Ooof Pension fund allocations into UK equities, 1997-2022 From the very interesting select committee report on scaling

Tax policy on the British left is pure "anti-bedtime left". Bizarre idea that you can have a big social democratic welfare state without everyone contributing properly www.economist.com/britain/2025...

Suss / Piketty

Thomas Piketty: ‘The left has been a victim of its own success’ on.ft.com/47TjkYV | opinion

Please spread the word word 👇

Disagree with this - but huge respect to Tim for, as ever, making the intelligent counter to the conventional wisdom

Since 2019, large cities’ economies have decoupled from the national trend and grown faster than the rest of the country 📈 What is driving the recent growth of large cities? 👇 buff.ly/MStC5PZ

TOMORROW We have Carl Benedikt Frey speaking about his brilliant new book on innovation, technology, and the fate of nations which I have *almost* finished. Respondents Jane Gingrich (Oxford) and Michael Storper (LSE / UCLA) 21st October, 6.30 at LSE. Join us live or online: lnkd.in/eBtRuMyp

If there isn't an AI dating assistant called "Cyrano" by the end of the year these guys have no culture or imagination

Do you know anyone who wants to work in urban policy at the UK's leading think tank in this area? We're #hiring a new Analyst to join the Centre for Cities Research team 💼 Apply today 👇

2023: I meet Simon Johnson -> 2024: Wins Nobel 2024: I meet Philippe Aghion -> 2025: Wins Nobel 2025: Still available for lunches / drinks / dinners

Can't believe someone a) had the data to write this paper b) wrote this paper www.nber.org/papers/w3434...

AI and digital platforms improve efficiency in processing and transmitting information but erode producer incentives, resulting in less truthful news and more misinformation, from Joseph E. Stiglitz and Maxim Ventura-Bolet https://www.nber.org/papers/w34318

A bit late posting it, but the latest round of our seed grants programmes is currently open to support researchers in developing and piloting innovative experimental research ideas, which could inform research, innovation and business growth policy. www.innovationgrowthlab.org/about/resear...

Nobel prize season and I always think of my wife's distant cousin who died seven months before his co-authors won it en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_...

🚨 We're hiring! Two exciting roles: Data Analyst & Head of Zambia Evidence Lab (ZEL). Work with leading researchers and policymakers to shape data-driven development. 📍 Based in Lusaka | 🌍 Global collaboration | 📈 Real-world impact Apply now 👉 www.theigc.org/about/careers #EconSky

New research shows ageing populations and the power of the “grey vote” are undermining Europe’s economic growth. Yet an ageing Europe need not be a stagnant one if the sources of the grey power trap can be addressed. ✍ Tim Vlandas @dspi-oxford.bsky.social blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2...

Grim but eye-opening - especially for those of us lucky enough never to face this

New paper out in @pnas.org! We study the effect of air pollution on pets, finding increased vet admissions when air quality is worse. Tackling air pollution doesn't just matter for human health - it's important for animals too, including people's much loved cats and dogs www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Mobile internet has rapidly expanded in the Philippines. Researchers Zhiwu Wei, @neillee.bsky.social (CEP) and Yohan Iddawela find that it has helped boost household wealth – but can widen the urban-rural wealth gap. Read:

We are excited for the start of this term's Inequalities Seminar Series! In our first seminar, @katymorris.bsky.social explores the effects of income misperceptions on inequality beliefs and preferences. 🎟️ Attend in-person: buff.ly/VGrS38l 💻 Attend online: buff.ly/U7CxSmD

Mobile connectivity can positively impact on jobs and incomes. But how does it affect household wealth inequality? @neillee.bsky.social, Zhiwu Wei & Yohan Iddawela investigate, taking the Philippines as the ideal case study #LSEInequalitiesBlog Read the post here: buff.ly/cobkSQE

Iversen and Soskice on the bookshelf 🔥🔥🔥

PhD fellowship in #Innovaton and #Regional Studies at @unistavanger.bsky.social. Study the #Green Transition and its implications. Join RENOVATE, where true intellectual calibre meets genuine collegiality and warmth. Deadline for applications: 16 Oct. Full info: www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...

We @bennettschool.cam.ac.uk are hiring a postdoc to work on AI and geopolitics www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/researc...

📢 We’re excited to announce that the 3rd edition of the World Inequality Conference will take place on 4–5 June 2026 in Paris. 📄The call for papers is now open — submit by December 1! ▶️ inequalitylab.world/en/event/wor... @pse.bsky.social @cris-sciencespo.bsky.social @taxobservatory.bsky.social

We often forget that the UK is a big outlier: our welfare state is almost all redistribution (not social insurance). People in other countries know that high earners face real economic risks - it's why they support the welfare state!

LSE's Department of Methodogy is searching for an Assistant Professor in Computational Social Science. Applicants from across the social sciences are very welcome! Please reach out if you would like any more details.

They were replaced in the top 30 cities list by: - Delhi - Dhaka - Beijing - Chongqing - Karachi - Kinshasa - Lagos - Istanbul - Manila - Guangzhou, Guangdong - Lahore - Bangalore - Chennai - Bogotá - Jakarta - Shenzhen

16 of the world's 30 most populous cities in 1950 were not in the top 30 in 2025 (UN Urbanisation Prospects) - London - Paris - Chicago - Berlin - Philadelphia - Saint Petersburg - Detroit - Boston - Manchester - Nagoya - Birmingham - Shenyang - Rome - Milan - San Francisco - Barcelona

Tremendous long read from @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social in the FT on the mysterious owner of the notorious Brittania Hotels group, Alex Langsam. on.ft.com/46B1bhO

16 of the world's 30 most populous cities in 1950 were not in the top 30 in 2025 (UN Urbanisation Prospects) - London - Paris - Chicago - Berlin - Philadelphia - Saint Petersburg - Detroit - Boston - Manchester - Nagoya - Birmingham - Shenyang - Rome - Milan - San Francisco - Barcelona

In today's Monthly GDP bulletin (www.ons.gov.uk/economy/gros...) we have made some changes in presentation to lead with the three-month on three-month movements which I explain further in an accompanying blog (blog.ons.gov.uk/2025/09/12/g...). We've also introduced new charts 👇 - feedback v welcome!

EVENT! How Progress Ends 🖥️🧠😵 Innovation megastar @carlbfrey.bsky.social will be talking about his superb new book Delighted with great respondents: Jane Gingrich and Michael Storper LSE, 21st October, 6.30 at LSE

Truly honoured & grateful to receive the Sir Peter Hall Award from @regstud.bsky.social- Please watch the online ceremony here: www.regionalstudies.org/news/2025-rs... Many thanks to the RSA and all who make its intellectual community such a rare and generous thing.

With apologies for poor data visualisation, using the Rosés-Wolf database to see the richest 5 regions in Europe, by year Using 2011 PPPs and GDP per capita, you basically get oil / gas producers since 1980

The UK is the 114th most unequal country by Gini income inequality of 191 in the UN Wider Database We are only 32nd highest of 171 by wealth Gini, according to the World Bank

How to take over a government through pdfs: it's Torsten Bell's Britain www.economist.com/britain/2025...

An interesting policy debate: should you just give institutions money to do research, or make them bid? In think-tanks, two of the most effective outfits over the past twenty years have been Resolution Foundation and Centre for Cities - both with core funding www.economist.com/britain/2025...

My book is now available in paperback should you need a second copy www.amazon.co.uk/Innovation-M...

Really excellent column

GDP per capita in UK cities over time, relative to national average Milton Keynes stands out (OECD, FUA data)

Doing some work on growth accelerations These are UK cities which grew faster than the national average in GDP per capita terms for the longest time spells

There haven’t been any classic books about the pandemic, as far as I’m aware. Why? Or am I missing something?

For the heads: plausibly exogenous staggered rollout across London boroughs x time, treatment switching on and off, now just need to think of some outcomes to test #EconSky 📉📈

21 Oct 6.30pm - LSE Geography & Environment's Michael Storper and Neil Lee are hosting @oii.ox.ac.uk Carl Frey as he explores his new book 'How Progress Ends'. A 1,000-year journey through global history reveals why AI alone won’t guarantee a leap forward. www.lse.ac.uk/events/how-p...

While we’re discussing inflation: people have higher faith that the NHS (!) will bring down inflation than politicians