When the London Black Cab Taxi Drivers took Uber to court it was established that not only was the Uber app not the equivalent of being able to ply for random hire in the street as Black Cabs, with their unique set of more onerous regulations, were able to, but also that the app showing… Read more
Category:
Neoliberalism
Poisonous tendencies
Cross-posted on Brave New Europe. Anyone that has tried to balance a seesaw – not touching the ground – knows about equilibrium. We know how to adjust our position to correct any movement away from perfect balance. The seesaw fluctuates and we cannot relax, but if we react correctly it never moves far from the… Read more
Are we entering the first stages of a failed state?
The unbelievable news that the Home Secretary has ignored not one but two court orders regarding the deportation of an Afghan asylum seeker, first stretches credulity and then provokes disgust. If even the Home Secretary doesn’t respect judicial decisions this is the start of an unaccountable state. And this in a country that originated the… Read more
The real debt to future generations
An action dubbed ‘East 4 West – Grenfell Solidarity‘, took place on 27 June. It involved 22 lots of residents in tower blocks mainly across East London hanging out a banner to express their solidarity with the residents of Grenfell Tower. (Twenty two because one for each residential floor in Grenfell Tower). It was not… Read more
Deceit NOT Ignorance
I feel I must draw attention to the blog by Simon Wren Lewis on Monday this week. It is well worth a read throughout. But it also contains this withering indictment of ‘our’ government. It is a devastating comment, particularly for an Oxford academic and a – hardly revolutionary – ex civil servant. “Some may… Read more
Brexit – Reasons for Resentment
Following the suggestions for the reasons to remain a summary of the reasons to leave the EU might also be useful, though I would suggest there are not, in fact, any compelling reasons to leave, and so I prefer reasons for resentment. They seem to comprise three basic ideas: the democratic deficit, too much red… Read more
Fire – how did it come to this?
The devastating fire in North Kensington must have had us all thinking of 9/11. And yet this was a preventable, (in all likelihood) accidental fire in what is supposed to be the fifth richest nation on earth. Personally I feel deeply ashamed that such an appalling inferno, in which at least 17 people perished, can… Read more
Partisanship and the End of Politics (the coming of the neo-feudal state)
Since the US electorate (or more accurately, electoral college) put a reality TV personality and real estate mogul into the White House late last year I’ve become a committed viewer of a number of US news and current affairs programmes. Several of these – such and The Rachel Maddow Show and The Last Word with… Read more
Los Lobos -‘The Wolves’
The Tories have recently come out with two ‘ideas’ that involve financialisation packaged as ‘social benefit.’ These two bits of financial engineering will, no doubt, increase private debt and encourage more bubbling of housing. The first is their intention to build more council housing that is paid for by the future sale of the houses… Read more
The challenge to Europe and its Democracy
We are more aware today of the need for change within the EU than any time during the last ten years. Since 2010 the Euro Group, which is made up of European Finance Ministers, has successfully sidelined the elected European Parliament. In effect the Euro group operates outside of the Treaties and is no longer… Read more