Enterprise bargaining outcomes in the early part of the year also
suggested little
change in the rate of
wage growth; new federal enterprise agreements in the March quarter yielded an average annualised increase of 3.4 per cent, unchanged from the previous quarter.
The Wandsworth factor and demographic
change go in favour of making Tooting a Tory gain for Mark Clarke and the loss of Labour votes to the BNP looks like going to aid Simon Jones» campaign to oust Jon Cruddas in Dagenham and Rainham; «Mr Expenses», Alan Keen, is more vulnerable than the figures
suggest in Feltham and Heston (the current projection shows his wife, Ann, being defeated in neighbouring Brentford and Isleworth); Tory candidate Ed Northover wrote only this week about his efforts to win Leyton and Wanstead from Labour, whilst ConservativeHome has previously noted the energetic campaign being
waged by Chris Philp in the redrawn Hampstead and Kilburn seat where he is now in genuine contention.
The researchers, who reported their findings in a recent issue of Applied Economics, also said that a temperate climate is better for
wage growth, which
suggests that climate
change may have an economic spillover effect.