By Tom Shakhli Here’s a question: what event of national significance is coming up in the next six weeks? Now, be honest – what came to your mind first, Prince William marrying Kate Middleton, or the referendum to change the Westminster voting system to the Alternative Vote (AV)? Now another question: which one do you… [Read More]
Today I attended a Thames Gateway London Partnership seminar; ‘Financing the Future of the Thames Gateway’. The Seminar provided an interesting insight into how local governments are beginning to grapple with the new economic climate, and more importantly, the new expectations placed upon them by the Coalition’s devolution and localism policies.
Faced with the possible merger of two of the 12 plenary sessions, France has launched a fierce resistance against the European Parliament. Member states should be able to defend their national interests against conflicting demands of EU membership. However, pandering to French demands would override the decision of the elected MEPs and continue to allow… [Read More]
‘Rebalancing the economy’ and ‘promoting growth’ have been flagship phrases for the new Government. On Budget Day its strategy for growth will be announced, but a report by independent think tank Civitas shows that current plans do not go far enough. In Economic Growth – Could the Government do more?, David Green and David Merlin-Jones… [Read More]
Following the recent financial crisis and ensuing recession all three main British political parties have stressed the importance of ‘rebalancing’ the UK economy. One aspect of this is geographical rebalancing; making the British economy less dependent on industries and businesses concentrated in London and the South East. Reinforcing British political concern, recent analysis by the… [Read More]
Government claims that police cuts will be made without endangering the public are dealt another blow this week. A new Civitas report finds that sudden police cuts could potentially trigger a vicious cycle of crime and disorder. In An Analysis of Crime and Crime Policy, Birmingham University economist Siddhartha Bandyopadhyay finds “a strong and negative… [Read More]
It has recently emerged that the EU’s foreign policy arm is to get a PR facelift. Catherine Ashton, the designated architect and builder of the EU’s External Action Service (EEAS), is to use £8.5 million to sharpen its image.
Entrepreneurship is a hot political topic at the moment. David Cameron in a speech to the Conservative Spring Conference stated that he was on the side of ‘go-getters’ who would create growth and jobs in the British economy. Britain could certainly do with an infusion of entrepreneurship according to the Global Entrepreneurship and Development Index… [Read More]
David Cameron made a speech yesterday claiming the only route left for economic growth is via entrepreneurs and ‘go getters’. It’s rather disconcerting to begin with that this is now officially ‘the only strategy’, but the plan will lead nowhere unless the Government is prepared to put its money where its mouth is and create… [Read More]
First the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), then the UK Supreme Court, now the European Court of Justice (ECJ); it seems that no court is free from attack. However, whilst the ECtHR should be criticised for its creeping expansionism, and the Supreme Court should not have been criticised at all, the ECJ’s latest ruling… [Read More]