Private pension investment. I would guess few areas of public policy are more dull and more tedious sounding. Defence has its expensive toys, albeit years late and billions over budget; climate change has its apocalyptic consequences; even labour market policies, another dry subject, cover the employment rights and protections we can enjoy in work. It may be only somewhat hyperbolic to suggest that discussions on defined contribution vs benefit schemes and investable start-up assets could lull a baby into a deep, relaxing sleep. Nonetheless, the issue has risen up the political agenda in recent months, with both the Chancellor and Shadow Chancellor stressing the importance of getting British pension funds to invest more in UK assets, particularly riskier, small companies. In fact, the former of the two, Jeremy Hunt, has been holding talks with various industry titans to help draw up a series of reforms to be presented at tomorrow’s Mansion House dinner.

The post-Global Financial Crisis era in British politics and much of that worldwide has been stained with great divisions and disagreements on key policy areas from tax and spending to crime. However, there has been an odd convergence between both major parties in two growingly important areas of public policy. Today, there appears to exist a bipartisan desire to give regions in England greater powers, particularly through the expansion of mayoral authorities where already almost ten million Northerners have their own metro mayor dedicated to local issues and concerns. In fact, the Levelling Up White Paper revealed earlier this year states that “by 2030, every part of England that wants one will have a devolution deal”. Furthermore, levelling-up has become one of the greatest priorities for the UK’s political parties, particularly after the term became so central to Boris Johnson’s 2019 election landslide. Public First has found the policy is the most popular with the public as well as being more popular with Conservative voters than Britain’s exit from the European Union.

The start of another year at Warwick seems like a poor time to contemplate the point of my expensive education. The prospect of borrowing thousands a year just to complete a degree that doesn’t even guarantee a relevant job is hardly the thing freshers want to hear as they move into their student accommodation. However, with a rising number of students going to university and another record set to be broken this year, the question does have to be asked; are degrees still worthwhile?

The past few weeks in British politics have been a case of nearly unprecedented upheaval in what should’ve been a simple handover of power. With the Queen’s death, energy price guarantee and mini-budget, the fallout of which continues to dominate the headlines, a just as significant announcement has failed to shape the national debate. The government has, as a result of the European energy shock, announced it intends for Britain to reach energy independence by 2040. This involves a bid to speed-up renewable energy development, possible energy market reform and, more controversially, new North Sea oil and gas licences in addition to lifting the ban on fracking.