How can we address our labour market challenges?
In November 2022, the Office for National Statistics stated that “the rate of UK unemployment rose to 3.6% in the three months to September, up from 3.5% in the previous three months”. Figures also showed that the estimated number of vacancies fell by 46,000 on the quarter to 1,225,000. But despite this the number […]
2022: A Year of Firsts for the Centre
As 2022 draws to a close, we took some time to reflect on the year. It goes without saying – a huge thank you to everyone who has supported our work over the past year. As a not-for-profit organisation, we simply couldn’t operate without the support of our partners, who share our ambition to help […]
Will we ever tackle housing inequality in the UK when people think that’s ‘just the natural way of things for us’?
Following several high-profile tragedies that have occurred across the country as a consequence of extremely poor-quality housing, surely the time has come for the expansion of non-traditional housing models? In this article, Vanessa Pritchard-Wilkes (Head of Strategic Influence at Housing 21) introduces what is being done at a regional level to develop ‘Co-Housing’ in […]
Upskilling the Region
Ahead of the Centre for the New Midlands Winter Reception (being held on Tuesday 6th December at the Palace of Westminster), we are delighted to share a guest feature from University College Birmingham and the University of Warwick on their recently launched partnership and shared vision to ‘upskill the region’. Tuesday’s event in London is […]
Your Vote; Your Choice; Your Power
“At present you, the people of the West Midlands, have the right to vote in order to democratically elect your Police and Crime Commissioner. The Conservative Party and its West Midlands Metro Mayor intend to abolish your democratic right to vote; end direct accountability to you; remove your choice as to who represents you; and […]
Over 60 organisations join the Centre for the New Midlands and Kagool to ‘Reimagine the Region’
On the final evening of the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, the Centre for the New Midlands, in partnership with Kagool (event sponsors) and Knights (event hosts), delivered the fourth of its in-person networking events for members and concluded the think tank’s participation in the party-political conference season. Having attended the Labour Party conference the […]
Levelling up Birmingham – an initiative that will allow future generations to thrive
Following our recent Reimagining the Region event in England’s ‘second city’, The Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP (Member of Parliament for Sutton Coldfield and Co-Chair, ‘Levelling Up Birmingham APPG’) shares his thoughts on why ‘Levelling Up Birmingham’ is so important in driving the region forward. 2022 has been a triumph for Birmingham. The magnificent […]
East Birmingham is the key to our region
In recent days East Birmingham, alongside neighbouring North Solihull, has been earmarked for one of the Midlands’ key Investment Zones where the Government will seek to drive economic growth, new homes, and jobs, and to accelerate the delivery of strategic transport infrastructure. In this article, Mark Gamble (Head of East Birmingham Development, Birmingham City […]
It’s time to evolve how we tackle crime, by merging the Police Commissioner role into the West Midlands Mayoralty
In this article, Jay Singh-Sohal (former Conservative Party candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner, or PCC, for the West Midlands) argues that the PCC model in the West Midlands has simply not worked and that the time has come to merge the role and office of PCC into that of the West Midlands Mayoralty. […]
The time is now
“Whilst the lack of investment in this region in previous years has held us back, paradoxically this could provide the West Midlands screen industries with a big opportunity.” In this article, Alison Grade (Author of ‘The Freelance Bible; CEO of Mission Accomplished and Member of Digital Leadership Board) argues that now is the time […]