Britain’s economy does not lack oomph, but productivity is lagging
Post-furlough labour-market data offers grounds for hope, but more investment is needed
WONKS SPENT months worried about the thousands of British workers sent home during the pandemic, who then lingered on the government’s furlough scheme. Were they simply being strung along by employers, to be discarded once it ended on September 30th? On November 16th the first batch of post-furlough labour-market data offered reassurance. The number of payrolled employees (that is, excluding the self-employed) grew by 0.6% in October compared with the previous month. The economy will need that dynamism as it adjusts to Brexit, covid-19, climate change—and more besides.
This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “All change”
Britain November 20th 2021
- The NHS faces a bleak winter
- Azeem Rafiq claims anti-Asian abuse is widespread in English cricket
- British Indians are emerging as an important group of swing voters
- Britain’s economy does not lack oomph, but productivity is lagging
- Britain’s inequalities are spelt out in its surnames
- The government wants to ensure that tax breaks for freeports aren’t wasted
- Britain’s establishment has split into two, each convinced it is the underdog
From the November 20th 2021 edition
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