Archive for the ‘British current affairs’ Category
The challenges of being young and female
April 23rd, 2011 by Roger Darlington
This week the British think tank Demos published a study of young women which is co-authored by my son Richard. The report suggests that, compared to boys, British teenage girls experience worse rates of binge drinking, worse levels of physical inactivity and more frequent incidences of teen pregnancy than their European counterparts. In the course […]
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Preparations for the Royal Wedding
April 18th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
Today I had a meeting at the Department for Work & Pensions in central London and there was a great deal of unusual activity at the end of Tothill Street. The area outside the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, which is adjacent to the entrance to Westminster Abbey, is full of scaffolding and seats in […]
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Yes to the alternative vote
April 18th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
In a previous posting, I have declared my support for the introduction of the Alternative Vote (AV) electoral system for elections to the UK Parliament and my intention to vote ‘yes’ in the referendum on 5 May. Today the think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) – for whom my son works – […]
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What those cuts really mean
April 10th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
The dramatic public expenditure cuts announced by the Coalition Government – too fast and too deep in my view – are only now starting to bite with the commencement of the new financial year and the implementation of new tax and benefit changes nationally and of council budgets locally. The impact on many people’s lives […]
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Britain’s last circus elephant
April 7th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
She is called Anne and the media has been giving her massive coverage. I was struck by the ailments that she suffers as a creature close to the pension age for a female and the various approaches that are being considered to improving her condition. In an item in the “Guardian”, it is reported: “Anne […]
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Time to count the UK
March 27th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
Here in the UK, we conduct a census every 10 years and today is census day. I don’t know why some people make a fuss about the census – it’s not intrusive and it is important for the planning of public services. Also it will give us accurate information on the population of the UK […]
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March for the Alternative
March 26th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
Today Vee and I went on the March For The Alternative in central London, an event organised by the Trades Union Congress to protest at the scale and speed of the cuts in public expenditure being implemented by the Coalition Government. It was a huge and noisy demonstration that was attended by an estimated 250,000. […]
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How democratic is the UK and the USA?
March 23rd, 2011 by Roger Darlington
I’ve just had an e-mail thanking me for my web site examination of the differences between the British and American political systems. The writer, from Norway, asks my opinion on whether one is more democratic than the other. This is such a difficult question to answer. It depends on how one measures the notion of […]
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March for the Alternative
March 19th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
If you live in the UK and you’re angry about the scale and speed of the cuts proposed by the Coalition Government, you should be marching in London a week today (Saturday). You’ll find all the details here.
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500 days to the London Olympics
March 15th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
It is now exactly 500 days until the 2012 Olympic Games open in my city of London. A countdown clock has been installed in Trafalgar Square and tickets have now gone on sale here. To be honest, I’m an atypical man and not really interested in sport. But I’m exited about the Olympics because it […]
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