There is a lot to disagree with in James Bloodworth’s article here – yes, you read that right, in spite of his gripping book, ‘Hired’, I don’t agree with much in this piece at all! But I do think the conclusion is worth highlighting: Patriotism needn’t be flashy or tub-thumping. But it does begin with… Read more
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Peter May
Why don’t UK citizens retire as early as the French?
There seems to be no UK publicity about the general dissatisfaction with the suggestion of Macron’s retirement age increases in France. The video below is only the half of it… But although this is, in many ways, a welcome protest it is not a call for solidarity, but for self interest. Thus the train drivers… Read more
Wealth always trickles up – it’s all in the maths
I bumped into a very interesting article in the ‘Scientific American’ – which I confess is not my usual bed-time reading and whose maths I find sometimes fairly challenging…. But nonetheless, by using ‘agent-based models’ (indeed they could even be called free agents) a team were able to replicate equal exchanges within an economy and… Read more
Midland or Northern Lords…
Well, at last a Tory idea I can agree with… shift the Lords! Of course appointed patronage should not exist as such – but, given that it does, what is not to like about giving them a sojourn in Brum – for example? Whether in Brum or the North it is much more central to… Read more
‘Good work at a good wage, everywhere’
This is the ‘idea’ of Andy Haldane, Chief Economist of the Bank of England, who has contributed an interesting introduction to the RSA paper on solving the productivity puzzle. Although for me, it is worryingly threaded with pseudo scientific language – and in consequence, some over-complex analysis. Although I do agree that: The UK’s “productivity… Read more
Thirty times better to save a whale than plant a tree…
…if we want to capture carbon. A mature tree absorbs up to 48lbs of carbon a year. A whale and its plankton about half a ton. This was certainly a great surprise to me!… Read more
And now 20 ways to try to prevent ‘Justice denied’
The Secret Barrister, he of book fame, has a wonderful tweet which recalls my previous piece on the criminal justice system but is much more detailed. It is unfortunately, even worse than I initially thought. I’ve linked to the thread here so if you are interested – and I think we all ought to be,… Read more
Justice denied
In Johnson’s very soft and undemanding breakfast interview yesterday he said he wanted ‘county lines gangs totally wound up‘. I , (together with the Evening Standard!) have already suggested an educational route that would help. But, if he’s actually serious, in order to achieve that ‘winding up’ he will have to spend some money on… Read more
Britain for Europe lives – even in Europe…
This, from Terry Reintke, the German Green MEP, I found incredibly moving. Here is someone who is aware of who and what Britain is, speaks marvellous English and understands that Brexiters are actually now a minority. I feel the need to thank her very profoundly…. Read more
Back to school for Osborne and others
I don’t know whether George Osborne is consumed with guilt or whether he is as reckless now as he was in power, but there are a couple of remarkably incisive articles in two recent London ‘Evening Standard’s. Both concern schooling. One points out that the rise in school exclusions is linked to the rise and… Read more