A new British Academy Journal article, introduced by ReWAGE expert Paul Edwards, brings together thought-leaders from the fields of economics, sociology and social policy, including ReWAGE expert Jill Rubery, to consider inflation, wages and equality in the UK today.

In the article ‘Inflation, wages and equality: cross-disciplinary conversations’, the group considers such subjects as whether trade unions cause inflation or inflation cause trade unions, and the parallels with the 1970s for today’s conflicts over real living standards.

This week the House of Lords will be continuing its debate on amendments to the EU Retained Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill (the so-called REUL Bill) which repeals EU-derived laws in the UK at the end of 2023. The headline of the Bill is that it ‘sunsets’ (or turns off) nearly 4000 pieces of retained EU law, although it gives ministers powers to keep some legislation, delay the sunset on other legislation and reform yet other legislation.

ReWAGE expert Professor Catherine Barnard has written a summary of the Bill. This short paper acknowledges the need for expediency but also raises a number of issues, in particular highlighting the importance of clarity of policy, extensive consultation and effective parliamentary scrutiny.

ReWAGE is fortunate in having some of the UK’s foremost thinkers on its Expert Group, drawn from leading universities and research organisations from across the UK. Between them they have a huge breadth of knowledge, covering such subjects as the labour market, job quality, employment relations and the changing nature of work.

This week we are pointing the spotlight onto ReWAGE expert Professor Jill Rubery of the Alliance Manchester Business School at the University of Manchester, who is our authority on gender equality and employment in the UK and across the EU.