Tag Archives: poverty

CSA charges: the ConDems punish women and children, and shield men (again)

The ConDem administration doesn’t just disregard women; it evidently wants to put them firmly back under the control, however odious, of men. How else can we explain the intention as an element of the Welfare Reform Bill that single parents … Continue reading

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Zeroing the deficit zoom, zoom: essentially a grim vanity project?

Is the frenetic rush to reduce the deficit in reality more about the Chancellor’s ego, than about the UK economy? It doesn’t take a great economist to see that when people don’t have a job, other working people are also vulnerable to unemployment.  … Continue reading

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Going for broke(n society)

Others have already proffered more complex analysis of the Osborne Budget that I can.  Few however can be more angry than I about what it will mean for large numbers of our fellow citizens.  You may be equally as appalled as … Continue reading

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Whoever heard of double devolution? ‘Big Society’ sounds better (but isn’t)

You may remember ‘double devolution’; but if you do it’s probably because you are a politically progressive activist.  Double devolution was the name given when Labour was in power by then Communities Secretary Hazel Blears, and her ministerial colleague Andrew … Continue reading

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Inside Job – the film we (and George Osborne) really, really need to study

We went to see the film Inside Job this evening.  A hit at the Cannes Film Festival last year, it was also an Academy nominee for the Best Documentary in 2010. Written and produced by Charles Ferguson, this film demonstrates beyond doubt that the 2008 meltdown … Continue reading

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Dependency on the state? or on private wealth?

It seems everyone is talking about ‘dependency‘ – on the state, on handouts, on services. Being dependent is apparently a Very Bad Thing, where and whenever it occurs – a strange judgement when, conversely, we are also told that the Big Society, a proposition … Continue reading

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Clone man backroom

We read today that David Cameron wants to replace some members of his Downing Street backroom advisory team following the resignation of his director of communications, Andy Coulson. Sadly, it surprises me not at all that every one of those I’ve seen reported as … Continue reading

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Early years centres threatened by ConDem cloth ears

My guess is that few (more likely, none) of the present Cabinet – has had personal, direct responsibility for the totally unaided care of a small child, let alone two or more small children, for 24+ hours, non-stop.  If I’m … Continue reading

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In fear of livelihoods; or only of luncheon? Some inequalities do justify shroud-waving

‘Some of us are in fear of our livelihoods; others only of our luncheon.’ Thus, with beguiling directness, wrote Matthew Parris in his Times article yesterday (1 January 2011:  ‘Don’t kid yourselves. There must be victims’). ‘We are not … … Continue reading

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A ‘new culture’ of giving – but what dignity in receiving?

We learn today (29 December 2010) that cash machines are to be one of the delivery points for the Government’s ‘new culture of giving‘.  Apparently 8% of the UK population currently ‘gives’ 47% of the cash (wouldn’t it be good … Continue reading

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