The Budget: Remembered for Slower Growth, Fuel Cuts, Changing Research or Elizabeth Taylor?

This was the third major financial statement from Osborne since the coalition came to power 10 months ago. And this first year has not gone as well as he would have hoped. Economic growth has been slower, unemployment still rising and cuts still to take full effect. The Labour chants of ‘same old Tories’ (dull and untrue) and the Tory response ‘look what we inherited’ (dull and not completely true), is becoming repetitive and makes many political followers lose interest due to the lack of change in the argument.

Conversely, there is some positive new for universities. Increasing the number of University Technology Colleges, increasing the number of apprenticeships and a vocal (if not always financial) commitment to research and education. The Higher Education sector has already suffered but there was no changes in the scholarships available for students under the new funding regime or new funds for research. I also doubt that there are any new funds available for departmental research budgets. What there is, however, is a commitment to research in the UK and investing in business to undertake research.

There has been much discussion that the government is funding science/technology research at the expense of arts/humanities/social sciences. I think the policies are seeing a movement of research away from the university. Whether there can be enough, quality researchers (particularly at doctoral level) if there is not sufficient funding in universities can be left to be questioned. Business will fund research which makes money, it is yet to be clear what will happen to other research which has a cultural, society impact. That said, I doubt this nuance will make tonight’s news.

I think there is probably enough to hold off political attacks on the Tories for a little more time due to the fuel tax cuts. However, in the longer term they have got to hope that the activity which they have chosen will actually stimulate some growth in the economy. If stagnation continues then the criticisms that the Tories are harsh and failing will not be able to be washed away with attacks on the previous government.

That said, the announcement of the death of Elizabeth Taylor during Osborne’s speech may be a great stroke of luck and cause some distraction from the detail of today’s speech. The fortunate timing of some sad news, just needs to be backed up with some luck with the economy for the Chancellor over the next quarter.

I can think of some news editors who might be scratching their head on how to order tonight’s bulletins: Fuel, down grading growth or Taylor to be the top story?

Budget 2011 - Rolling Blog

Once again, a rolling blog as things unfold today during the budget announcement; most recent posts are at the top.  Mostly copied from my twitter feed but also with some more extend sections of analysis, particularly looking at the impact of the Chancellor's announcement for Higher Education. 

1455 @cjgrinbergs

My Blog: #Budget: Remembered for Slower Growth, Fuel Cuts, Changing University Research or Elizabeth Taylor? http://tinyurl.com/4k57op7



1343 @cjgrinbergs
@BigBigBen Given technical nature possibly but traditionally felt moreof a heavyweight speaker needed as such fundamental issue.

1342 @cjgrinbergs
RT @BigBigBen Ta for all those reminding me that the leader of the opposition responds to the budget. Would make more sense for the Shad Chancellor, no?

1342 @cjgrinbergs
@BigBigBen Leader of the opposition always replies to budget statements (though not to spending reviews).

1338 @cjgrinbergs
RT @BigBigBen Why isn't Balls responding? #budget11

1333 @cjgrinbergs
Content light from Leader of the Opposition - waving finger going quickly. #budget

1332 @cjgrinbergs
Fuel duty reduced by 1p/litre from 6pm & stabiliser to be introduced. #budget

1328 @cjgrinbergs
RT @BBCLauraK So here we go on fuel duty ...#BBCBudget
RT @Peston Here comes the big one: fuel duty. #bbcbudget

1321 @cjgrinbergs
Is the coverage of #budget today going to be overshadowed by sad death of Elizabeth Taylor. Osborne may be relieved.

1319 @cjgrinbergs
RT @fieldproducer ABC News reports that Elizabeth Taylor has died

1312 @cjgrinbergs
24 (up from 12) new university technical colleges. #budget

1311 @cjgrinbergs
Undertrained & under-educated citizens is one of the main challenges for the growing economy #budget

1309 @cjgrinbergs
Can business guarantee the quality of research without well qualified people from #universities? Need money for Unis, too. #budget

1305 @cjgrinbergs
All these #budgets changes to research seem to be confirming that research is no longer sole domain of #universities

1303 @cjgrinbergs
Osborne: "Research should not take place in our great universities" & increases support for business-based research. #budget #universities

1301 @cjgrinbergs
9 new #universities centres for innovative manufacturing. Some good news for Higher Ed. #budget

1252 @cjgrinbergs
RT @TheReverendDan Corporation Tax cut by 2% - 'BRITAIN IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS'. #Budget

1249 @cjgrinbergs
As predicted, Treasury to investigate merging National Insurance & Income Tax but without affecting those who do not pay NI. #Budget

1243 @cjgrinbergs
RT @MrUJOldfield These are quite modest revisions from the OBR. I wouldn't be as modest. There'll be growth but not as strong as 2.5% #bbcbudget

1241 @cjgrinbergs
Office for Budget Responsibility: Good way for Chancellor to avoid tricky #budget questions.

1240 @cjgrinbergs
Economic stats not good but could be worse. And it is not Osborne's numbers - the EU ones are also bad. #budget

1237 @cjgrinbergs
Live on My Blog: Rolling blog for #budget analysis including impact on #universities http://tinyurl.com/6bd492f

1234 @cjgrinbergs
So last #PMQs reply allows a final attack on the Labour #budget record but will the Chancellor be under attack himself now?

1230 @cjgrinbergs
#PMQs getting louder & attacks on Labour's eeconomic record become more regular as #budget approaches.

1224 @cjgrinbergs
RT @BBCLauraK PMQs always a bit strange before budget - everyone waiting for main event...wide range of questions tho

1218 @cjgrinbergs
Cameron hints at Council Tax freeze & investment in sci/tech local. Will #universities have access to the latter? #budget

1217 @cjgrinbergs
Good discussion on Libya in PMQs & some good answers from Cameron once again. #PMQs #Budget

1215 @cjgrinbergs
So PMQs has few bits on defense, disability allowance & other areas which may hint at #budget but noisy & little detail.

1151 @cjgrinbergs
All the BBC predictions say that the economy is not doing as well as Osbourne might have hoped so #budget tricky game.

1150 @cjgrinbergs
BBC pre-announcement predictions: possible good news for education but not sure that will extend to #universities #budget

1144 @cjgrinbergs
My Blog: Rolling blog for #budget analysis including impact on #universities http://tinyurl.com/6bd492f

1130 @cjgrinbergs
@chrisgolds @mattkmoore And now the BBC - too - good to know the Licence Fee can afford it (may have to be grounded after the budget)

1129 RT by @cjgrinbergs
chrisgolds “@mattkmoore: Sky News have a Budget Day skycopter! For an event that is both indoors and sedentary...” Brilliant! Made me LAUGH OUT

1030 @WellMax81
For those at work who want updates on the #budget2011 follow @cjgrinbergs for concise updates and analysis. (he's also a very nice chap)

0926 @cjgrinbergs
Despite #Budget2011 tweets also off to @IOE_London open evening.Will tweet reflections on my research, doctoral work & #universities generally

0925 @cjgrinbergs
Income Tax/National Insurance: politically introduced, politically removed. Who cares: still money out of pay packet. #Budget2011

0922 @cjgrinbergs
Changes to income Tax/National Insurance makes little dif to my work bar reducing to single calculation. #Budget2011 #universities

0920 @cjgrinbergs
Sci/tech/business will continue to be focus but perhaps a surprise few pounds in student fee wavers for lib dems? #Budget2011 #universities

0915 @cjgrinbergs
So far #bbcr4 predicts money for science & regions: no surprise but doesn't help arts/humanities research. #Budget2011 #universities

0900 @cjgrinbergs
Well it's budget day so I'll be tweeting on & off, especially on any Higher Education announcements. #Budget2011 #universities

Oslo: Being Confident in Speaking Out

Norway was a different country from the moment I got on the plane: Norwegian may have been ‘low-cost’ but it was no Ryanair. Calm, comfortable, classy with a rather expensive menu.
Then when on the bus, I received a call to say that the hotel I had booked was full but they had found us beds around the corner in a better quality hotel. Good service.

The next day when walking around Oslo, the wealth shone out in the cost of a coffee through to the upkeep of the public transport. There was, without doubt, high taxation everywhere but investment shone through.

At the same time the values also shine through. Families were everywhere, little graffiti or obvious poverty, no need for gay district as couples were free to hold hands, whatever their make-up.

This lead me to a tricky question: do the liberal values come about because people can afford to pay the taxes to under-write them or do the liberal values mean that people feel a duty to pay for the functions of state. No easy answer but I suspect it is a little bit of both.

My travelling companion (rather more conservative than me) challenged my views on immigration, on tax and on education. I am coming to the view point that if we want to pay for high-quality services like I saw in Oslo, then those that can, should pay more tax to help those with less. In my career and my research I believe in a market-led approach, the need for greater investment and liberal values within a conservative context. If I believe in these things – as I saw in Norway - then I need to say it despite it going against some traditional ‘tory’ lines. My family have always taught me to be true to myself and that includes in my politics.

As with so much of my life and travels, there was a song that summarised my trip. This time it was “Sing” by My Chemical Romance.

At the same time as trying to find a new way of living following the loss of my mother, re-assessing my research and re-evaluating my political values, then it is time to speak out about these things:

“Sing it out, boy, you’ve got to see what tomorrow brings.
Sing it out, girl, you’ve got to be what tomorrow is.
[…]
Sing it for the boys, sing it for the girls.
Every time that you lose it, sing it for the world.
Sing it from the heart, sing it ‘til you’re nuts.
Sing it out for the ones that hate your guts.
Sing it for the deaf, sing it for the blind.
Sing it for everyone that you left behind.
Sing it for the world.
We’ve got to see what tomorrow brings.
Boy you’ve got to be what the world needs.
Sing it for the world.”

Grief, Graduation and Going Forward

There’s been a bit of a gap in my blogging.

The event which we had predicted since diagnosis for 2 years ago has happened.

My Mother passed into somewhere peaceful on 24 February 2011.

As with so many sufferers, it was not her Motor Neuron Disease which actually killed her. It was an inter-cranial bleed following a fall in the kitchen.

She was with her GP at the time and so was in hospital quickly and through a drug-induced coma was in no pain.

She did not have to suffer a further loss of independence. She had fought this disease so hard that she ended with the dignity and elegance we would expect.

That said, it leaves a massive hole in our lives. In some senses it has not really sunk in. I still wander around and see her in the flowers or the sunshine, think of news to tell her or make her laugh. That will change as we find the ‘new normality’ without her.


Just 6 days after her passing I was due to graduate from my post-graduate diploma in social research methods. After a brief discussion, it was decided we would keep the date and we were right to. She was there in spirit and left me a card ‘just in case’. She was proud of what I had done. So we celebrated that day for her and the sun shone on one of those days were the warmth & hope of spring is just starting to show which my mother would have loved.


At the same time as leaving me a card for the post-graduate diploma, Mother has left me a card for the day when I get my PhD. So, in the short to medium term that has to be my focus. The idea of Dr. Grinbergs is fulfilling so much that my mother would have wanted and so much that my mother had encouraged me out. So I’m in the process of investigating a new supervisor, either at Roehampton or at the Institute of Education as this is becoming a bit of a block and not developing me or my research in the way I would like.
So, for my career, my research, my life and, despite the grief, for my mother – it’s time to go forward and get this done.