What should be in Labour’s welfare state review?
Labour is currently conducting a policy review of its employment, welfare and pensions policies.
There isn’t actually any official mechanism by which members, supporters or the general public can contribute to this process, but they’ve got a “wide range of experts and politicians” advising them, so I’m guessing Liberal Conspiracy’s invite to be part of the review is probably on its way. continue reading… »
Why the coalition’s take on localism is unsustainable
Contribution by Rick Muir
This government wears localism as a badge of pride: it says that the days of ministers dictating local service targets from Whitehall are over, and that it wants to move to a world where more power is exercised at the local level.
But the form of localism being pushed by the coalition is full of tensions and inconsistencies. For a start, while some powers are being pushed down, others are being sucked back up into government departments. In health, the Government has abolished Strategic Health Authorities – but much of what they were previously doing is now being done directly by the Department of Health. In education, the expansion of academy schools means that more and more local schools are being funded directly by Michael Gove rather than by local authorities.
continue reading… »
Huck-a-world: How Mike Huckabee remade his image, not his views
Guest post by Michael C. Tracey.
In 2008, the Republican Party came precariously close to nominating Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and Baptist minister, as its presidential nominee. After conservative evangelicals propelled the friendly preacher to victory in the Iowa caucus, opinion polls showed him leading the pack nationwide. continue reading… »
Libya: a moment of hope
After what feels like an age of indecision, yet is in fact less than a month, the UN resolution on Libya feels like a moment of hope. That hope is qualified, uncertain and unsure, of course, but real. continue reading… »
Weekend open thread
We haven’t done one of these for a while, so here’s an open discussion thread to keep you amused over the weekend.
Last time we did an open thread, we got lots of good suggestions which complemented our regular team of excellent writers. So whether you are a regular comment-leaver or a lurker, please do leave a comment and let us know:
Are there any topics that you’d like us to cover or write more about?
Are there any bloggers that you think we should ask to do guest posts?
Would you like to write an article for us?
Blow for Cameron: Tories lose Tunbridge Wells
It’s only one local election result, but very, very amusing. Yesterday saw a by-election in Tunbridge Wells, in a ward which the Tories have won for the past five years with more than 50% of the vote.
The three candidates were Tory, Lib Dem and UKIP (shame on Labour and the Greens for not standing, but Tunbridge Wells is not exactly a hot bed of socialism). The Lib Dems polled 43%, slightly up on their performance last year. But the Tory vote slumped from 59% to 34%, with UKIP polling 22.4%.
It’s a sign of discontent in the truest blue Tory heartlands when their Party can only poll a third of the vote in the home of “disgusted of Tunbridge Wells”, and another sign of the rise of UKIP and Lib Dem resilience in Southern England. Hopefully UKIP will be embolded by this to contest many more elections and give True Conservatives a way of splitting the right wing vote expressing their principles.
AV: What could it mean for women?
Contribution by Hayley Chamberlain
What has surprised me more than anything over the course of the campaign (yes, even more than NO2AV’s outlandish adverts) is the lack of discussion about how the alternative vote will affect under-represented groups in society. It is true that on its own, AV is not going to put more women into Parliament overnight, but there isn’t a system in the world that would. Much work will still need to be done to make Parliament a more welcoming place for women and men of all backgrounds and this cannot be achieved without the will of the parties.
However, recent experience in America shows that upgrading our system to AV can have a profound effect on the nature of election campaigns, helping to make politics more accessible to women and men from more diverse backgrounds. Oakland in California held its first mayoral election using AV (known there as Instant Runoff Voting) last November and the difference it made was striking. The favoured, establishment candidate Don Perata was beaten by Jean Quan, who became the first Asian American female mayor. If the election had been run using first past the post, Perata would have won comfortably even though most people in the city didn’t actually want him.
continue reading… »
A week excuse
Contribution by Danny Chivers
You really couldn’t make it up. March 21st – 27th has been designated as a “Week of Action” on climate change in the UK. The eco-warriors behind this rebellious project? Why, it’s those well-known champions of environmental justice: Tesco, EDF Energy, and the Royal Bank of Scotland. I honestly don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Tesco, whose entire business model is based on the mass transportation of goods halfway across the globe, and on driving a race-to-the-bottom in environmental and labour standards in farming worldwide. EDF, who operate two of the five biggest coal fired power stations in the UK. And RBS – RBS! – who are the UK’s leading investor in fossil fuel projects.
continue reading… »
Sensible, not soft: the right approach to sentencing
Contribution by Gemma Lousley
The first definitive guideline from the Sentencing Council, published on Wednesday and covering assault offences, is well-thought-out, clearly set out, and overall very sensible. However, it’s pretty quickly gained a reputation amongst the rightwing press as being ‘soft on crime’, and allowing violent offenders to get fines or community sentences instead of prison.
The guideline doesn’t propose that sentencers shouldn’t send serious violent offenders to prison: substantial custodial sentences are set out as the appropriate response for offences such as causing grievous bodily harm with intent. What it does propose is a proportionate approach, so that sentences accurately reflect the harm caused to victims, and culpability. As such, it says that for less serious offences where very minor or no injuries are caused, community sentences should be used.
continue reading… »
Govt plans council tax rises for poorest
It’s popcorn time for fans of joined up government as Eric Pickles and Iain Duncan Smith’s departments go to war over council tax benefit. Duncan Smith is attempting to simplify the benefits system, while Pickles is planning to let every local council set its own rules on who gets council tax benefit, thus making the system more complicated and increasing the risk that people are better off on benefits than working. As usual, if Pickles wins, the losers are likely to be people on low incomes. continue reading… »
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» Revealed: govt to restrict abortion counselling despite Nadine Dorries vote
» Would raising the tax threshold actually help the poorest?
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» Violence in the office
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» The world is entering the third phase of the crisis, warns ILO
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