Bradford's housing landscape is a legacy of its industrial past. This report focuses on the effects of changes in tenure patterns – especially the trend towards housing benefit tenants residing in the private rental sector – and highlights the significance of non-decent and empty homes in shaping the local housing market.

In this interim report, the Northern Economic Futures Commission (NEFC) makes the case for a much clearer focus on the North in economic policymaking. It argues that the longstanding structural challenges facing the North of England are entrenched by systemic factors that inhibit its long-term growth potential, and contends that it is not in the long-term interests of the UK as a whole for this lack of focus to persist.

The Northern Economic Futures Commission, convened and supported by IPPR North, calls for five points of action and investment to maximise the economic potential of rail in the north of England, especially on the back of already agreed HS2 developments between London and Birmingham.

To coincide with the release of the latest IPPR report on international student and net migration we spoke to IPPR's Alex Glennie about the government's commitment to cutting net migration from the 100,000s to the 10,000s and she suggests that the government should count students as temporary migrants, which would reduce overall migration numbers and would allow more students to study here and in turn to bring more economic benefits to the UK.

Featuring on BBC London News, IPPR senior researcher Andy Hull calls for the mayor of London to be given more powers over housing benefits within the capital. He explains that the mayor of London understands the unique pressure of the housing market in London more than anyone in Whitehall. With housing and rental prices through the roof we need benefits to reflect this.

Rebecca Asher, author of Shattered: Modern Motherhood and the Illusion of Equality, describes the challenges facing mothers today and puts forward her solutions on how these inequalities may be overcome.

Following the release of the latest IPPR report called 'The true cost of energy: How competition and efficiency in the energy supply market impact on consumers’ bills' we spoke to IPPR's Reg Platt who argued that the regulator Ofgem needs to set tougher regulations on the energy market to improve competition and ensure pricing is fairer for consumers.

The central issue of the 2012 presidential race for The White House between Obama and Romney will be the direction of the economy says John Podesta, Bill Clinton’s former chief of staff. He believes that Obama 'has a structural lead but Romney is a plausible candidate'.