Research

Find out where the Conservatives and Labour stand in polls of voting intentions as their party members gather for their respective annual conferences. Download a free copy of the conference edition of our weekly Polling Report, usually only available to Dods subscribers, to see a roundup of the results of the latest political surveys all in one place.

Billed as the start of a series of announcements of long-term decisions designed to deliver change in the UK, Sunak said it was not right to impose the significant costs of climate transition on people already facing price pressures. While the prime minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reach net zero by 2050, stakeholders questioned whether the changes would make it harder for the UK to hit that target while others raised concerns about the impact on investment from shifting deadlines.

The rapid development of artificial intelligence promises to bring rewards to a wide range of sectors, from better healthcare to cleaner transport and more efficient manufacturing. But it also presents policymakers across the world with a challenge to ensure the technology flourishes in a safe and predictable way. European Union lawmakers are working to pass the world’s first comprehensive AI law, the AI Act, which promises to regulate the technology according to the risks its applications pose. There is broad agreement across the world on the risks the technology poses and the need to move quickly.

The rapid development of artificial intelligence promises to bring rewards to a wide range of sectors, from better healthcare to cleaner transport and more efficient manufacturing. But it also presents policymakers across the world with a challenge to ensure the technology flourishes in a safe and predictable way. The UK is aiming to establish a framework that enables existing regulators to manage the use of AI according to a set of guiding principles. 

Our forthcoming webinar is a timely discussion of the issues surrounding AI safety and regulation. We’ll be hearing from leading AI experts in a panel discussion that will span all aspects of AI regulation in the UK. Don’t miss this essential event - register for your place at our webinar and panel discussion today.

Germany’s first China strategy, published on July 13, 2023, points out various economic and security related risks Berlin sees in its relationship with China in starker terms than ever before. The strategy states unequivocally that the country needs to change its approach to the Asian giant accordingly. However, while aligning itself with the European Union’s “de-risking” drive to reduce economic dependencies on China and its classification of the country as a “partner, competitor and systemic rival”, the eagerly-awaited paper does not follow through with any new binding policy measures.

The next UK general election must be held by January 2025, but may well happen sooner. Once the date is confirmed and the campaign is officially underway England’s three main political parties – the Conservatives, Labour, and Liberal Democrats – will each set out their policy plans in a manifesto, usually launched with as much fanfare as possible. While the Covid crisis and Ukraine war have shown how these glossy documents can be rapidly overtaken by events, they nevertheless remain an important statement of the parties’ ambitions and a yardstick for performance in office. However, while all the parties produce a manifesto, their approach varies widely, with the Conservatives’ opaque centralised approach contrasting with Labour’s and the Lib Dems’ more transparent step-by-step process of consultation with party members.

“Water is the basis for all life.” So begins Germany’s first National Water Strategy which was agreed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s cabinet on 15 March 2023. While Germany has traditionally been blessed with an abundance of water, the growing impact of climate change and the ever-present risk of pollution have led the government to produce a long-term plan for managing the resource which is as vital to households in Europe’s largest economy as it is for farmers, the energy sector and industry.