There is a very interesting article ‘Can we have UBS and UBI?’ on what appears to be a new site devoted to Universal Basic Services (UBS). UBI is of course Universal Basic Income. It says: When we think about how to transition to a 21st century future that will deliver a larger life for the… Read more
Category:
Politics
European Elections are on the way – legally at least
Even, it seems, when we are told there is a ‘democratic deficit’! The below is clearly government legislation – and it has to be hoped that this is also government intention: So I have to agree that the: The Tories seem to have encouraged absolutely anything but unmuddled thinking……. Read more
Gardeners’ Question Time – New Left International edition
Amid all the general gloom I found this exchange rather encouraging…… Read more
Regulatory competence
There is a notable ‘Guardian’ article by Will Hutton on the the crashes of the Boeing 737 Max 8 and the pervasive capture of the American state by corporate interests, where he highlights the bonfire of regulations (where have we heard that before?) that has led to reductions of funding of the Federal Aviation Administration to… Read more
Stand not upon the order of your going but go at once…
Perhaps I should not be calling on the aid of Lady Macbeth, but to me it seems singularly and desperately appropriate. Our Prime Minister, who, I see Ian Dunt descibes as “quite simply, the worst British prime minister of our lifetime, and quite possibly of anyone else’s” managed yesterday to write a letter pleading for… Read more
Corbyn’s Engagement
First, it is worth noting that the government is so divided that, at the eleventh hour, it has been forced to call upon the opposition for help. I suggest that indicates that the government and the Conservative Party have collapsed. The UK Prime Minister, who has been so intent on putting party before country, has… Read more
Rent to prosper – or not?
There was an interesting item buried in the ‘Next’ retailer’s annual report (click to read it!) It expresses some optimism on their shop rents. Their leases run on average for only six years (which actually seems short to me) but at a 25% reduction on their current costed basis. That is very good news for… Read more
Klannish…
Somebody had to do it – and perhaps I shouldn’t – but I thought this very amusing!… Read more
If you are not at the table you are on the menu
There is an excellent post on twitter from the The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) – I’d like to suggest a few key lines : Put this into practice for a moment: Trump and the EU are negotiating the successor to TTIP. If the UK leaves with May’s deal on 12 April, then the… Read more
Middle class ‘Bregretters’?
A BBC Newsnight piece (I never watch it – so for those that do, apologies) by the ever excellent Danny Dorling, which is just over 4 minutes and suggests that the drivers of Brexit are in fact the middle class – and, moreover, half of them were from the South of England. This is definitely… Read more