How much can our economy learn from Germany?
Last week myself and Maurice Glasman had an 800 word op-ed in the FT.
The first half focussed on the failures of the British economy over the past twenty years – how financial dominance has led to a narrow tax base, little real investment, low productivity (once one removes excessive risk taking) and a lack of real, private sector growth & jobs in the regions.
The second half looked at some lessons that might be learned from Germany– in terms of banking reform, vocational training and corporate governance.
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Rubber bullets have killed nine youths in past
These nine UK teenagers (or younger) have been killed by rubber bullets. Let’s not deploy them in London
Brian Stewart 13, of Turf Lodge, Belfast, died in hospital six days after he was struck by a British army plastic bullet yards from his home. His inquest heard that the soldier did not know the rules governing use of baton rounds.
2. Stephen McConomy 11, Derry city, died three days after being hit by a plastic bullet in April 1982. Witnesses said Stephen was standing with his hands in his pockets when he was struck from a distance of 17 feet.
3. Frank Rowntree 11, of west Belfast, died four days after being struck by an allegedly doctored rubber bullet in April 1972 fired by a member of the British army. His inquest heard a British army representative admit he did not know at what distance it was permissible to fire a rubber bullet gun or at which part of the body it should be aimed.
4. Tobias Molloy 18-year-old Strabane Republican, killed by a rubber bullet fired by a soldier at the Camels Hump border crossing in July 1972. Rubber bullets were fired at youths attending his funeral.
5. Stephen Geddis 10, of west Belfast, died in August 1975, two days after being struck on the head by a rubber bullet.
6. Paul Whitters 15, Derry city, died in April 1981, 10 days after being struck on the head by a plastic bullet fired by the RUC.
7. Julie Livingstone 14, of Lenadoon estate, west Belfast, struck by a plastic bullet as she returned from a shop near her home in may 1981 and died the next day. Witnesses said rioting in the area began AFTER she was shot.
8. Carol Ann Kelly 12, of Twinbrook, west Belfast, was struck by a plastic bullet near her home in May 1981 and died two days later. She, too, was returning from a store and was carrying a carton of milk when she was shot.
9. Seamus Duffy 15, of Oldpark, north Belfast, was struck in the rib cage as he ran from RUC vehicles in the New Lodge area in August 1989. He died shortly afterwards.
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Research from ‘Relatives for Justice’
Trouble in Peckham, last night
The rioters were little more than children, carrying suitcases for stolen goods. A pharmacy smashed in with packets of prescription drugs taken. Families leaning over balconies looking down in fear.
A short loans shop smashed in. A local dress-maker raided. Fireworks – raided from a newsagents – shot at police.
What struck me first was how young the Peckham rioters were. Was this the most exciting thing that happened since school broke up?
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Only poor people go looting, and other claims
For some on the left, the response to the London riots is straightforward: these people are ‘the dispossessed’ and crying out for attention. They have been ignored by society and they don’t feel part of their local communities, so they lash out.
The right-wing response is straightforward too: shoot on sight. Oh, and that multi-culturalism is to blame. Let’s ignore that idiocy for now. I think lefties are also missing something.
Yes, you could say they are ‘dispossessed’ and deeper structural problems make such situations all the more likely.
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The #LondonRiots and perception of young black men go hand in hand
contribution by Bieneosa Ebite
It is important that I start this post by stating that there is no justification for the destruction of homes, livelihoods and the looting of shops. It is clear that a lawless minority have used the police shooting of Mark Duggan in Tottenham last week, which is being investigated by the Independent Police Complaint Commission, as a catalyst for the aforementioned criminal spree.
I feel more empowered to discuss the turmoil that has engulfed communities across London over the past few days, namely the violence and looting perpetrated in the main by young men, many of whom are black.
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How a NY Times reporter managed to drive the phone-hacking story too
In March 2010, the New York Times reporter Don Van Natta Jr called Scotland Yard to speak to its director of public affairs, Dick Fedorcio, and assistant commissioner John Yates, about phone-hacking.
He said he wanted to talk about how the case was concluded and maybe even write about their successful investigation. Absolutely not, they replied – not unless you provide fresh evidence of criminal wrong-doing in the case, they added.
He was stunned. “I’ve been a reporter now almost 25 years, and I’ve never had a police agency tell me that the ticket to getting an interview about a closed investigation, that they have proclaimed is successful, is if I come up with fresh evidence of criminal wrong-doing.”
And so began the article that ruptured belief at the Met that the phone-hacking case was safely under wraps from further investigation.
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What kind of media reform do we want to see in the UK?
contribution by Anthony Barnett, Sunny Hundal, Mark Pack and Will Straw
July 2011 will be remembered as one of those rare moments where the nation came together in shared outrage and disgust. The hacking of Milly Dowler shocked the country and led to a series of unprecedented events which would have seemed inconceivable just weeks before.
The various enquiries by Lord Justice Leveson, the Metropolitan police, and the Commons’ culture select committee will take months and possibly years to conclude.
But it will then be the business of Parliament to determine how the rules and laws governing the media in our country should change.
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Why the UK has to get used to lower economic growth
In the economic debate between left and right, there seems to be a shared presumption which I find questionable.
The presumption is that if only we can get the right policies – the right fiscal policy (whatever it is), banking reform, tax and regulatory policy, whatever – then the economy will grow as normal.
I doubt this, on several grounds:
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Tottenham Riots: what does ‘the community’ think?
contribution by Bansi Kara
This morning, there is still the faint stench of smoke from burnt out buildings not a five minute walk away from my house. On my first venture outdoors, to see the damage the rioters caused last night, in the worst disorder I have ever seen in my lifetime, I see a man with a hosepipe, putting out a smouldering wheelie bin.
He works for the local council, a street cleaner. People wander towards the High Road, hovering around the police cordon that blocks the entrance to the scene of the destruction from Bruce Grove, my quiet, mostly residential street. No trains are running from Bruce Grove station; the usual rumble of the trains has been replaced by the constant thrum of helicopters overhead.
No one really knows what to do.
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Tottenham riot: burning of Carpet Right in pics
The Carpet Right / Allied Carpet building was the biggest building to burn down last night in Tottenham. It also had thirty flats above the building, which have now been burnt down too.
Here is how the building looked during the day (from here)
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Fire engulfs the building (from here)
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Still burning at around 3am last night (from here)
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How it looked this morning (via email)
Update: Video too now (hat-tip comments)
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