Category Archives: Nick’s Blog

Today’s speech on social security and the reform of the welfare state was a big moment for the Labour leader, Ed Miliband. He has made some important arguments, on which at least a sizeable part of the battle for the … Continue reading

Posted in Nick's Blog | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

The Syrian conflict stirs far less public outcry in the west than it should. Weary of foreign wars, distrustful of politicians and economically insecure, the electorates of the western democracies appear singularly unmoved by the tragedy that has unfolded. It … Continue reading

Posted in Nick's Blog | Tagged , | Comments Off

Local media in China reported yesterday that the powerful National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the agency responsible for planning China’s social and economic development, has proposed the country adopt an absolute cap on carbon emissions from 2016 (also here … Continue reading

Posted in Nick's Blog | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

In the coming days, the Commission on London Finance established by Boris Johnson and chaired by Tony Travers is due to publish its final report. The Guardian has obtained an advance copy and it makes for interesting reading.

Posted in Nick's Blog | Tagged , , | Comments Off

Dear Jo, Congratulations on being appointed head of the No10 Policy Unit by the prime minister. I’m sure you’ve received a lot of unsolicited advice in the last week or so, and doubtless much of it has been unhelpful. I … Continue reading

Posted in Nick's Blog | Tagged , , | Comments Off

The debate on the publication today of the statistics on the public sector finances for 2012/13 has focused mainly on whether the deficit is falling or not. The answer is no: the deficit in 2012/13 was broadly the same as … Continue reading

Posted in Nick's Blog | Tagged , , | Comments Off

The introduction in London this month of the government’s new £26,000 benefit cap has generated predictably heated debate. Opinion polls show that the policy is popular because the public believe it is fair. Ministers know this, of course, and to … Continue reading

Posted in Nick's Blog | Tagged , | Comments Off

The term ‘Thatcherism’ was first coined by Stuart Hall in his seminal 1979 essay, ‘The Great Moving Right Show’. At that time, it was the Eurocommunist intellectuals grouped around the magazine Marxism Today – Hall, Eric Hobsbawm and kindred spirits … Continue reading

Posted in Nick's Blog | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

By chance, on the weekend that Ed Miliband was extolling the virtues of George Cadbury’s commitment to his workers in a speech on the economy, a new history of the Barrow Cadbury Trust – the grantmaking foundation that bears the … Continue reading

Posted in Nick's Blog | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

With the economic recovery continuing to stall, there was a broad consensus ahead of today’s budget that the chancellor should provide a boost for housing and the construction sector, to help get jobs and growth going. George Osborne responded with … Continue reading

Posted in Nick's Blog | Tagged , , | 1 Comment