Featured

Votes at 16. Extending citizenship or gesture politics?

Most progressives will consider the extension of the franchise to 16- & 17-year-olds a step forward.  According to Keir Starmer it’s ‘because they are old enough to go out to work, they are old enough to pay taxes’. It’s considered  the most significant change since 18-year-olds were given the vote in 1989. 16-year-olds are already … Continue reading Votes at 16. Extending citizenship or gesture politics?

Featured

Labour’s new immigration polices

Labour’s new policy stance on immigration has inevitably led to allegations of racism by its critics, but also from many of its own supporters.  It’s difficult to refute these claims or deny it's a capitulation to Reform. Though Labour tread carefully on this issue, it’s also the case that post-Brexit, large numbers of the (legal) … Continue reading Labour’s new immigration polices

Featured

Young people and support for Reform.

Although Generation Z (all those born in the late 1990s to 2010) is known for its diverse and evolving political views, generally it’s seen as more liberal compared to older generations. Tending to back progressive causes (particularly action on climate change) it is considered to lean left. It’s dependency on social media (the ‘zoomers’) and … Continue reading Young people and support for Reform.

Featured

Labour’s White Paper – just a damp squib?

This week has seen the publication of a Labour White Paper Getting Britain Working, though as Shadow spokesperson and in the run up to the election, Liz Kendall had already set out her intentions to challenge ‘worklessness’. Though the UK has relatively low rates of unemployment, at least in historical terms, it has lower rates … Continue reading Labour’s White Paper – just a damp squib?

Featured

Gordon Brown won’t save the T-levels.

Within a few days of Labour coming to office, Gordon Brown has intervened in the debate about T-levels. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/16/gordon-brown-calls-on-ministers-not-to-scrap-t-level-vocational-qualification This site has continued to document the issues that surround the Ts (see the categories menu below right). T-levels originate from a 2016 report from Lord Sainsbury and a subsequent White Paper. Since then, they have … Continue reading Gordon Brown won’t save the T-levels.