09/12/09

MPs’ have thrown their support behind a new Demos publication, Service Nation, proposing the introduction of a new National Civic Service, for young people. The Service would be a mandatory scheme seeing young people compelled to undertake small periods of voluntary work in an attempt to improve their employability skills and serving their local community. To fund the scheme, Demos proposes to charge interest for the first time, above inflation, on student loan repayments….[Continue Reading]

Nick Griffins appearance on Question Time was controlled by mob rule, wherby the tactics of a racist were deployed against a racist – prodding, provoking and inciting that which is different and un-orthodox. The BNP were not tackled as a party fixated on race.  Lets either facilitate proper debate or open up our political sytem to individuals and parties who can….[continue reading]

 The election of David Cameron as Prime Minister, coupled with his plans to reduce the size of Parliament by 10%, and the pressure on the devolved budgets will all conspire to increase the momentum behind calls from the SNP to hold a referendum on Scottish independence sometime in Spring/Summer 2010. A smaller Parliament in Westminster, and the loss of crucial support in Scotland following a ‘Yes’ vote for independence, could turn Gordon Brown into the last Labour Prime Minister. His only chance to prevent political oblivion is to hold a referendum on electoral reform…[Continue Reading]

Bar the current fixation on spending cuts and whether they are going be ‘kind’, ‘savage’ or ‘sustainable’, when did Parliamentary reform slip off the political agenda? When the MPs’ expenses scandal was unravelling one could be forgiven for thinking we were on the cusp of wholesale constitutional, electoral and parliamentary reform. Yet following mild suggestions from Brown in support of Alternative Vote and hints from Cameron for the introduction of ‘citizens’ initiatives’, parliamentary reform has slipped off the political agenda…..Continue Reading