'London Voices', helping citizens have more knowledge and opportunities that can help them shape their future. The research of the project studies the mechanisms that can facilitate equal, inclusive, representative civic and democratic participation.

Read more about the project here.

A major downsizing in the HS2 project

A change in the HS2 plan has been announced. According to the prime minister, the downsizing aims to save tens of billions of pounds. 

Professor Tony Travers commented on the major change: 'It won’t bring as much capacity and speed as the original HS2 would have in many places, but in some cases it will bring improvements to existing rail that are better than the HS2 and arrive more quickly assuming they can all be delivered.'

Read more here.

How does bureaucracy matter for development?

Professor Adnan Qadir Khan and the other authors of the column "Bureaucracy and Development" on VoxEU argue that effective states are central to economic development. 

Discussing the capacity of bureaucracy to support development, the authors write: "Whether bureaucracies can innovate and adapt to future challenges will have important economic implications – we hope that future research will help tackle these challenges."

Read more about her appointment here.

Local Government Finance - the future

Professor Tony Travers participated in the event 'Sustainable council finance in a post-COVID-19 world' organised by Local Government Association.

His presentation - 'Local Government Finance - the future' can be found here.

EMPP alumna appointed as the Chief Healthcare Quality and Access Officer at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)

Dr Laura Squire OE gained an Executive Master's degree in Public Policy from LSE. This week, she has begun her new role as the Chief Healthcare Quality and Access Officer at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

She commented on her new role: "As we drive forward the transformation, we need to keep striking that balance, doing things differently and innovatively whilst always keeping in mind what this means for patients."

Read more about her appointment here.

Britain's Boris Johnson should be basking in a global moment. Instead he is mired in 'sleaze.'

Professor Tony Travers is quoted on an article published on The Washington Post. The article is about the British prime minister whose public approval ratings fall to the lowest level on record. 

Commenting on the situation of the prime minister, professor Travers says: “For him, all this couldn’t have come at a worst time.”

Read more here.

The trouble with the top one per cent of earners

On an article published on PSNews, Professor Stephen P. Jenkins writes about the top one per cent of income earners in Australia and those people's influence on the rest of the country.

He writes, ''While national differences are difficult to assess because of comparability issues, Australia’s lack of mobility among its top 1 per cent appears to be more pronounced than that found in other countries.''

Read more here.

Latin America's Monster Movie

Professor Andrés Velasco outlines Latin America's post-pandemic problems in his latest piece for Project Syndicate.

He writes, "Standard economic growth theory maintains that poor countries should gradually catch up with the rich. Latin America is the exception that confirms the rule: for the foreseeable future, it will fall even further behind."

Read more here.

The story of Slough Council

Professor Tony Travers spoke to The Sunday Times about the financial gambles taken by local council authorities.

He said, "There will still be more councils running into financial difficulties, so there is still pressure on local councils to do something."

Read more from Professor Travers here.

Advanced Macro-Economics

Professor Andrés Velasco has co-authored a new book, 'Advanced Macroeconomics: An Easy Guide' with Filipe Campante and Federico Sturzenegger.

Published by LSE Press, the book is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in economics & public policy.

You can read the book for free here.

Leading the debate at Party Conferences

Professor Tony Travers led two high-profile panel debates at the Conservative and Labour Party Conferences earlier this month.

At the Labour Party Conference, Professor Travers led a panel on 'How can trade and investment help all UK regions thrive?' with insightful contributions from the Shadow Financial Secretary, the leaders of Bradford and Liverpool, the TUC Union, and LSE trade expert Riccardo Crescenzi.

At the Conservative Party Conference, Professor Travers asked 'How can innovation policy level up the UK?' alongside new Science Minister George Freeman MP, Northern Research Group Director Simon Fell MP and LSE growth expert Dr. Neil Lee.

Remember Me

We are thrilled to share the news that SPP alumna Toluwalola Kasali's (MPP, 2020) documentary 'Remember Me' has received five Official Selections at International Film Festivals, including an Award.

Remember Me is a short documentary that tells the story of people who have been forced to flee their homes due to the Boko Haram conflict in the northeast Nigeria and highlights some of their experiences living in camps and host communities.

Toluwalola told us: "These recognitions are a testament to the power of humanity and the stories of the people behind the numbers - the experiences, strength, resilience, and dreams of Internally Displaced People. I am grateful to be a part of helping to tell their stories."

You can learn more about 'Remember Me' here.

Nation-Building 101

Professor Andrés Velasco and Professor Adnan Khan explore the basics of nation-building in a jointly-written piece for Project Syndicate.

They write, "Nation-building boils down to “expanding the circle” of moral concern. That is why successful nation-states – large or small, rich or poor – have one thing in common: citizens’ sense of a shared past and future."

Read more here.

The Public Sphere Journal 2022 - Social Impact

The Public Sphere Journal, the student-run publication of the School of Public Policy, is pleased to announce that submissions for the 2022 issue are now being accepted.

The Journal is currently seeking submissions related to the theme of Social Impact, with a focus on innovative approaches that the private sector, public sector, and third sector can take to contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.

If you are interested in featuring, send in your entries before October 4th.

More information can be found here.

COVID-19 Blog shortlisted for Times Higher Education Award

The School of Public Policy's COVID-19 Blog has been shortlisted for the Knowledge Exchange/Transfer Initiative of the Year Award by The Times Higher Education.

The Award Ceremony will take place on Thursday 25 November, and more information can be found here.

Congratulations to everybody involved!

Will Mexico’s Economic Rebound Be Temporary?

Professor Vanessa Rubio-Márquez assesses the economic situation in Mexico in her latest op-ed piece for Americas Quarterly.

She writes, “Facts, not words” — that was the slogan Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador chose to promote his major September 1 speech to the nation. But a closer look at the facts does not suggest optimism about the future of the Mexican economy."

Read more here.

LSEPPR Volume 2 - Reciprocity Across the Life Cycle

The latest issue of the LSE Public Policy Review, published by LSE Press, is out now. All six articles are available to read for free.

'Reciprocity and the State', written by Professor Sir Tim Besley, outlines how norms of reciprocity play a role in building strong and effective states.

Written by Professor Nicholas Barr, 'Pension Design and the Failed Economics of Squirrels' explores the nature of reciprocity between workers and pensioners.

You can read the Review in full here.

A Liberal Region in a World of Closed Borders? The Liberalization of Asylum Policies in Latin America, 1990–2020'

Omar Gallego, Fellow in Political Science and Public Policy, has written a new article on the liberalization of asylum policies in Latin America.

The article features in the International Migration Review journal, published by the Center for Migration Studies of New York.

Read it here.

Analysing the National Insurance rise in the UK

Professor Tony Travers spoke to the Evening Standard about the UK Government's decision to raise National Insurance in order to fund social care.

He said, "It’s a very brutal choice and does not leave much scope for debate."

Read more here.

Breaking Bad Bond Buying

Professor Andrés Velasco questions the current policies of central banks in his latest commentary for Project Syndicate.

He writes, "While printing money to buy bonds and reduce long-term interest rates is justified during crises like those in 2008 or 2020, the case for maintaining quantitative easing in more tranquil times is far from obvious."

You can read the article in full here.

Applying economic complexity theory to the  EU’s pandemic recovery and resilience plans

Professor Ricardo Hausmann has co-written a blog post for the LSE European Politics and Policy Blog which focuses on the #NextGenEU fiscal recovery package.

Professor Hausmann and his co-authors write, "We argue that the deployment of EU funds and the frontloading of reforms in some key areas in the context of the RRF should find their natural place in the Economic Complexity Index (ECI) theory which should inform the implementation of national Recovery and Resilience Plans (RRPs) based on each EU member state’s sectorial and productive structure."

Read more here.

Preserving London's parks and green spaces

Speaking to Vanessa Feltz on BBC Radio London, Professor Tony Travers commented on plans to build housing on green spaces in south London.

He said, "We all know of the need for open space and the way people treasure it, but on the other hand there is a desperate need for housing."

Listen to more here.

Is HS2 on track?

Professor Tony Travers spoke to BBC Radio 4's 'The Briefing Room', discussing the ongoing debates surrounding the HS2 rail service.

He said, "I think it symbolises far more than just a fast train service. I think for the current Prime Minister, it's a major statement about the future of the country."

Listen to more from Professor Travers here.

The Root Less Followed

Congratulations to our recent MPA graduates Amory Gonzalez Juarez, David Bernstein, Pouria Arasti, Kavita Chathapuram Seshan and Dinar Adeline, who have had their Capstone Project Report  published by the United Nations Development Programme Accelerator Labs.

You can read the full Report here.

You can find a blog summarizing the team's findings here.

Can London cope with the effects of climate change?

Recent flooding has caused widespread damage and disruption across London.

Professor Tony Travers discussed London’s vulnerability to the effects of climate change with The New York Times.

Read it here.

Preventing a Stablecoin Liquidity Crisis

Professor Andrés Velasco examines the use of privately-issued cryptocurrencies in his latest commentary for Project Syndicate.

Professor Velasco argues that, "There is no sound argument for applying lender-of-last-resort protection to privately issued cryptocurrencies. But regulators can prevent the all-too-predictable liquidity squeeze caused by a run on stablecoins – including by regulating them out of existence if necessary.

Read the article here.

How South Africa's post-apartheid economic dream turned sour

Dr Joachim Wehner spoke to The Telegraph about the recent wave of civil unrest which has spread across South Africa.

He said, "Zuma’s government really undid a lot of very good institution building that had taken place in the first decade and a half after the end of apartheid.”

Read more from Dr. Wehner here.

ECINEQ Presidential Speech

Professor Stephen Jenkins recently gave the Presidential Lecture for the Ninth Meeting of the Society for the Study of Economic Inequality (ECINEQ).

The conference was held online from 8 to 10 July, and provided a forum for a rigorous analysis of inequality, welfare and redistribution issues, as well as for a discussion of the policy implications of the research findings in this field.

You can watch Professor Jenkins' Presidential Lecture here.

End of Year Celebrations

Last week, we hosted our End of Year Celebration on campus.

It was truly incredible to celebrate the wonderful academic achievements of our students, and to share a special afternoon together at the end of an academic year like no other.

Congratulations to all of our students for their excellent efforts this year.

The Perils of Paradigm Economics

Professor Andrés Velasco analyses the increasingly frequent use of oversimplified political and economic slogans throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his latest commentary for Project Syndicate, Professor Velasco argues that, "As the world seeks to recover from the COVID-19 crisis, simplistic political and economic ideologies that serve as identity markers will not lead to effective policymaking."

Read the article here.

Revising immigration policy in the post-COVID world

Professor Tony Travers spoke to the Evening Standard about UK immigration policies in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said, "Without (immigration) there will be labour shortages and the economy won’t grow as fast as it should do."

You can read the article here.

EU-UK 2030: future relations between Europe and the United Kingdom

Dr. Sara Hagemann, Associate Dean for Extended Education, has has contributed to the recently published #EUUK 2030 Report from UK in a Changing Europe.

Dr Hagemann's work focuses on the future relationship between Denmark and the United Kingdom.

You can read the Report here.

Future scenarios for Lambeth and Southwark post Covid-19

Professor Tony Travers has co-authored a report for LSE Cities, which focuses on post COVID-19 policy scenarios for the London boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark.

You can view the report here.

Read a summary piece on the LSE COVID-19 Blog here.

Assessing Mexico's mid-term elections

In an op-ed piece for Americas Quarterly, Professor Vanessa Rubio-Márquez analyses the results of the 2021 Mexican legislative election, which took place on June 6.

She asks, "What will be the president’s aspirations for the rest of his mandate, which lasts until July 2024? Many had speculated that he might try to extend his mandate beyond the single six-year term provided in the constitution, but this possibility has been eliminated by the midterm results. So, what’s next?"

You can read Professor Rubio-Márquez's piece here.

Fears mount over cuts to rail services

Professor Tony Travers recently discussed the proposed service cuts to railways across the United Kingdom with the Telegraph

On the issue of rail providers, he said. "They will either need bailouts into the longer-term or face significant service reductions."

Read more from Professor Travers here.

Andrea Siodmok OBE

We are delighted to announce that SPP alumna Dr Andrea Siodmok (EMPP, 2018) has received an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, recognising her innovative work in Government and her contribution to public service.

Everybody at the School of Public Policy would like to offer our congratulations to Dr Siodmok for her excellent achievements.

Chile’s Constitutional Revolution

Professor Andrés Velasco examines the outcome of the recent Chilean Constitutional Convention election in his latest commentary for Project Syndicate.

He explains: "The results mark a clear shift to the left, but the international media’s preferred narrative – that this was an electoral revolt against Chile’s so-called neoliberal economic model – is too simplistic."

Read here.

Assessing the outcome of the Chilean Constitutional Convention election

Professor Andrés Velasco, Dean of the School of Public Policy, spoke to the Financial Times about the recent Constitutional Convetion election in Chile.

He explained that, "People with vague convictions didn’t go to the polls, while people with intense convictions did."

Read more from Professor Velasco here.

LSE Public Policy Review - Volume 1, Issue 4

The LSE Public Policy Review is an open-access, refereed journal which is published quarterly, focusing on key topics at the heart of current debates in public policy.

The latest issue, a special edition which focuses on COVID-19, is available to access here.

Twisted Democracies

In this Project Syndicate article, Professor Andrés Velasco explores the root causes of weak governance across Latin America.

He explains: "In many democracies, particularly in Latin America, well-meaning reforms intended to enhance democracy have achieved just the opposite, with governments that are strong on paper but weak in practice. And with each election cycle, citizen rage is brought ever-closer to the boiling point."

Read here.

Pandemic Leadership: Did “Scientists” Lock Down More Quickly?

Associate Professor Joachim Wehner has co-authored a paper with Prof. Mark Hallerberg of the Hertie School, Berlin, which analyses the educational background of 188 world leaders and explores any potential correlation between educational experience and the speed of lockdown implementation.

Read Professor Wehner's paper here.

Professor Daniel Sturm awarded ERC Advanced Grant

Congratulations to EMPA/EMPP Programme Director, Professor Daniel Sturm, who has been awarded a European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant for the project 'Quantitative Models of Cities'.

Read more about Professor Sturm's project here.

Today's Latin America Has No Female Presidents. It's Not Going Well.

Professor in Practice Vanessa Rubio-Márquez's op-ed in Americas Quarterly states that "As Latin America wrestles with the pandemic and its worst economic crisis in more than a century, political leadership rests in the hands of male leaders in every single one of its 20 countries. Just as troubling, Latin America has not elected a single woman president in the last seven years."

She reflects that "It is time to support women politicians in their quest to reach the highest political offices, removing barriers and interrupting the unacceptable status quo. It is time to allow women to fulfill their destinies and lead."

Read here.

Brazilian Debt Jitters

In this Project Syndicate article, Professor Andrés Velasco and Policy Fellow Frank Muci examine Brazil's fiscal response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

They explain that: "Brazil illustrates the point that despite low interest rates worldwide, there are limits to debt and deficits in the post-pandemic world. Brazil’s tax burden, at over one-third of GDP, is already high for an emerging economy, so taxation alone is unlikely to quash the rising fiscal risks."

Read here.

London mayoral debate 2021

Speaking to the Evening Standard, Professor Tony Travers gave his opinion on the first televised debate of the 2021 London mayoral election.

"My overwhelming sense was that it was very scratchy, ill-tempered, certainly not a joyful experience to watch."

Read here.

Evolution, Not Revolution, in Economics

On this Project Syndicate piece, Professor Andrés Velasco argues that the real change shaping policy decisions in recent years has been political, not intellectual.

He comments that a growing acceptance of agressive fiscal policy is supposed to be the first principle of a new, post-revolutionary regime in macroeconomics. But the only genuine conceptual change in the decade since the global financial crisis has come from efforts to explain when and why "unconventional" monetary policy works.

Read here.

Blackout Politics: AMLO's energy plan will backfire

Vanessa Rubio-Márquez published an op-ed in Americas Quarterly in which she comments on why President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's push to expand state control over energy markets [in Mexico] is misguided and harmful.

Read here.

CIVICA public lecture: Democracy in the time of pandemic

The European University of Social Sciences launched the Public Lecture Series Tours d'Europe with an event hosted online by CIVICA member Central European University featuring LSE Professor Andrés Velasco, who spoke at the event.

In the CIVICA Public Lecture Series Tours d'Europe, researchers from CIVICA member universities present their recent findings and interrogations on timely topics to the general public. The series aims to strengthen citizens' knowledge base and to facilitate a direct dialogue between social science researchers and the wider society. 

Watch the recording here.

Welcoming the first generation of Luksic Scholars to LSE School of Public Policy

The first cohort of outstanding young policymakers from Chile have started their studies at LSE School of Public Policy, thanks to a new Scholarship Fund supported by the Luksic family.

Read here.

Vanessa Rubio-Márquez to join LSE’s School of Public Policy as a Professor in Practice

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Vanessa Rubio-Márquez as Professor in Practice for the School of Public Policy (SPP) from January 2021. 

Vanessa will take up a pivotal role: as a Professor in Practice she will work with students to link the theoretical and conceptual knowledge of policy-making based on her extensive professional experience. 

Read here.

LSE Public Policy Review

The LSE Public Policy Review is a new journal published by the LSE Press and launched in Summer 2020. The LSEPPR publishes thematic issues that address current key public policy topics from different disciplinary perspectives with the aim of sharing high-quality LSE research with a wider audience. Issue 2: The Supportive State discusses universal basic income, services and social security. 

Read the latest issue here.

Chile's Great Pension Raid

Writing for Project Syndicate, Professor Andrés Velasco comments that because the policies they produce are so ludicrous, populist cycles eventually crash against reality and come to an end. Sadly, for too many Chileans, the crash may come when they reach old age with no retirement savings.

Read here.

The COVID Reset Latin America Needs

Writing for Project Syndicate, Professor Andrés Velasco comments that the COVID-19 pandemic has done more than ravage Latin America’s economies; it has highlighted two pervasive and chronic structural weaknesses. He argues that addressing them must be a key component of recovery efforts throughout the region.

Read here.

Marlon Tábora Muñoz appointed to the Inter-American Development Bank

We are pleased to share the news that SPP alumnus Marlon Tábora Muñoz (2019, EMPA) has been appointed as Executive Advisor of the Office of the President and Vice President of Finance and Administration at the Inter-American Development Bank. Congratulations, Marlon; we wish you all the best in your new role.

Find out more.

COVID-19 futures

Professor Erik Berglof has joined senior academics in a Wellcome Trust study which explores medium- and long-term impacts of COVID-19.

The authors describe a framework to "explore four possible biological ‘futures’of the COVID-19 pandemic over the next five years, examining how each could combine with different social, political and geographical contexts."

They hope to provoke others to thing of the long-term, "that moves us towards the global actions needed to reach equitable future outcomes,and to better prepare for future pandemics."

Find out more.

Will British theatre survive coronavirus?

Speaking to the Financial Times, Professor Tony Travers says London's West End has never faced a threat like that brought on by the coronavirus.

If audiences do not return, 'it “is inconceivable that British theatre could survive at anything like its current scale”'.

Read here.

Infrastructure struggles in the UK

The New York Times has spoken to Professor Tony Travers for an article on the problems surrounding London's bridges, three of which are "falling down".

“The national government is afraid of spending money in London because it would threaten its ‘leveling up’ agenda. Promising to build shiny things for the future is more attractive than fixing road surfaces or mending bridges.” says Prof Travers.

Read here.

Challenges to UK public transport

Professor Tony Travers has spoken to My London for an article on the future of the London Underground.

Prof Travers considers the future of economic activity, commuting and what this means for Transport for London.

"The pandemic is a once-in-a-lifetime change affecting public transport in Britain. It's very hard to know where it will go next."

Read here.

The UK economy: Brexit vs COVID-19

Research by Dr Thomas Sampson for the UK in a Changing Europe has been referenced in an article by The Guardian.

Dr Sampson's modelling finds "the impact of a no-deal Brexit suggests that the total cost to the UK economy over the longer term will be two to three times as large as that implied by the Bank of England’s forecast for the impact of Covid-19".

Read here.

A no-deal Brexit may still be more costly than COVID-19

Writing for LSE Brexit blog, Dr Thomas Sampson speaks against the argument that, as the impact of COVID-19 on the UK economy dwarfs the potential consequences of Brexit, there is nothing to fear about a no-deal Brexit.

Instead, data shows that a no-deal Brexit may not be less costly than the longterm economic fallout from COVID-19.

Read here.

Erik Berglof appointed first Chief Economist for AIIB

It has been announced that Professor Erik Berglof is now the inaugural Chief Economist of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a development bank.

In this role, Professor Berglof will "set the vision and strategy for the [Economics] Department and lead the planning, implementation and supervision of its work plan in support of the Bank’s mandate to foster sustainable economic development by investing in an inclusive and sustainable Asia".

On receiving the appointment, Professor Berglof said: "I look forward to applying my years of experience to support AIIB’s firm commitment to financial, economic, environmental and social sustainability and a multilateral approach to development finance."

Find out more.

Are We All Keynesians Again?

Writing for Project Syndicate, Professor Andrés Velasco comments that a universally acknowledged outcome from COVID-19 response discussions is that the pandemic has ushered in an era of more state intervention in the economy.

However, he asks: "But what does this mean for the future? In what areas of economic life should and can the state do more?"

Read here.

The UK economy: Brexit vs Covid-19

Dr Thomas Sampson has written for The UK in a Changing Europe on the affects of both Brexit and COVID-19 on the UK economy.

He argues the claim that COVID-19 is a bigger economic shock than Brexit must be interrogated.

Read here.

Letter to G20, IMF, World Bank, regional development banks and national governments

A new letter from over 275 world leaders calls on the G20, the IMF, the World Bank and regional development banks and all countries to recognise the scale of the COVID-19 crisis.

The letter, signed by Professor Andres Velasco and Professor Erik Berglof, focuses on educational losses due to the pandemic - "there is now a real and present danger that the public health crisis will create a COVID generation who lose out on schooling and whose opportunities are permanently damaged."

 It proposes three initiatives to get the most disadvantaged and vulnerable back into education and enable them to catch up.

Read it here.

Is the government playing a power grab for the London Mayor's office?

Professor Tony Travers has been interviewed by The Guardian for an article about the alleged power grab by the government of the Mayor's office.

Prof Travers says "It’s an unpredictable curiosity that the current administration in Downing Street happen to be the predecessors of the formal operation at City Hall. People who formerly did something always think the people who came after them aren’t doing it as well as they did. It’s a natural human response."

Read here.

What makes an ideal CEO?

Research by Professor Oriana Bandiera et al, exploring how most successful CEOs spend their day, has been discussed in this Forbes article by co-author Dr Stephen Hansen.

The research sought to fill a gap in the literature, with "much work focusing on what makes a prospective CEO a good fit for the role, with little thought being given to the type of organisation they would be leading."

Read here.

Designing social protection programs that work

An article by BRAC Ultra-Poor Graduation Initiative cites an IGC brief by Professor Oriana Bandiera and Nidhi Parekh.

In the brief, the authors acknowledge that prior to the pandemic those most in need were already being left behind by traditional development programming. They explore the opportunities and challenges faced in reaching the most marginalized populations and how we can overcome them.

Find out more.

UK government's plan for district councils

Professor Tony Travers comments on proposed local government reorganisations for The Guardian, asserting that all such reorganisations favour the party in power.

Read here.

The economic cost of UK school closures

Writing for VoxEU, Dr Ethan Ilzetzki discusses a recent Centre for Macroeconomics survey which predicts the cost of UK school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In part, the survey suggests school closures will increase inequality and harm gender equality.

Read the column here.

Tax rates and migration

Research by Professor Camille Landais and colleagues has been referenced in a Tax Foundation article.

The paper 'Taxation and Migration: Evidence and Policy Implications' reviews whether and to what extent tax changes in a country influence an individual’s decision to migrate.

Find out more here.

Thomas Sampson featured in Academic Spotlight series

Dr Thomas Sampson is featured in the UK in a Changing Europe’s third 'Academic in the Spotlight' series, which has been created to highlight the important work being done by social scientists and why more people should be aware of it.

The theme of Dr Sampson's Spotlight is 'International trade and Brexit'. Find out more here.

The financial strain facing Transport for London

Speaking to The Economist for an article on TfL's strained financial situation, Professor Tony Travers suggests the delayed London mayorial election due to COVID-19 may be why TfL has been treated more harshly than the railway companies.

Prof Travers says: "The rail industry got a quiet £3.5bn bail-out with little fanfare. Meanwhile TfL got less than half as much cash, had to drop concessionary fares, raise the congestion charge, take two new government-appointed directors and accept a financial review. There’s some politics here."

Read more here.

Launch of the LSE Public Policy Review

The first issue of the new Public Policy Review was launched on Thursday 23 July with an event on 'Populism in the Post-COVID-19 World', to mark the theme of the first journal issue: Populism.

SPP Dean Professor Andrés Velasco joins the Editorial Board, alongside Dr Tania Burchardt, Professor Simon Hix and Professor Nicola Lacey.

The Public Policy Review is a quarterley journal which seeks to actively contribute to the study and developement of public and social policy, public administration and public management.

Each issue is thematic and concentrates on a key topic at the heart of current debates in public policy.

Professor Velasco is featured in Issue 1 with his article 'Populism and Identity Politics', available here.

Launch of the International Growth Centre's Little Book of Growth Ideas

The IGC has launched the 'Little Book of Growth Ideas', containing some of their most transformational research from the last decade.

The book features work from SPP faculty Professor Oriana Bandiera, Professor Robin Burgess, Dr Nava Ashraf, and Professor Adnan Khan.

Visit here to find out more about the book.

Lords Select Committee: impact of COVID-19 and experiences outside England

Professor Tony Travers will be one of six witnesses in a Lords Select Committee meeting on COVID-19 and the impact on the economy and the devolved regions. This meeting, held on Wednesday 15 July, will be led by the The Institute for Fiscal Studies.

Find out more.

Could Robotization make the gender pay gap worse?

Using data from 20 European countries, Dr Berkay Ozcan, Dr Cevat Giray Aksoy (King's College London) and Julia Philipp (LSE PhD candidate) have provided the first large-scale evidence on the impact of industrial robots on the gender pay gap.

They find that robot adoption increases both male and female earnings but also increases the gender pay gap.

Find out more here.

The Call of the Tribal

In his latest piece for Project Syndicate, Professor Andrés Velasco argues two long-held premises of democratic politics - politicians and voters acting in accordance with their principles, interests, or both - are useless for explaining today's politics.

He says: "The fact is that many voters nowadays don’t mind when a politician says one thing and then does another, provided it is their politician – someone with whom they identify as a member of the same tribe."

Read here.

Chile’s finance minister navigates coronavirus, recession and protests

Professor Andrés Velasco comments on the performance of Chile's Finance Minister, Ignacio Briones, in a Financial Times article.

He says: “Briones has been a bit of a fresh face, which is a good thing. He doesn’t give himself airs . . . and he comes across as a nicer guy than your average politician.”

Read the article here.

What is the cost of coronavirus for the UK's railways?

Speaking to the Financial Times on government bailouts to the UK's train companies, Professor Tony Travers estimates that "the rail subsidies will end up costing £5bn-£6bn of taxpayer money".

He further states there "will be further questions about how much more support the industry needs if passenger volumes do not return to normal."

Read the article here.

School of Public Policy achieves Silver Green Impact award

This year's LSE-wide Celebration of Sustainability took place on Tuesday 9 June, featuring updates on the School's Sustainability Strategic Plan and the presentation of NUS Green Impact awards.

The School of Public Policy successfully achieved Silver this year, marking us as a 'Committed Contributer'. The SPP's team produced materials on sustainability for colleagues, and created weekly "Eco-Facts" for the student newsletters.

Green Impact is a United Nations award-winning programme designed to support environmentally and socially sustainable practice organisations.

Latin America’s taxing problem

A recent Financial Times article explores how the COVID-19 pandemic is leading to changes in tax traditions in at least eight Latin American countries, as a means to create revenue to respond to the crisis.

In the discussion of wealth tax, Professor Andrés Velasco says it is “true that in many Latin American countries the rich have ways of escaping taxation”. However, “If you look around Latin America, there is very little property taxation. And if the state cannot tax you on the value of your home, how likely is it that it can tax you on the paintings inside the house?”

Read here.

The link between populism and identity

Professor Andrés Velasco discusses populism and identity politics in the June edition of the IMF's Finance & Development magazine.

He says: "A key role of politics is to manage grievances, economic or otherwise. The turn toward populism and authoritarianism suggests a failure of democratic politics to handle those grievances effectively. There is a one-word reason for that: identity."

Read here.

Tony Travers joins London Recovery Board

Professor Tony Travers has joined 27 leaders - from politics, business, the voluntary sector, trade unions and various public bodies - on the London Recovery Board, which will aim to help shape the London's post-Covid future.

The group, which is co-chaired by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and the chair of London Councils, Peter John, met for the first time on June 4.

Prof Travers said “The Recovery Board’s first meeting was valuable for hearing the range of concerns and interests of its members and we will now need to move on to setting some priorities and deciding on how best to put them into effect.”

Read about the Board here.

Research shows social structures affect develoment policy implementation by local agents

Professor Oriana Bandiera and Professor Robin Burgess have co-authored a research paper which uses an agricultural extension program in rural Ugandan villages to study how social structures explain the variation in delivery rates and program effectiveness seen in development data.

Read the paper here.

Macroeconomic Policy Responses to a Pandemic

COVID-19 has caused a huge productivity shock; to alleviate the impact of that shock, many countries have enacted policies to avoid job losses.

Using their recently published Minimalist Model, Professor Andrés Velasco, Professor Roberto Chang and Professor Luis Felipe Céspedes (Universidad de Chile) have studied such policies, drawing conclusions on what the most effective responses may be.

Read the research here.

Has EU trade become less important to the UK since the 2016 referendum?

In a trade analysis for LSE Brexit blog, Dr Thomas Sampson argues that Brexit has not reduced the EU’s importance in UK trade since the referendum. Instead, "For the optimists, there is evidence that UK-EU trade has proven resilient so far. For the pessimists, it shows that the full economic costs of Brexit are yet to materialise."

Read here.

How to prevent an economic meltdown as a result of COVID-19

In his latest article for Project Syndicate, Professor Andrés Velasco explores the deep recessions emerging markets will soon experience due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and how this may be prevented.

Commenting on the international community's move towards debt forbearance, Professor Velasco asserts it is "insufficient to prevent a developing-world depression, and could even misfire". Instead, emerging markets need new funding.

Read the article here.

What does COVID-19 mean for Latin America's economy?

In a Financial Times article series in which leading economists evaluate what to expect and what might be done to avert turmoil like the 1930s Great Depression, Professor Andrés Velasco analyses the situation in Latin America.

In his article 'It could be the 1930s all over again for Latin America', Professor Velasco argues the same shocks are hitting the region as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the addition of a decline in remittances and a productivity freeze.

Read here.

A call for action: what the G20 should do now

Professor Erik Berglöf (Director, Institute of Global Affairs, LSE) and Professor Andrés Velasco (Dean, School of Public Policy) have joined former Heads of State, politicians, health experts and economists - including former UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown - in signing the latest letter to G20 governments.

The letter is a continued call for action for governments in the G20 to coordinate a global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors of the accompanying article state "Because the group represents 85% of global GDP, it has the capacity to mobilize resources on the scale required – and its leaders must do so immediately."

It lays out required actions under global health and the economy, as well as reiterating how the leaders can create a coordinated response to COVID-19.

Read the full letter here.

Tony Travers discusses divergent attitudes towards lifting lockdown in UK

Speaking for a New York Times article, Professor Tony Travers says the different situation in the North of England versus the South poses difficult questions for the easing of the COVID-19 lockdown.

“Members of the public are starting to think, ‘Why am I still locked down when I’m living in a city where the chances of catching Covid-19 are lower than being run over by a car in the street?’”

Read the full piece here.

Thomas Sampson comments on post-Covid trade in a no-deal Brexit scenario

In an interview for The Independent, Dr Thomas Sampson, Associate Professor, says "Will firms with European supply chains that were disrupted by Covid want to invest in restarting those suppy chains with a potential no deal round the corner?"

Read the full article here.

Tony Travers comments on post-lockdown London life

In a statement for the Evening Standard, Professor Tony Travers says “Covid-19 will have a profound effect on our streets.”

He calls for local authorities to allow restaurants and bars to create a pavement café culture this summer, serving more customers out in the street while socially distancing.

Read the news article here.

Roberto Chang and Andrés Velasco co-author research for CEPR

Professor Roberto Chang, Professor Andrés Velasco and Professor Luis Felipe Céspedes (Universidad de Chile) have released a research paper entitled 'The Macroeconomics of a Pandemic: A Minimalist Model'.

Find out more.

Andrés Velasco will speak on the panel of Universidad Torcuato Di Tella online event (Spanish)

On Thursday 21 May, Professor Andrés Velasco, will join Dr Eduardo Levy Yeyati (Dean, Escuela de Gobierno) and Dr Catalina Smulovitz (Plenary Research Professor, UTDT) in a discussion on liberal democracy and public policy post-pandemic.

Find out more.

Tony Travers speaks on impact of UK's centralised system on crisis response

In an interview for The Guardian, Professor Tony Travers says the UK's highly centralised system of government does not respond well to crises and challenges that require flexible local responses. He suggests smaller countries and federally structured nations, like Germany, have been better suited to responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read the article here.

Tim Besley and Andrés Velasco write on the balance between science and politics

Writing for the new LSE COVID-19 blog, Professor Tim Besley and Professor Andrés Velasco assert:

'Politics uninformed by science quickly becomes quackery. But science unmediated by politics is of limited use when it comes to solving a collective action problem such as a pandemic.'

Read 'Politicians can’t hide behind scientists forever – even in a pandemic' here.

Thomas Sampson speaks on UK-US trade negotiations amid COVID-19 pandemic

Dr Thomas Sampson, Associate Professor, was interviewed by news platform China.org.cn on the UK launching trade negotiations with US via videoconference.

He argues it is "a mistake" for Britain to start negotiating with the United States at this stage:

'"Potential gains from U.S. deal are much smaller than costs of leaving the EU," he said, citing the government's own analysis suggesting an ambitious U.S. deal would raise Britain's GDP by around 0.2 percent.'

Read the article here.

Tony Travers on post-lockdown commuting

Professor Tony Travers was interviewed for a BBC article on the changes to commuting after the COVID-19 lockdown.

He says: "Public transport operators have spent decades trying to get users to spread the rush hour. It would be hard to do this voluntarily. You would have to have some degree of people, in effect, being allocated slots."

Read the news article here.

Roberto Chang and Andrés Velasco write on economic policy incentives to fight COVID-19

Writing for VOX CEPR Policy Portal, Professor Roberto Chang and Professor Andrés Velasco argue 'what regular people decide to do could be at least as important as what governments do in determining how, when, and at what cost we overcome the pandemic'.

Read 'Economic policy incentives in the fight against pandemics'.

Andrés Velasco on the fate of populist leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic

In a new article for Project Syndicate, Professor Andrés Velasco argues that though populist leaders on the right and left have topped the 'ranks of incompetence' during the COVID-19 pandemic so far, this does not mean they will become political victims of the virus.

'The virus is lethal and ruthless, but alone it will not flatten the populist contagion curve.'

Read the article here.

Tony Travers writes on the challenges of persuading 'fearful Britons' to leave their houses once again

Writing for the School of Public Policy's new LSE COVID-19 blog, Professor Tony Travers asserts that the UK government's encouragement of self-isolating during the COVID-19 pandemic has become internalised by the populace; encouraging them to return to normal may be difficult. Yet: 'the cost to the economy is huge and Johnson faces extraordinary financial pressure.'

Read here.

LSE COVID-19 blog launched

We are proud to announce the launch of the new LSE COVID-19 blog, which publishes expert and accessible research about the coronavirus pandemic. Our focus is on the global policy response to the crisis.

The blog is part of the LSE’s School of Public Policy and is led by the Dean, Andrés Velasco and Associate Dean, Tony Travers. The acting editors are Ros Taylor and Roch Dunin-Wąsowicz.

In an inaugural post, Dame Minouche Shafik, LSE Director, writes on the necessity of international cooperation to solve the global pandemic. Read the full piece here.

Visit LSE COVID-19 here.

Tony Travers on UK politics and Covid-19

Professor Tony Travers, Associate Dean, was interviewed on how the coronavirus is impacting UK politics and how the country is governed.

Watch the video here.

Erik Berglöf speaks on EBRD/LSE panel on Coronavirus and global economy

Last Friday, Professor Erik Berglöf (Director, LSE Institute of Global Affairs; formerly EBRD), joined European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Chief Economist Professor Beata Javorcik, LSE's Lord Nicholas Stern, and SciencePo's Professor Sergei Guriev (formerly EBRD) in a discussion entitled 'Coronavirus and the global economy: what next?'

Professor Berglöf noted the Covid-19 pandemic has strengthened the role of the state worldwide, though warned 'I think there is going to be dramatic realisation of the inability of governments in many of these countries to deliver in many ways and I worry that this is going to lead to massive populist reactions and weaken what democracies.'

To listen to the audio recording of this panel discussion, visit here.

Tony Travers quoted in NY Times article on coronavirus and popular support for governments

In a New York Times article exploring a widespread rise in popular support for governments as the Covid-19 crisis spreads, Professor Tony Travers states:

“Winning a war is absolutely no recipe for staying in office,” Mr. Travers said. “When the threat of illness goes away, then the consequences of being protected from the threat are very different.”

Read the full piece here.

Latin American politicians and economists sign letter on Covid-19

A number of prominent Latin American politicians and experts, including SPP Dean Professor Andrés Velasco, have signed a new letter entitled 'Ethical and economic imperatives in confronting Covid-19: A view from Latin America'.

The letter comments on the uneven response to the Covid-19 pandemic by Heads of States in Latin America and the Caribbean, and calls for focus 'on upgrading our health systems, channeling resources to hospitals, temporarily adapting idle infrastructure such as hotels and convention centers, and drastically increasing testing capacity.'

It also addresses the potential economic impact of the pandemic, setting out policies that are required to protect economies and individuals across the region.

Read the full letter here.

Read news coverage by CNN, El País and El Tiempo.

Erik Berglöf, Gordon Brown, Jeremy Farrar and Andrés Velasco sign letter to G20 Governments

Professor Erik Berglöf (Director, Institute of Global Affairs, LSE), Gordon Brown (UK Prime Minister 2007-2010), Sir Jeremy Farrar (Director, Wellcome Trust) and Professor Andrés Velasco (Dean, School of Public Policy) have written a letter to G20 Governments, calling for coordinated global leadership to resolve the current and deepening global health and economic emergencies caused by COVID-19.

Following the communique from the G20 Extraordinary Leaders' Summit last week, the authors state "We now require urgent specific measures that can be agreed on with speed and at scale: emergency support for global health initiatives led by the World Health Organization (WHO) and emergency measures to restore the global economy."

"World leaders must immediately agree to commit $8 billion – as set out by the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board – to fill the most urgent gaps in the COVID-19 response."

The letter is signed by numerous politicians, economists and health experts.

Read the full piece here.

The School of Public Policy launches Covid-19 Social Science response portal

In addition to representing a medical emergency and scientific race, the Covid-19 pandemic poses an enormous challenge for the social sciences to help governments and non-governmental organisations respond to the economic and societal consequences of the unprecedented disease.

In response, the School of Public Policy has created a new webpage, bringing together some of the leading thinking to guide and support policy responses to Covid-19. Our content draws across the full range of social sciences, among them economics, finance, sociology, government, health policy, social policy, psychology and behavioural science.

Visit our webpage here.

20 leading economists and global health experts send letter to G20 on Covid-19 pandemic

Ahead of the upcoming G20 summit, a team of world-leading economists and global health experts from around the world have written a letter to the G20 leaders on the Covid-19 pandemic response, with one simple message: 'this crisis is global and requires unprecedented cooperation across countries and disciplines.'

The letter begins:

'Advanced countries have started now to see the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is worse to come for most countries. But delaying emergency measures in emerging and developing economies will lead to unimaginable health and social impacts which will come back to haunt us for decades. The G20 must act now.'

The signatories urge the G20 to aid and assist emerging and developing countries, who face 'an unprecedented collective threat to human life, social cohesion and economic devastation'.

They assert that governments of advanced economies have an 'obligation and a self-interest in shielding vulnerable countries'.

The letter comes as the leaders of the world's largest economies hold a virtual summit to discuss a collaborative response to the coronavirus pandemic, which has taken the lives of over 24,000 people to date.*

Read the full piece here.

* Source.

Andrés Velasco and Roberto Chang write on Latin American Covid-19 response for Project Syndicate

Professor Andrés Velasco and Professor Roberto Chang argue 'The [Latin American] region has never faced a crisis like this one, and policymakers must use this time wisely, which means acting swiftly and boldly.' Read full article here.

The SPP hosts the 2020 Global Public Policy Network Conference

This weekend, the LSE School of Public Policy was host to the 2020 Global Public Policy Network (GPPN) annual Conference, with students and staff visiting from Tokyo, New York, São Paulo and Singapore to participate in the competition.

Twenty groups of students presented their innovative public policy project ideas to an audience of School Deans and over 100 students, on a wide array of policy issue-areas.

Andrés Velasco speaks at the University of Cambridge

Last Thursday, Professor Andrés Velasco gave a speech at Peterhouse Politics Society, University of Cambridge, on the topic "Where next for Latin American politics?".

Prof Velasco was invited to speak on this topic due to his professional experience in Chilean politics, as well as his extensive writing on Latin American affairs.

Andrés Velasco writes on reforming democracy

In his latest article for Project Syndicate, Professor Andrés Velasco, Dean of the School of Public Policy, argues it is no wonder that many say they are dissatisfied with democracy, given how it operates today. 'To Protect Democracy, Reform It'.

Tony Travers interviewed for article on blocked Heathrow expansion

Associate Dean Professor Tony Travers has been interviewed for a recent article in the The New Zealand Herald, 'Heathrow airport expansion blocked over climate concerns'.

He says "Brexit means trade with countries further away than you can get on a train″, so it makes little sense to ignore the Heathrow project.

Tony Travers quoted in Guardian article on London congestion and pollution

Associate Dean Professor Tony Travers has been interviewed for a recent article in The Guardian 'How London got rid of private cars – and grew more congested than ever'

He says: “London has achieved the impossible by eradicating the private car – and still having desperate traffic congestion... People keep saying we need to get the cars off the road. In central London, there aren’t any.”

Andrés Velasco in defence of Cosmopolitanism

In his latest article for Project Syndicate 'In Defense of Cosmopolitanism', our Dean Professor Andrés Velasco argues Cosmopolitanism is about 'defining ourselves precisely by what makes us equal – our common humanity'. It is Cosmopolitanism that can be used as a counter-attack to rising nationalism seen across the globe. Read in full here.

Welcoming new BP Centennial Professor

The School of Public Policy is thrilled to welcome Professor Roberto Chang of Rutgers University, who joins us as BP Centennial Professor.

Professor Chang will be part of the SPP until the end of the academic year. During his tenure he will advance his research on foreign exchange intervention, international reserves accumulation and management, and other so-called unconventional central bank policies, for emerging economies. 

Previously, Professor Chang has published extensively on monetary economics, exchange rate policy, and financial crises. He has served on the editorial boards of the Journal of International Economics and the Journal of Development Economics, and as a member of the Economics Panel of the National Science Foundation.

Before joining Rutgers University in 2000, Professor Chang was a Research Officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. He has also been an Assistant Professor at NYU and a Visiting Professor at Princeton.