For whom the bell tolls
5 June 2010The beginning of June marks the start of an obligatory period of hushed activity in my family household, writes Annaliese Briggs.
The Blog
Europe’s Golden Age is going Grey
2 June 2010An EU Commission paper on pensions argues that no more than a third of our adult lives should be spent in retirement writes Natalie Hamill. This means that by 2060, according to current trends, we should expect to be retiring at 70.
A future tragedy of our commons?
1 June 2010Yesterday, Libby Purves wrote in the Times of the free-range child as endangered species, writes Zenobe Reade. Purves’ eulogy touched upon the demise of dens, boating, unattended bramble scratches and nettle stings. Yet, as she acknowledges, this has long been the preserve of the wealthy, rather than the rural child.
Another one bites the dust
28 May 2010Just how many punches constitute one punch too many, asks Annaliese Briggs?
Is this the right climate for change?
26 May 2010A new climate change initiative is the cause of the latest rift in EU politics, writes Natalie Hamill. An EU Commission proposal that the target for the reduction of EU-wide carbon emissions should be increased from 20% to 30% (from 1990 levels) has been met with indignation by Germany, France and big business lobby groups,… [Read More]
Academies must reveal all – and now – to prove success
25 May 20102000 more Academies are to be opened, the coalition government has announced. It’s now even more important to ensure that they’re genuinely effective.
Degrees of value
24 May 2010A short article in the Telegraph last week was of a gravity unmatched by its modest coverage. It told of Oxford University’s plans to create a fund to pay the tuition fees of graduates who go on to careers such as teaching and social work. Graduates would apply to have their fees paid by the fund, made up of donations by alumni.
Freedom. Fairness. Responsibility. And the NHS.
20 May 2010Freedom. Fairness. Responsibility. The sounding words of the coalition document, released today. But do these words (most particularly the last one) not, then, require at least a mention in the section on the NHS of the scale of the productivity challenge facing the health service… and perhaps a few ideas of what to do about… [Read More]
Musical chairs
14 May 2010Most of us mere mortals were sound asleep when the slightly sordid ménage a trios of sorts we were presented with on Friday quickly transformed into a happy, blossoming marriage between two men who appear to have been separated at birth.
The real implications of ‘efficiency savings’
13 May 2010The news is in. The new coalition government are sticking to the Tory pledge of increasing spending on the NHS in real terms in each year of the new parliament (even if the use of the word ‘should’ increase, rather than ‘will’ leaves a little room for manoeuvre). But don’t think that this gets the… [Read More]