Nearly a year ago the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) set out its understanding of the transformed international environment this country now faces, and called for the government to lead ‘a national conversation’ on how we should respond. Yet since then there has been silence from the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary, and only muffled warnings […]
Op-eds
We need to talk about the end of life
We need to talk about how the UK supports its growing number of older people, and in particular about the end of life. One of the many weaknesses of British politics is that its structure does not make it easy to link related issues, But the age of retirement, pensions for the elderly, the rising […]
We can start to improve social care by tackling attitudes towards migrants
If ever there’s an issue – or a sub-section of a broader issue – that sums up the sense that the UK is broken, even eight months after a new government was supposed to set a new direction, it’s social care. The crisis in social care has been recognised for decades, but successive governments have […]
This Government needs help from the Lib Dems
The Liberal Democrats, and the Liberals before them, have not had much time in power over the last century. 1906 was the last time a majority Liberal government was elected, though it has been the junior partner in coalition governments since then. However, the Liberals were certainly the party of ideas in the last century. […]
Social Care: Fixing the future and owning the now
In December 2023, I was an intern at Prospect Magazine in Westminster as my first semester at Queen Mary University of London drew to a close. It was here that I first flipped through the magazine’s Minister for the Future report – produced with Nesta, a UK-based innovation agency focused on social good. It got […]
Wera Hobhouse calls for action to tackle eating disorders
Anyone who has supported a loved one with an eating disorder will appreciate Wera Hobhouse’s tireless efforts to get better support and services for those living with these terrible and distressing conditions. 1.25 million people have an eating disorder in the UK. Eating disorders can impact anybody, and everybody. As chair of the Eating disorders […]
Tom Arms’ World Review
Northern Ireland It may be that the British lion may be learning how to wag its Irish tail instead of the reverse. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has negotiated a settlement of the Northern Ireland Protocol which has bedevilled UK-EU and UK-US relations and Britain’s standing in the world since the 2016 Brexit Referendum. The chief […]
Chamberlain’s Carer’s Leave Bill closer to becoming law
On Thursday, a private member’s bill promoted by Wendy Chamberlain, MP for North East Fife passed its third reading without opposition and now goes to the Lords. As the Conservatives do not oppose the bill, it is set to become law. Chamberlain said the new employment rights in the bill are vital at a time […]
We really must stand up for the NHS
The NHS is once again in the news and not in a good way. It is fast becoming a basket case with ambulances unable to deliver critically ill patients to hospital in anything like acceptable times, operations often delayed with unacceptable waiting times, people unable to make GP appointments and now a series of strikes […]
President Xi’s Grand Zero-COVID Reversal: What are the Risks?
President Xi has announced he will be opening China’s borders to travel by Chinese citizens from Sunday 8th January, a fortnight before the start of the 15-day celebration of the Chinese New Year which sees hundreds of millions of Chinese go on holiday inside and outside China to visit family and friends. Whilst this is […]