60-502: The Wolfson Economics Prize is a £250,000 economics prize, the second largest economics prize in the world after Nobel. The Wolfson Prize is sponsored by The Baron Wolfson of Aspley Guise , CEO of retailer Next plc , and run in partnership with the think tank Policy Exchange . The Prize invites new thinking to address major economic policy issues that aren't already subject to significant public discourse. The Prize has been run on four occasions in 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2021. The 2012 Prize
120-471: A "total disregard for family life." In April 2017, the salaries of some of Next's most senior staff were cut, following a 3.8% fall in profits, though Wolfson's salary was raised by 1%. Wolfson is a prominent supporter of the Conservative Party , having donated to David Cameron 's campaign in the 2005 leadership election and co-chaired the party's Economic Competitiveness policy review. He
180-489: A 30-year timescale. The 2014 prize was announced on 3 September 2014 at an awards ceremony in London. The Winner was David Rudlin of URBED , assisted by Nicholas Falk (also URBED) and with input from Jon Rowland (John Rowland Urban Design), Joe Ravetz (Manchester University) and Peter Redman (managing director, policy and research at TradeRisks Ltd). His concept revolved around the expansion and "greening" of existing cities, in
240-420: A Community Trust for the long term. Local people would be offered unique opportunities to invest in the city, including through buying shares. • Wei Yang & Partners in collaboration with Buro Happold Consulting Engineers, led by Pat Willoughby. Wei Yang & Partners is a London-based practice with an international portfolio of master planning, town planning, urban design and architectural projects. Dr Yang
300-407: A contest that offered a £250,000 reward "for an individual to come up with a plan for how the euro could be safely dismantled." The deadline was set on 31 January 2012. Wolfson, at the launch, stated: There is now a real possibility that political or economic pressure may force one or more states to leave the euro. If this process is mismanaged it could threaten European savings , employment and
360-682: A councillor in Essex to focus on seeking election as an MP in Norfolk. During his time as leader of the council he co-hosted The Eric and Brandon Show with local MP Eric Pickles on Phoenix FM , a local radio station in Brentwood. In 2006, Lewis was selected as Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate in the Great Yarmouth constituency; he was elected at the 2010 general election , defeating sitting Labour MP Tony Wright with
420-530: A director of Woodlands Schools Limited, a provider of private primary schools based in Hutton , Essex , until September 2012 when he resigned his position. In May 1998 Lewis was first elected as a representative of the Conservative Party when he became a Borough Councillor for Hutton South on Brentwood Borough Council . He stood unsuccessfully as the Conservative Party candidate for election in
480-448: A living wage. In 2014, for a second successive year, Wolfson waived his bonus and distributed it among staff, sharing some £3.8m. In May that year, Retail Week reported that Next staff would be up to £1000 a year worse off, after the company decided not to pay a premium for staff working on a Sunday. Those refusing a change of employment terms were allegedly told they risked being made redundant. The GMB union accused Wolfson of having
540-536: A loss in support, during the July 2022 government crisis . Lewis resigned on 7 July, after turning down offers of promotion from Johnson, saying the Government was no longer upholding "honesty, integrity and mutual respect". Lewis ran Nadhim Zahawi 's campaign in the July 2022 Conservative Party leadership election . After Zahawi was eliminated from the contest, Lewis endorsed Liz Truss 's leadership bid. Lewis
600-608: A majority of just over 4000 – a swing to the Conservatives of 8.7% in the seat which was number 66 on their list of target seats. Lewis had stood for Parliament on a "clean expenses pledge", pledging to be "completely open about my expenses". Lewis served on the Work and Pensions Select Committee and the Regulatory Reform Select Committee from his election until 2012. He has been a member of
660-589: A new garden city on the Hoo Peninsula (Medway, Kent) commencing with a settlement of up to 48,000 people (about the size of Welwyn Garden City) at Stoke Harbour as part of a larger cluster of settlements eventually totaling 150,000 people.) The entry proposes a model designed to attract massive private investment into the provision of high quality homes, jobs, services and infrastructure. The delivery model prioritises speed and volume over profit margins, aims to acquire land at low cost and transfer valuable assets to
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#1732776144510720-668: A number of all-party parliamentary groups , including time as the chair of the Local Growth group and co-chair of a group discussing coastal erosion . A report by the Local Growth group in September 2012, when it was chaired by Lewis, criticised the Government for an "uncoordinated" approach to its Local Enterprise Partnership policy which, according to Lewis, left "gaps and weaknesses". In 2010–2011 Lewis claimed just over £15,000 in accommodation expenses and in 2011–12 and 2012–13 he claimed just under £21,500 for accommodation. In
780-592: A political campaign consultancy. In August 2015, it was reported that Lewis claimed £31,000 of hotel expenses over a two-year period following stays at the Park Plaza hotel near Parliament. Lewis stated that he opted to stay in London rather than travel home to Essex and all the claims complied with parliamentary rules. He supported the United Kingdom remaining a member of the European Union in
840-411: A rebalancing of the economy away from reliance on net exports would be in the interests of the whole of the current membership of the eurozone, as well as countries outside it". The short list of finalists was: On 5 July 2012, Policy Exchange announced that the winning entry was submitted by the team led by Roger Bootle from macroeconomics research consultancy firm Capital Economics , titled Leaving
900-472: A success of leaving the monetary union". Simon Wolfson, Baron Wolfson of Aspley Guise Simon Adam Wolfson, Baron Wolfson of Aspley Guise (born 27 October 1967), is a British businessman and currently chief executive of the clothing retailer Next plc , as well as a Conservative life peer . He is the son of the former Next chairman, The Baron Wolfson of Sunningdale , who was also a Conservative life peer. Wolfson's great-grandfather, Solomon Wolfson,
960-665: A tax on recruiting foreign workers as trade off to allow greater numbers of foreign workers into Britain. In December 2016, Wolfson was appointed to the Chair of the Open Europe think-tank. Wolfson is the founder of the £250,000 Wolfson Economics Prize . Wolfson married Eleanor Shawcross , daughter of William Shawcross , in 2012. They had a son in 2013. He owns houses in London and Aspley Guise . Brandon Lewis Sir Brandon Kenneth Lewis CBE (born 20 June 1971)
1020-461: A way which did not disturb their existing centres or green spaces. The UK Government responded quickly. Housing Minister, Brandon Lewis , stated "we are committed to protecting the green belt from development as an important protection against urban sprawl – today’s proposal from Lord Wolfson’s competition is not government policy and will not be taken up". On 18 October 2011, British businessman and Conservative life peer Simon Wolfson launched
1080-482: Is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor from September to October 2022. He previously served as Chairman of the Conservative Party from 2018 to 2019 and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from 2020 to 2022. A member of the Conservative Party , he was Member of Parliament (MP) for Great Yarmouth from 2010 to 2024. Born in Harold Wood , Lewis attended
1140-565: Is a development professional with over 30 years' experience and has entered in a personal capacity with the support of Golding Homes. His entry argues that a garden city should accommodate between 30,000 and 40,000 people (about the size of Letchworth) and that its delivery should be led by Garden City Development Corporations. • David Rudlin of URBED , with Nicholas Falk (also URBED) and input from Jon Rowland (John Rowland Urban Design), Joe Ravetz (Manchester University) and Peter Redman (managing director, policy and research at TradeRisks Ltd). URBED
1200-539: Is a member of the Carlton Club . In 2023, Lewis told GB News that since turning 50 he had lost nearly five stone, which he credited to beating a chocolate addiction . On 29 September 2016, Lewis was sworn in to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom , giving him the honorific title " The Right Honourable " for life. In the 2019 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours , he was appointed Commander of
1260-566: Is also advising the Chinese Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on its urbanization programme. Their entry argues that an 'arc' beyond the London Green Belt (stretching from Portsmouth to Oxford to Cambridge to Felixstowe) is the best location for the development of new garden cities; and that the Government should publish a New Garden Cities Strategy identifying broad 'areas of search' for suitable locations, with
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#17327761445101320-454: Is an urban design and research practice. David's entry argues for the near-doubling of an existing large town in line with garden city principles, to provide new housing for 150,000 people (about the size of Oxford or Canterbury). The entry offers a proof of this 'urban extension' concept based on a fictional town called Uxcester. • Shelter, the leading housing and homelessness charity, led by their Head of Policy Toby Lloyd. This entry proposes
1380-410: Is chief executive of clothing retailer Next . He is the son of former Next chairman David Wolfson, Baron Wolfson of Sunningdale , also a Conservative life peer . The organisers determined that submissions should focus on: The panel of judges who would decide on the award was as follows: Some of the world's top economists were among the participants with a total of 425 entries. Among the entrants
1440-473: Is fair to road users and good for the economy and the environment?” The organisers determined that submissions should focus on: The panel of judges who decided the award is as follows: Gergely Raccuja of Highways England won the prize with the input of the RAC Foundation On 14 November 2013, Simon Wolfson announced that he intended to offer a new £250,000 Prize to the entrant who best answers
1500-620: Is the UK's largest independent planning led town-planning and design consultancy. Barton Willmore's entry sets out a ten-point plan for the delivery of a new garden city, arguing for the development of a cross-party consensus and the production of a National Spatial Plan to identify suitable locations for new garden cities. Garden City Mayors, heading up Garden City Commissions, would be appointed to champion garden cities and find specific locations for development. • Chris Blundell FRICS FCIH , Director of Development & Regeneration at Golding Homes. Chris
1560-562: The 2016 EU membership referendum . In July 2016, Lewis was promoted to be the minister of state for the Home Office with a portfolio including Police and Fire services, as well as Europol and Interpol . Following the Grenfell disaster , Lewis was criticised for having rejected calls to increase fire safety regulations in his former role as housing minister . He had argued that legislating to mandate sprinklers in high rise buildings
1620-685: The 2024 general election . Lewis was born on 20 June 1971 in Harold Wood in London. He was educated at Forest School in Walthamstow . He received a BSc degree in Economics from the University of Buckingham , an LLB honours degree in Law from the same institution, and an LLM in commercial law from King's College London . He was called to the bar by the Inner Temple . He was
1680-574: The County of Bedfordshire , and was introduced in the House of Lords on 6 July 2010. Wolfson was reported as being a supporter of Brexit in 2016. Following the success of the Leave campaign , Wolfson said Britain's success depended on international trade negotiations. In January 2017 Wolfson said the Government should declare its negotiating objectives and not rush things. In 2022, Wolfson suggested
1740-625: The House of Commons he previously sat on the Work and Pensions Committee and the Regulatory Reform Committee. Lewis has run a variety of campaigns as Member of Parliament for Great Yarmouth. Campaigns have included opposing the removal of free bus passes for school children in Belton & Burgh Castle, cutting fuel duty, protecting Norfolk bus services, and improving Great Yarmouth railway station . In September 2012 Lewis
1800-527: The Memorial University of Newfoundland , Canada, proposed a return to the gold standard . In his Daily Telegraph column, business journalist Jeremy Warner suggested that "there is no need for an award", since he has a "very simple plan": In any country that decided to leave the Eurozone, each euro would be swapped for one "new euro" plus units in the country's new currency in proportion to
1860-549: The Sherwood constituency in the 2001 general election ; he lost to Paddy Tipping , the Labour Party candidate, with 34% of the vote. He was re-elected to Brentwood Borough Council 2002 and 2006 with an increased vote share. He later became Conservative Group leader in 2002 and leader of the council in 2004, after his party took control of the local authority. He remained in this position until 2009, when he resigned as
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1920-432: The 2014 Prize was Monday 3 March 2014. Entrants were asked to submit an essay on the topic of up to 10,000 words (plus a 1,000 word non-technical summary). The panel of judges who would decide on the award is as follows: On 14 April, Simon Wolfson announced that there had been 279 entries to the 2014 competition. The finalists were announced on 4 June 2014 and were: • Barton Willmore , led by James Gross. Barton Willmore
1980-710: The Euro: A Practical Guide . The proposal recommended that member-states who want to exit should introduce a new currency and default on a large part of their debts. The net effect, the proposal claimed, would be "positive for growth and prosperity". It called for keeping the euro for small transactions and for a short period of time after the exit from the Eurozone , along with a strict regime of inflation-targeting and tough fiscal rules monitored by "independent experts". The Roger Bootle/Capital Economics plan also suggested that "key officials" should meet "in secret" one month before
2040-492: The Fire Service from 2016 to 2017 and Minister of State for Immigration from 2017 to 2018. He was appointed to May’s Cabinet as Chairman of the Conservative Party and Minister without Portfolio in the 2018 cabinet reshuffle . After May resigned in 2019, Lewis was appointed Minister of State for Security and Deputy for EU Exit and No Deal Preparation by Prime Minister Boris Johnson . In the 2020 cabinet reshuffle , he
2100-704: The Government's support for the Northern Ireland Protocol . Lewis also responded to the COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland . In September 2020, Lewis provoked controversy when he conceded that a bill designed to amend the United Kingdom's withdrawal agreement with the European Union would "break international law" in a "specific and limited way". On 6 July 2022, Lewis told Johnson he needed to step down from office due to
2160-538: The country's share of eurozone GDP. For instance, if Greece were to leave, the euro would be split 97.5 percent "new euro" and 2.5 percent "new drachmas". Capital Economics, in their entry, stated that a country contemplating leaving the euro would have to "keep its plans secret until the last minute," introduce capital controls , start "printing" a new currency only after formal exit, seek a large depreciation , default on its debts, recapitalise busted banks and seek close co-operation with remaining eurozone members. "Such
2220-442: The exit is publicly announced, and that Eurozone partners and international organisations should be informed "three days before". Roger Bootle said, after the announcement, "if executed correctly, the pain of exit would relatively soon be replaced by a return to growth," something that would encourage other distressed states still in the currency zone to exit as well, adding "The biggest danger of contagion will be if Greece makes
2280-563: The first businesspeople to predict the 2007–2008 financial crisis . In 2021, his pay package at Next was £3.4 million. In 2013, Wolfson waived his £2.4 million bonus and gave it to the staff of Next who had been with the company since 2010. Wolfson earned £4.6m in 2013, at a time when the average pay of Next employees was £10,000. This led the GMB trade union, supported by musician Paul Heaton , to tour Next shops presenting anti-social behaviour awards to managers for their failure to provide
2340-750: The independent Forest School . He studied economics at the University of Buckingham , switching to King's College London for his master's degree. He then began a career as a barrister. He was a councillor on Brentwood Borough Council from 1998 to 2009 and served as leader of the council from 2004 to 2009. He was elected as the MP for Great Yarmouth at the 2010 general election . Lewis served under Prime Minister David Cameron as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government from 2012 to 2014 and Minister of State for Housing and Planning from 2014 to 2016. Lewis served under Cameron’s successor, Theresa May , as Minister of State for Policing and
2400-522: The new National Planning Policy Framework , the primary framework for town planning in the country, which some argued made it substantially easier for developers to build on greenfield land. As the local MP, Lewis declined initially to support local campaigners who were fighting against the Conservative run county council's controversial plans for the proposed King's Lynn incinerator. By 2012 he had joined all fellow local MPs in expressing concern with
2460-451: The pair was done in error. It wasn't good enough and will not be repeated." In 2019, Lewis voted for May's Brexit withdrawal agreement . In July 2019, Lewis was appointed Minister of State for Security and Deputy for EU Exit and No Deal Preparation by new Prime Minister Boris Johnson . In February 2020 he moved to be the secretary of state for Northern Ireland as part of a cabinet reshuffle under Johnson. He robustly defended
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2520-586: The potential impact on the international banking system. The contest was organised by Policy Exchange , the London-based British think tank . Policy Exchange has been described as "the largest, but also the most influential think tank on the Right ". Policy Exchange describes itself as "an independent, non-partisan educational charity seeking free market and localist solutions to public policy questions." Simon Wolfson, Baron Wolfson of Aspley Guise ,
2580-458: The previous day. Lewis was the only one to comply with the instruction. Subsequent reports indicated that Smith had given similar instructions to five MPs, but that Lewis had been the only one willing to break what one commentator described later as "a centuries old 'code of honour'". Before it became known that the affair had involved approaches by Smith to more than one MP, the prime minister Theresa May backed Lewis by stating that "The breaking of
2640-526: The proposal and, after a change in leadership of the county council, the plans for the incinerator were dropped in 2014. Lewis previously sat on the House of Commons Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission. In 2013 Lewis was critical of local councils, including many Conservative run councils, planning council tax rises in 2013 against the wishes of the Government, saying that there
2700-499: The question "How would you deliver a new Garden City which is visionary, economically viable, and popular?" He had previously expressed an interest in this topic in an article in The Times on 4 December 2012, and garden cities had in 2012 been cited as credible responses to the UK's housing shortage by both David Cameron and Nick Clegg , the UK's Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister respectively. The deadline for submissions to
2760-453: The stability of the international banking system . This prize aims to ensure that high quality economic thought is given to how the euro might be restructured into more stable currencies. Consideration will need to be given to what a post-euro eurozone would look like, how transition could be achieved and how the interests of employment, savers, and debtors would be balanced. Importantly, careful consideration must also be given to managing
2820-612: The strike and Crown Court cases began to be heard as normal from 11 October. On 25 October 2022, Lewis resigned from the front bench upon the ascension of Rishi Sunak to the Prime Ministership and returned to the backbenches. He was succeeded as Justice Secretary by Dominic Raab . Lewis was criticized in a September 2023 Eastern Daily Express article for charging nearly £10,000 in expenses for social media content produced by external production companies Westminster Digital and Millbank Creative. In October 2023, Lewis
2880-519: Was "How can we pay for better, safer, more reliable roads in a way that is fair to road users and good for the economy and the environment?” It was won by Gergely Raccuja, a graduate transport planner at Amey . For the 2021 edition, the Prize question is "How would you design and plan new hospitals to radically improve patient experiences, clinical outcomes, staff wellbeing and integration with wider health and social care?" The 2021 Wolfson Economics Prize
2940-573: Was "still massive scope" for councils to cut "waste and inefficiency". He has also criticised the Local Government Association for producing proposals to give local councils more freedom over their levels of council tax in the future. Labour MPs called upon IPSA to investigate whether Lewis was using taxpayer funds for inappropriate political purposes after it was revealed that he had claimed £37,000 for "research briefing and other parliamentary associated assistance" to
3000-551: Was 11-year-old Jurre Hermans from the Netherlands who, notably, likened Greek debt to a pizza . Hermans' plan suggested that Greeks should be incentivised to return euros for debt repayment and, if they did not, should be fined at least the equivalent of what they held back. Returned euros would form, according to Hermans, what he described as "a giant pizza of money, slices of which would be handed back to creditors". Antal E. Fekete , Professor of Mathematics and Statistics at
3060-646: Was a Jewish cabinet-maker who settled in Glasgow and had nine children, one of whom was Sir Isaac Wolfson , Simon's great uncle, who made his fortune through Great Universal Stores . Wolfson's father, Lord Wolfson of Sunningdale , was a former chairman of Next and Great Universal Stores, as well as being a Conservative life peer. Wolfson is the eldest of three siblings. He attended Radley College , near Abingdon , followed by studying law at Trinity College, Cambridge . Wolfson joined Next as sales assistant in its Kensington branch in 1991. The following year, he
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#17327761445103120-498: Was a contest for proposals on how the Eurozone could be safely dismantled. The contest ended on 5 July 2012, when the Capital Economics team, led by Roger Bootle , won the prize. The 2014 Prize asked the question "How would you deliver a new Garden City which is visionary, economically viable, and popular?” It was won by David Rudlin of urban design consultancy, URBED. The question for the 2017 Wolfson Economics Prize
3180-664: Was appointed Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice on 6 September 2022 after Liz Truss became the prime minister. On 29 September, Lewis negotiated a deal with the Criminal Bar Association to end the 2022 British barristers' industrial action . The deal included a 15% increase in legal aid fees to cases in the Crown Court , £3,000,000 of funding for case preparation and £4,000,000 for prerecorded cross-examinations of vulnerable victims and witnesses. On 10 October, 57% of barristers voted to end
3240-558: Was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government , working under Eric Pickles . In July 2014, Lewis was promoted to Minister of State for Housing and Planning , when the prime minister brought the portfolios of Housing and Planning together for the first time under his premiership. He said that there had been a "dramatic swing" in public opinion – with almost half of people now in favour of new housing in their area. This related to
3300-531: Was appointed to a part-time role as leader of the Chair's Advisory Council of the international investment firm LetterOne . In March 2024, Lewis announced he would not seek re-election at the 2024 general election . Lewis took five new part-time jobs paying £410,000 a year while still an MP. Lewis married Justine Rappolt in 1999; the couple have two children. He completed the London Marathon in 2005 and 2008 and lists triathlon as an interest. He
3360-399: Was launched on 25 February 2021, and looks at hospital planning and design. Six judges will review entries to determine the finalists and the eventual winner of the £250,000 Prize. These are as follows: The 2017 Wolfson Economics Prize was launched on 13 October 2016 and looked at the future of roads. The full question was "How can we pay for better, safer, more reliable roads in a way that
3420-550: Was named by The Daily Telegraph as the 37th-most important British conservative in 2007. He was one of 35 signatories to an open letter calling on the Chancellor of the Exchequer , George Osborne , to press ahead with the coalition government's plans to reduce the public finance deficit in one term in the face of opposition. On 18 June 2010, Wolfson was created The Baron Wolfson of Aspley Guise , of Aspley Guise in
3480-414: Was promoted by Johnson to Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. He resigned from this post during the July 2022 government crisis . Following the appointment of Liz Truss as Prime Minister, Lewis was appointed as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice . He returned to the backbenches the following month after being dismissed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and stood down from parliament at
3540-457: Was taken on as assistant to Next's chief executive, David Jones. Wolfson was elevated within the company rapidly, being appointed to the board of directors in 1997, culminating in his appointment as chief executive in August 2001 but leading at least one city analyst to make allegations of nepotism. At the age of 33, this made him the youngest chief executive of a FTSE 100 company. He was one of
3600-530: Was the wrong approach as water-based sprinklers were inappropriate for electrical fires. In a January 2018 cabinet reshuffle , Lewis was promoted to Chairman of the Conservative Party , succeeding Patrick McLoughlin . Lewis was also appointed Minister without Portfolio . On 19 July, Government Chief Whip Julian Smith was reported to be resisting calls to resign his position, following allegations that he had instructed five Conservative Party MPs to break "pairing" agreements in an important parliamentary vote
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