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Reposted by Alex Chapman

New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Episode 2 of ⚡️SHOCKWAVE⚡️is OUT NOW. Join us to explore the 1956 Suez crisis and what it tells us about our ongoing dependence on international fossil fuel markets and the fervent debate about the future of North Sea oil and gas. Available wherever you get your podcasts 🎧

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Quick analysis of today's energy announcements. New cap is bad, but Cornwall's forecast of Q1 2027 cap (up 9%) even worse. Our analysis suggests, if not for recent gvt. policy changes, electricity prices would be set to exceed their peak crisis level (under the Energy Price Guarantee)... /1

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New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

This summer's intense sunshine could be powering our homes. But most households can't afford to install their own solar panels. The Solar Saver scheme would change this. From @neweconomics.bsky.social and @thefinancelab.bsky.social 1/5

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New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

Our newest analysis shows how our travel habits are shifting - with the UK’s traditional seaside, countryside and small-town destinations losing out to the rise of short city breaks and holidays abroad.

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New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Doubling down on fossil fuels won't save us from rising energy bills - but it would be terrible for our climate. Alex Chapman on BBC Five Live this afternoon.

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

🔔 New study🔔 What is the relationship between air transport and economic growth in Europe? Dr Felix Pot and I break it down like never before in our new report for @neweconomics.bsky.social and T&E: /1

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New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

Check out our senior economist @alchap.bsky.social on the Energy Revolution podcast talking airports, economic growth and the climate crisis. Full episode available here: linktr.ee/energyrevolu...

linktr.ee

energyrevolution - Listen on Spotify - Linktree

View energyrevolution’s Linktree to discover and stream music from top platforms like Spotify here. Your next favorite track is just a click away!

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

I did my first episode on the NEF podcast 🫣

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 10/08/2025

My dad was arrested in London yesterday for holding a placard saying "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action". He's a retired university lecturer who is involved in his local church. Prior to yesterday's demonstration his only legal infraction was a speeding ticket for doing 36 in a 30 zone.

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 16/07/2025

The right questions getting asked. This week in the Times, Alistair Osborne punctures the myth that a third runway at Heathrow is "crucial for business". Why? Because of the CEO's admission that the "decline in business travel appears to be permanent.../1 www.thetimes.com/business-mon...

thetimes.com

Heathrow’s investment plan punctures the third runway myth

The airport has admitted the decline in business travel is permanent, and wants to spend £10bn raising passenger numbers by only ten million

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

This just in. Kemi thinks the actions of Palestine Action at Brize Norton might have stopped a war crime... Not sure she fully thought this one through 😂

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Chaitanya Kumar @chaitanyakumar.bsky.social · 18/06/2025

You've heard of frequent flyers, but we've got some new research for you on the idea of ultra- frequent flyers. Exciting work from my colleague @alchap.bsky.social where he makes a compelling case as to why this new class of flyers is not paying it's fair share of tax and how we can fix it. 👇👇

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Reposted by Alex Chapman

New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

There's broad public support for net zero by 2050 & people are concerned about the impact of the climate crisis. So let's deliver net zero policies that benefit ordinary people rather than calling it into question. @alchap.bsky.social spoke to LBC News in light of Tony Blair's comments.

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Reposted by Alex Chapman

New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

🚨The government has given Luton airport approval to expand. This is despite the fact that it will do very little to boost economic growth and will be devastating for our climate goals. @alchap.bsky.social responds.

Quote from Alex Chapman, senior economist: Growing Luton will not deliver the economic growth the government so desperately wants. Business air travel has collapsed over the last few years and even the airlines admit it isn’t coming back. Instead, expansion at Luton will see another 8m UK residents taking their money overseas on holiday instead of spending it on UK high streets. This is even though the UK already has enough capacity for 300 million passengers to fly in and out every year.

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Eachann @gillies.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

somewhat tongue in cheek here but I saw this and was reminded immediately of @alchap.bsky.social talking about the negative impacts of air travel expansion

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Reposted by Alex Chapman

Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

Hi @davidtwilcock.bsky.social. I just wanted to flag that your Mail Online piece from Thursday is hugely misleading & seems to be based off a fundamental misunderstanding of the statistics I'll explain why, then maybe you can retract the piece & issue an apology... 🧵1/6

Daily Mail online headline: The great benefit con? Just 14% of people claiming disability cash can actually PROVE they are too ill to work - as total getting handouts nears 2.5m

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

Recommended reading on the smoke and mirrors government is using to build out a justification for austerity

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

I wrote a thing about what really went down in the Gatwick airport expansion decision. Refusal recommended, but it might go ahead? Economic growth? Techie post, you were warned. www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-r...

linkedin.com

What really happened at Gatwick?

Gatwick Airport is getting a second runway. Or wait, is it? Prior to the government's announcement I spent a morning doing a pre-recorded interview for BBC news on the Gatwick Airport expansion.

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Reposted by Alex Chapman

New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

All the reasons why the Gatwick airport expansion is a mistake, in under 1 minute - from @alchap.bsky.social on @lbc.co.uk with @shelaghfogarty.bsky.social

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

Had a great chat with @adamtranter.bsky.social and @lauralaker.bsky.social on the Streets Ahead podcast. All things transport, economics, growth, and yes, sorry, the 'Green Book'! Have a listen here: shows.acast.com/streets-ahea...

shows.acast.com

Growth, but at what cost? | Streets Ahead

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Reposted by Alex Chapman

Stephen Frost @sfrost.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

Great to hear @alchap.bsky.social (surely one of the busiest ppl in transport at the moment?) on @podstreetsahead.bsky.social talking all things economics & transport. Agree with him that the Green Book doesn’t sit behind decisions like Heathrow - it is all politics. Highly recommend a listen.

shows.acast.com

Growth, but at what cost? | Streets Ahead

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Reposted by Alex Chapman

Jim Pickard @pickardje.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

statistic of the day: approving the expansion of Heathrow, Luton and Gatwick airports would wipe out ALL the benefits of the government’s 2030 "clean power" target within five years of expanded operation, according to analysis by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) neweconomics.org/2025/01/airp....

neweconomics.org

Airport expansion would wipe out carbon savings of government’s clean power plan

Claimed growth benefits of expansion don’t stack up and will create major climate damage

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Reposted by Alex Chapman

New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

👀The research Rachel Reeves used to evidence the benefits of Heathrow expansion was commissioned by Heathrow itself. @alchap.bsky.social spoke to the @theguardian.com about why, with our climate goals at stake, this is such a big problem www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Alex Chapman, senior economist at the NEF, said: “It is very concerning that the chancellor appears to be basing her support for Heathrow expansion on a figure from a report commissioned by Heathrow airport. Even more worrying is the fact that the methodology they have applied is one that the Department for Transport has previously decided is not fit for purpose, and that the report uses forecast data supplied by the airport itself. Heathrow expansion represents a major threat to the UK’s climate goals and flies in the face of scientific advice. To ensure that the claimed economic benefits are concrete, assessments should be carried out by independent government economists following best-practice methodology.

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New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

As the Chancellor reaches for growth there's one place she won't find it - OBR forecasts. OBR multipliers devalue public spending and keep us in a doom-loop of austerity Our new report offers a framework that flexibly embraces the positive potential of public spending

The front cover of a NEF report titled "Forecasting a better future: The case for a 'bucket approach' to fiscal multipliers"

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Reposted by Alex Chapman

New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

The government needs to explain the economic logic behind its decision on airport expansion - because the growth case for it just doesn't add up. @alchap.bsky.social spoke to the @the-independent.com www.independent.co.uk/news/busines...

Text reads The government needs to explain how creating millions of flights carrying UK residents – mostly frequent flyers - abroad on holiday is going to help our economic security, said Dr Chapman. Encouraging households to spend their money overseas takes precious cash out of high streets and the domestic tourism economy in the UK’s wider regions, you might call it ‘anti-levelling-up’.

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

So today the Chancellor has said that airport expansion is "good for families wanting to go on cheap holidays". This is her "growth" plan. Making it cheaper to go to (e.g.) a Spanish island. How about making it cheaper to get to Blackpool, Great Yarmouth or Torquay?

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

"Yes, and" ...more damage from climate hazards ...more regional inequality ...a smaller domestic tourism sector ...a bigger current account deficit ...more costly traded carbon prices ...higher land and energy prices ...more noise and air quality Etc.

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

It's extraordinary that we are having this public debate about airport expansions with barely a whisper about what it means for domestic tourism. It's no coincidence the UK's overnight tourism sector is in decline, i.e. contributing to our stagnant growth. We keep making it cheaper to go overseas!

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New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

NEW: How much wealth is too much?🤔 In partnership with @patrioticmillionaires.org we've published a new report exploring the case for an Extreme Wealth Line. We spoke to politicians, policy makers and millionaires to get their thoughts on the concept - here's some of what we found.

Text: Exploring an extreme wealth line, insights from political figures, policy experts and millionaires on a threshold for harmful wealth

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

The aviation industry, in defence of the economic benefits of airport expansion, are pointing to the Airports Commission's 2015 work. Fun fact: The Commission's forecasts were catastrophically wrong. Business passenger numbers are way off. So their outputs on GDP growth etc. are total nonsense.

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

Twist in the Heathrow saga this morning. Insiders are asking the right questions about whether the supposed growth benefit is really worth the catastrophic climate damage afterall...

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New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

"These airports are funnels for UK cash to go overseas - I'd like to hear the rationale for how that generates growth benefits in the UK." @alchap.bsky.social explains why airport expansions won't create the growth the chancellor wants

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New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

The economic growth argument for airport expansion simply doesn't add up. ✈️ NEF's @alchap.bsky.social spoke to Sky News news.sky.com/story/chance...

Screengrab from Sky News. Text reads: Dr Alex Chapman, senior economist at the New Economics Foundation (NEF), also suggested the suggested growth benefits of UK airport expansion don't stack up.

He added: "The massive climate damage caused by these schemes will create deep physical and economic hardship for millions and will wipe out any benefit from the government's other climate policy efforts almost overnight."

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

The way they are convincing themselves of their righteousness through the 'NIMBY bogeyman' is scary, perhaps a bit Trumpian, because it's a way of disregarding actual evidence.

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

It's time for economists, academics and transport specialists to stand up and be counted. Today's news is awash with articles uncritically accepting the argument that airport expansion is 'good for growth'. Yet the arguments in favour are largely based on 'vibes'...

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New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

New analysis: If four UK airport expansions including Heathrow are allowed to go ahead, they will cancel out the carbon savings of this government’s clean power plan IN JUST FIVE YEARS. This government must cancel these planned expansions. neweconomics.org/2025/01/airp...

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

New NEF analysis out today. Amid rumours that gvt will expand Heathrow, Luton and Gatwick airports, we show that doing so would wipe out the benefit of the government's Clean Power Plan (i.e. the sprint for zero carbon electricity by 2030) within 5 years of expanded operation. /1

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New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 20/01/2025

Billionaires accumulating more and more wealth is damaging for all of us. We're already seeing billionaires distort democracy and the wealth they hoard could be used to address social issues or the climate crisis.

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

This is well worth a read. The numbers don't stack up. It doesn't make sense to put £90m of public money into an airport which primarily encourages local residents to spend their cash out of the country. How is that helpful for the local economy?

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

How much are they offering for Netanyahu?

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

Good news today that real pay is growing. Finally a little bit of disposable income in household budgets. Will government expand Luton and Gatwick airports and ship that money straight off to Spain etc.?

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 16/12/2024

The latest issue of IPPR's progressive review is on transport and well worth a read. Paul Donald's piece on road traffic and the death of wild nature is brutal but essential. Congrats to @sfrost.bsky.social and the other editors. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/25732331...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

The great enabler: Transport’s role in tackling environmental crises and delivering progressive change: IPPR Progressive Review: Vol 31, No 3

Click on the title to browse this issue

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

Still haven't processed the classification of crumpets as junk food.

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

The charm offensive is on, ahead of big gvt decisions on Luton and Gatwick expansions early next year. The economic growth claims are baseless. The climate risks are material.

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Stephen Frost @sfrost.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Great piece by @alchap.bsky.social "... low-income households are the group most in need of cost-cutting green investments, and the least able to afford them. Not only that, but they could end up experiencing an unfair share of the costs of the transition"

energytransition.org

Delivering a fair household energy transition: learning and priorities | EnergyTransition.org

The green technologies needed to rapidly cut our greenhouse gas emissions are already on the market. What’s more, they are, or very soon will be, cost effective. In other words…

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 03/12/2024

Question for the day: What happens to an economy that has zero growth in real household expenditure, but at the same time sees a very significant rise in spending on travel abroad?

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Alex Chapman @alchap.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

Hello BSky world! I'm Alex - generally posting about the economics of climate change, carbon taxes, skills, and ranting a lot about aviation/airport expansion!

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