What localism can do
Last week I promised a lovely lady on Twitter called Sue (@personatia) that I would write a blog on why localism is important, and why it has so much potential. I’m not going to go too deeply into any...
View ArticleWhy we should – must – keep talking about the Big Society
People laugh at David Cameron for his focus on the Big Society. They think he’s deluded to think that we can consciously make our surroundings better by getting involved. But that is what all politics...
View ArticleIs Miliband’s “British Promise” one to watch?
Ed Miliband spoke at the weekend to the Progress conference. It hardly won critical acclaim: a New Statesman blog called it the ‘worst speech he has ever delivered’ and John Rentoul wasn’t impressed by...
View ArticleObama searches for apostrophe in Ireland, ideas in UK
President Obama’s visit to the UK this week was a hugely significant event. Obama is a hugely popular figure in Britain and gained a very warm reception from public and politicians alike. Barack Obama...
View ArticleAre czars the answer?
I am quite a fan of Martin Lewis. I think he helps consumers stand up to big financial institutions, and arms them with clear information about both their rights and their responsibilities. I am not,...
View ArticleRhetoric, communication – and the gulf between the two
You have to feel for the non-Westminster Village public at the moment. In the run-up to the AV referendum, we have seen a great deal of the very worst kind of political campaigning on both sides of the...
View ArticleWhat lessons can be taken from the AV campaigns?
On Friday, Mark Thompson wrote that, “The AV campaign was a disgrace from both sides”. I tweeted that I thought he had drawn some wrong conclusions but that he made sensible points, and promised that...
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