Paul Johnson
Provost, The Queen's College Oxford, Former Director, Institute for Fiscal StudiesPaul is a regular speaker at The MJ’s Future Forums and one of the leading experts on the UK’s public finances.
He has been Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies since January 2011 and is also currently visiting professor in the Department of Economics at University College London. He was awarded a CBE for services to the social sciences and economics in 2018.
His career has included spells at HM Treasury and the Department for Education and between 2004 and 2007 he was deputy head of the Government Economic Service.
My Speaker Sessions
Thursday 10 September 2026
The outlook for the public finances
The public finance outlook will shape the operating environment for local government for years to come. In this timely session, leading economist and Forum regular Paul Johnson will provide an expert assessment of the UK's fiscal position, the pressures facing public spending and the implications for councils. Gain valuable insights into the economic context, likely policy choices of our new Chancellor, and what they could mean for local government funding, service delivery and long-term financial sustainability.
