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The UK’s public services are stretched thin across the country, serving higher numbers of people with lower budgets. Introducing minimum standards and levels of infrastructure and services could help to reduce local and regional inequalities and ensure that all places prosper.

Labour will comfortably win the general election in Wales. But there may be economic, fiscal and political troubles ahead. Welsh voters cite public services as their main concern – yet while health, education and housing are devolved, the next UK government will play a key role in their funding.

What is the right level of migration for the UK? Is the country on track to meet its commitments on tackling climate change? And how will big changes in the world trading environment affect the economy? Our fourth election newsletter looks at some of the global issues at stake in the election.

Funding public services has been central to the UK general election debate. The political parties have set out plans in their manifestos, but questions about affordability remain, not least given the general reluctance to announce any increases in taxation.

Towns and cities with effective transport within and between them host more productive businesses, which can pay higher wages. But with too few of such places, the UK suffers from low productivity. Making the transport investments we need locally instead of according to national plans would help.

The value of state pensions in the UK is protected by the so-called triple lock. This policy has led to substantial increases in payments to pensioners, raising questions about its affordability over the longer term.

Should the UK have compulsory national service? Do we need more police? How bad are NHS waiting lists? What about our failing water companies? Over the past week, the UK has seen a host of new policy proposals in these areas.

It is sometimes argued that the experience of devolution for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales implies that the regions of England need greater decentralisation to improve policy delivery and economic outcomes. But the evidence from the devolved nations after 25 years is much more ambiguous.

Taxing capital affects investment and economic growth, with both tax bases and tax rates playing an important role. In the UK, growth-enhancing tax policies should target innovation and investment rather than savings. There may also be room for fiscal reforms that do not reduce revenue.

Over the current parliamentary term, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have each faced unique challenges as well as common ones, such as rising economic inactivity. Measures of output, productivity and the labour market indicate where the devolved nations could improve their economic prospects.

The UK proposes to introduce an excise duty on e-cigarettes, with the primary goal being to reduce their consumption. The policy’s effectiveness will depend on whether the price increase is enough to deter people from buying these products – and whether an overall smoking ban is implemented.

With high property prices, rising rents and sluggish rates of new-build, the UK is facing a crisis of housing affordability. A comprehensive strategy is urgently needed, one that’s joined up with other key areas of public policy, including taxation and investment in human capital.

Pakistan’s recent election has further eroded trust between citizens and the state. The economy continues to fall behind its Asian neighbours, with low rates of productivity growth and an unsustainably high burden of external debt. There are no signs these challenges will be addressed any time soon.

Labour will comfortably win the general election in Wales. But there may be economic, fiscal and political troubles ahead. Welsh voters cite public services as their main concern – yet while health, education and housing are devolved, the next UK government will play a key role in their funding.

The UK is in the middle of a housing crisis related to availability, quality and affordability. The political parties promise high rates of housebuilding, and more, but questions about delivery remain.

Investing in our public spaces is vital to address the big challenges of loneliness, mental ill health and social and political disengagement. Such investment also brings economic benefits – and can help to close the gaps between economically disadvantaged and more affluent parts of the country.

Mounting national security threats have led a number of European countries to consider reinstating mandatory military service. Proponents argue that it would bolster national defence and boost citizenship among young people. But evidence on either effect is scarce or points to the opposite outcome.

Apprenticeships are intended to provide opportunities for young people as they move from education to working life. But the way things operate in the UK means that those who would most benefit are often missing out.

The UK faces crises – from housing and health to slow economic growth – at home, as well as those of a more global nature – stemming from climate change and geopolitical challenges. The country will soon vote for the party they believe best placed to rise to the occasion.

In new work, the Economics Observatory data team demonstrates how AI tools can be used to collect, clean and summarise price data. The automated food CPI generated is available faster, with broader coverage and at lower cost than human-collected data. It could be a complement to official statistics.

Over the current parliamentary term, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have each faced unique challenges as well as common ones, such as rising economic inactivity. Measures of output, productivity and the labour market indicate where the devolved nations could improve their economic prospects.

The UK proposes to introduce an excise duty on e-cigarettes, with the primary goal being to reduce their consumption. The policy’s effectiveness will depend on whether the price increase is enough to deter people from buying these products – and whether an overall smoking ban is implemented.

Just as at the time of Bretton Woods, international economic law is essential to discourage destructive national policies. But it is also vital to understand how law, regulations and institutions are located within a longer historical trajectory of colonialism, inequality and exploitation.