A few days ago Rebecca Long-Bailey, prospective Labour leader, built on an idea first mooted, I think, by Billy Bragg, and suggested that ‘Progessive Patriotism’ was a good idea… I’m surprised to find myself agreeing. Progressives have to embrace patriotism, even though to many of us, it is a fairly unwelcome concept, being perilously close… Read more
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Peter May
Ensuring children understand their futures
Following on from my article mentioning that resonating quote that “We are too much inclined to treat voters as consumers who are are always right, rather than voters who have a civic duty to inform themselves.” I’m increasingly inclined to suggest that people should have to pass an exam before voting. I’m certainly aware that… Read more
The trouble with the BBC
I encountered this rather good twitter feed on the gradual changes to the News offering from the BBC and their consequences from a certain Niall Fleming, who writes as though he has some inside knowledge. Whether he does or not, his conclusions, I feel are worthy of note. I offer the piece completely unedited as… Read more
Getting it right after exhausting all the alternatives
There is a striking article here by the editor of the ‘Spectator’ – that’s the current one, rather than the former one and current Prime Minister. Entitled “Sajid Javid: it’s time to tear up the old investment rules”, the piece ascertains, as though in a blinding revelation: With government able to borrow at 0.8 per… Read more
Gang culture for toffs? understanding the right wing mind – part three
Sanna Marin, the Finnish Prime minister, who I’ve referred to previously, also has another good quote: I have never thought about my age or gender. I think more about the motivations that brought me into politics. Here is somebody concerned not about her interest group (or ‘gang’), but fired up about why she wants to… Read more
The right to work less
I see the 34 year old Finnish Prime Minister, Sanna Marin, is in favour of a 4 day 24 hour working week. So far so encouraging, and for all those who suggest that it will be fine for some but no good for the ambulance service or doctors, it is worth noting that where these… Read more
‘Unleashing the potential’ of individuals entails continuing education
Yet the ‘Guardian’ reports that 3.8 million fewer people are in adult education compared to the beginning of the decade. This is of course, the inevitable result of austerity, though how spending less on education can ever represent good value for anyone, let alone a currency issuing government is quite beyond me. How much more… Read more
Rail ticket prices went down yesterday
No, not in the UK where they generally went up by 2.7% in spite of British trains’ poor timekeeping, but in Germany, where all long distance fares have gone down by 10%. In this way, more people should travel by train and the climate should be protected. … The reason is the federal government’s new… Read more
Absolute power depends on our outdated voting system
I feel obliged to point out, since I really think we must beware of our new government, that on a vote of only 44% of the actual voters, it has, as a result of our absurd voting system, been delivered power which is likely to be absolute. The old adage of absolute power corrupting is… Read more
Were the Postal Votes really up by 19%?
The ‘Herald Scotland’ has reported concerns over Conservative links to an election count firm involved in postal voting. Yet the irony seems to be that the problem in England and Wales is even worse. As AC Grayling suggests: Mere speculation, but: dodgy postal vote spike, dodgy Tory funding, Kuenssberg breaking electoral rules – what’s the… Read more