Archive for the ‘British current affairs’ Category
A tale of two nations: 14% vs 0.7%
November 18th, 2013 by Roger Darlington
So Britain is now coming out of its long recession, right? And everyone is starting to feel less pressured financially, right? No way. The latest survey from Incomes Data Services reveals that the total remuneration package for top executives increased by 14% in the last year, while the increase in average wages in the same […]
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The future of the Post Office network
November 11th, 2013 by Roger Darlington
For many decades, I have had a deep interest in the future of the Post Office network. For 24 years, I worked for trade unions with members employed by what is now called Post Office Limited (POL) and for six years I sat on the Boards of the consumer bodies on postal matters (Postwatch and […]
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Water bills rising up the political agenda – and dominating my current workload
November 5th, 2013 by Roger Darlington
Today it was announced that the Secretary of State for the Environment has written to all water companies urging them to endeavour to keep bills down in the next Price Review period running from 2015-2020. Interestingly the actual text of the letter is not on the DEFRA web site [see here] but the “Guardian” has published […]
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So, just how big is the UK’s tax gap?
October 28th, 2013 by Roger Darlington
The tax gap is the difference between what the tax authority believes should be paid in tax and what is actually paid. It comprises tax evasion, tax avoidance, tax lost to the hidden economy, and companies and individuals falling to take reasonable care. According to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the total figure is […]
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What the Americans think about the new British prince
October 24th, 2013 by Roger Darlington
I’ve just had this message from a good friend in the United States: “I thought you would like to know that the christening of Prince George was a top news story on all three national tv network news programs. If you Republicans ever succeed in abolishing the monarchy, I do believe the American people will […]
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How Christian is Britain today – and do you believe in miracles and angels?
October 18th, 2013 by Roger Darlington
We think of Britain as a Christian country, but a new poll commissioned by the Christian think tank Theos suggests that only 59% identify themselves as Christian. However, many people still have spiritual beliefs. Among the other findings, 8% said they or someone they knew had experienced a miracle, while one in four expressed a belief […]
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What is the state of income inequality in the UK?
September 21st, 2013 by Roger Darlington
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To what extent has Britain become a less politically committed society?
September 11th, 2013 by Roger Darlington
“Identifying with a political party is known to increase significantly the likelihood of voting for that party at election time … Traditionally party identification was rooted in social class … At the same time the Labour and Conservative parties took distinct positions on issues, mirroring their class-based support. As class self-identifications have changed and parties […]
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To what extent has Britain become a less Christian society?
September 11th, 2013 by Roger Darlington
“There is little doubt that a substantial change has taken place, with a marked decline in the proportion who describe themselves as belonging to a particular religion. In 1983, around two in three people (68 per cent) considered themselves to belong to one religion or another; in 2012, only around half (52 per cent) do […]
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How could a walkie-talkie melt a Jaguar car?
September 3rd, 2013 by Roger Darlington
It could only happen here in London – as revealed in this news item.
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