Wednesday, 20 February 2019

The Tory quitters walked away and made a no-deal Brexit that little bit more likely

Who would have guessed that Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Dr Sarah Wollaston would quit the Tory party? They have sounded off, voted against the government and openly criticised virtually everything the party has done for ages.

Monday, 11 February 2019

The TUC's stance on zero-hours contracts is stuck in the past – a ban is bad for everyone

Frances O’Grady, General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), has written an impassioned piece in today’s Times, outlining why so-called ‘zero-hours contracts’ should be banned. The arguments are not new, with Labour regularly politicising this issue in recent election campaigns.

Wednesday, 6 February 2019

There's a special place in hell for the intolerant, arrogant politics that Donald Tusk represents

I wonder if it has ever occurred to European Council president Donald Tusk, that the brexiteers, who he has today claimed should have a special place in hell, didn’t have to have a plan. A referendum is just a campaign. The EU membership referendum of 2016 was an advisory referendum that asked the public one simple question: did we want to leave or remain in the European Union. That’s it, plain and simple.

Tuesday, 5 February 2019

Social networking sites can't shoulder the responsibility for our kids' mental health

Social media companies have become the latest target of public hand-wringing, even prompting Instagram’s head to agree to meet the health secretary, signalling a greater willingness to engage than the platform’s owner Facebook has ever shown before to talk with politicians. Probably a smart move if your company’s products are to be scapegoated for all the ills of our young people.

Monday, 21 January 2019

Domestic Violence legislation makes a big stride in the right direction

It’s not often you hear a charity welcoming a bit of draft government legislation as a “once in a generation opportunity.” But that’s exactly what Sandra Horley, Chief Executive of the charity Refuge, said on the BBC’s Woman’s Hour this morning, in response to draft legislation that would signify a major overhaul in the treatment of domestic abuse.

Wednesday, 16 January 2019

There's no alternative to Theresa May's deal – we're going to find that out the hard way


Last night, the government experienced the worst defeat since the 1920s, as 432 MPs voted against the EU’s withdrawal agreement. Be in no doubt, this throws the Brexit process in to absolute chaos and makes the bleak prospect of leaving the European Union without a deal a stark and very real one.

Saturday, 8 September 2018

There will be no new centrist alliance in British politics


Recent political chatter about a new, centrist force for so-called moderates grew louder yesterday with the revelation that, at some point, Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable plans to quit once Brexit is resolved – so no time soon then! There is also talk of the Lib Dems reforming to permit the choosing of a leader who does not sit in Westminster, a sure sign of their rather tragic fall and loss of place in British political discourse.

Tuesday, 4 September 2018

Should doctors have to write in plain English? I'm not so sure


Here's an article explaining the recommendation of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges that doctors should write to patients in plain English. It also contains a video demonstrating why – though the level of ignorance by some of those surveyed is rather worrying.