In defense of benefit frauds

In the last month we’ve all heard about David Cameron’s proposed crackdown on benefit frauds. Lots has been said around the left about how these proposals are completely missing the mark in terms of where the government can be saving money if need be, but there hasn’t been much of a defense of the benefit [...]

On ‘Social Engineering’

Nine years after Oldham burned in horrific race-riots, we’re finally getting round to the only workable solution to racial segregation. The report into the incident concluded that de facto segregation in the community was a root cause of the incident, and a more recent report stated that “Segregation and divisions between Oldham’s communities is still [...]

How universal benefits became a sacred cow, and why we ought to slaughter it.

There was a lot that was horrible about the emergency budget.  The pay of all public sector employees on 21k a year or more wasa frozen for two years. With prices expected to rise by over 7.3 per cent over the next biennium, this represents an enormous real terms pay cut – equivalent to taking [...]

‘Soft Subjects’ and Social Mobility

I have a confession to make. In my youth I made some rash decisions, fell in with a bad crowd…and ended up taking GCSE Media Studies. It wasn’t entirely my fault – I was to some extent pushed into it by the limited options open to me when picking subjects – but ultimately I have [...]

Economic Reform in the UK, and the pre-election race to the bottom of the barrel

The key headlines of the past few weeks have focused on pre-election measures and proposals aimed at trying to square the multitudinous circles of simultaneously getting the UK’s spiralling debt under control, creating a more equitable system, not cutting key public services, and reforming the financial system in a meaningful way in the midst of [...]

Though Cowards Flinch and Traitors Sneer, We’ll Fly the Red Flag at an Undetermined Point in the Future

Working class universalism is not enough. Labour does not deserve our unwavering loyalty
It’s Friday evening. I should be out partying or down the pub. Instead I’m sitting in front of my computer, wondering what wondrous topic to opine upon for my column. I’ve scoured the news. David Cameron’s doing God and Boris, hopes for a [...]

Hands Off My Workmate!

For all of you unionists out there, there’s an interesting-looking free conference on in London this Saturday called by SOAS UCU, SOAS Unison, and SOAS Students’ Union.
“Hands off my Workmate Conference
School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
Saturday 17th October 2009
10am to 5.30pm
On the 12th June this year, the School of Oriental and African [...]

An Interview with George Galloway

Walking through security at Portcullis House, the fabulously expensive building standing adjacent to the Houses of Parliament, is a bit like going through any airport anywhere in the world. But making your way through the spacious courtyard, past green trees and sun-dappled water features under the enormous sparkling glass dome towering overhead, you could be [...]

Opening Shots…

I’ve been very late flagging this up because of the little matter of moving from one side of the country to the other, but you may or may not know there is a strike going on. Staff at Tower Hamlets College, an F.E. College serving some of the poorest people in the country, are on [...]

Networking and Social Mobility

You know that you’re a bit behind the times when you’re blogging about an article that was published almost a month ago, but I’ve been busy recently, and was so incensed by this nasty little article I feel I should write something. On July 11 the Guardian Graduate section put out a piece about networking [...]