[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]The chief executive of Manchester City Council Joanne Roney addressed DIB members and reflected on the challenges COVID-19 had brought to the local authority and to the wider Greater Manchester area, whilst also looking ahead to the Economic Recovery plan once lockdown is lifted.[/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”20″][vc_raw_js]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[/vc_raw_js][/vc_column][/vc_row]

EP.121 | Pre-Budget Shambles
Jim, Jo and Kevin discuss the shambolic run-up to the Budget, with persistent challenges to the Prime Minister’s leadership still far from over – forming the main agenda items for this week’s Downtown Den podcast.

DOWNTOWN IN BUSINESS WARNS: RISING UNEMPLOYMENT AND SLUGGISH GROWTH SHOWS LABOUR MUST RETHINK ITS EMPLOYMENT LAW AGENDA
Downtown in Business has urged the government to think again on its sweeping employment law reforms, warning that this week’s double whammy of announcements – UK unemployment hitting a four-year high, and growth at a disappointing 0.1% in the last quarter, is a flashing red light the Treasury cannot afford to ignore.

DOWNTOWN IN BUSINESS CRITICISES BANK OF ENGLAND’S “TIMID” APPROACH AS DAMAGING TO UK GROWTH
Downtown in Business has slammed the Bank of England for once again ducking the opportunity to inject desperately needed momentum into the UK economy, after the Monetary Policy Committee chose to hold interest rates at 4% this week—despite mounting evidence of economic fragility.

EP.108 | Trump Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Putin
Donald Trump treated us to the spectacle of the red carpet treatment for Vladimir Putin last week, but how will Zelensky be received by the US President today?