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Can the government make us eat more healthily?
podcast
<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><span>Are sugar taxes working? We examine government efforts to improve diets and how weight-loss drugs could change the debate.</span></p>
5 November 2026
Budget 2026: what has the Chancellor changed?
podcast
<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><span>What has the Budget changed? IFS economists consider the announcements, higher borrowing and the difficult choices ahead on taxes and public spending.</span></p>
29 October 2026
Budget 2026: what should we expect?
podcast
<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><span>What should we expect from the October Budget? IFS economists discuss the choices facing the Chancellor on energy bills, taxes and public spending.</span></p>
22 October 2026
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IFS Zooms In Live: A look ahead to the Budget
event 20 October 2026
<p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(37, 61, 64);display:inline !important;float:none;font-family:"DM Serif Text", serif;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">A special in-person recording of an episode of the IFS Zooms In podcast ahead of the Budget, looking at the choices facing the Chancellor.</span></p>
Autumn Budget 2026: IFS analysis
event 29 October 2026
<p>Join us as IFS researchers present their initial response to Chancellor John Healey's Autumn Budget.</p>
IFS Public Economics Day 2027
event 8 January 2027
<p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(37, 61, 64);display:inline !important;float:none;font-family:"DM Serif Text", serif;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">The IFS is holding a day of talks on issues in public economics of interest to undergraduates in economics and related disciplines.</span></p>
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Investment, infrastructure and levelling up

Published on 9 July 2020

What is investment spending? Why is investment so much lower now than it was 40 or 50 years ago?

Listen now: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Acast | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The government has pledged to make 'levelling up' a core part of their policy agenda. To achieve this, they have promised increased investment spending and infrastructure spending.

What is investment spending? Why is investment so much lower now than it was 40 or 50 years ago? How does this relate to recent announcements from the government, and the response to the pandemic?

Joining us today are Professor Sir Tim Besley, Professor of Economics at LSE and member of the National Infrastructure Commission, and Ben Zaranko, Research Economist at IFS.

Host

Paul Johnson

Participants

Tim Besley

Research Associate London School of Economics

Timothy is a Research Associate at the IFS and a Professor of Economics and Political Science at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Ben Zaranko