Category — Britain

I don’t often write about the NHS. I don’t ever complain about it: my local GP and hospital are both excellent (and have been, unfortunately, well-used by my family). I figure if they can get it right here, in one of Britain’s poorest boroughs, it can be done anywhere. The NHS surgeon that saved my daughter’s life, in Georgeous‘s constituency next door, is no more salubriously sited.

But the best blog post I’ve read all year has given me a nudge. [Read more →]

It’s easy to sneer. In fact, maybe I’m stuck on sneer. So, today, I’m going to try and sound positive about something apparently ridiculous. About this:

Forcing school leavers to do three or four months of community service could help bring people together, Tory leader David Cameron has said.

Mr Cameron is making the case for his National School Leavers’ programme in a speech to voluntary group leaders.

This could work. More: it looks at first glance like a great idea. [Read more →]

Here’s a scenario for you: you have a time-machine, but it will only travel back to Christmas 1996. Labour are obviously about to win next year’s election, and you’re allowed one bet, on this question: who’s going to be the most influential political philosopher of the next decade? Granted, it’s a funny sort of time-machine, but where does your tenner go?

[Read more →]