Category: Whitehall

Call for Human Economics

Geoff Hodgson, a leading light it what some have called “post-autistic economics”, has launched a petition calling for a reorientation of the profession. Continue reading “Call for Human Economics” →

Three Questions

As the holiday season draws to a close and the political conference season approaches the almost overwhelming consensus amongst the political class and media is that Britain is facing a public finance crisis of staggering proportions. Continue reading “Three Questions” →

There Will Be Blood – But We’re Not Sure How Much Or When

A couple of days ago we asked the Phi100 Panel of Westminster ‘insiders’, which includes, leading politicians, policy, and media figures, about realistic targets for reducing the UK’s burgeoning public debt. Continue reading “There Will Be Blood – But We’re Not Sure How Much Or When” →

Team Torchwood Triumphs

OK – I confess – I am a SciFi-natic, since I was knee high to a grass-hopper. So no surprise I am watching this weeks BBC blockbuster Torchwood: Children of Earth. (Torchwood are a fictional bunch of alien fighters set up by Queen Victoria – yes, her, it’s a long story). Continue reading “Team Torchwood Triumphs” →

It’s Purely Academic…..

This is a fairly common derogatory phrase in the UK – meaning whatever is being talked about is somehow irrelevant to real life and of no real consequence. ( I am not sure how current it is in other countries). Continue reading “It’s Purely Academic…..” →

Rights and Responsibilities: the law and education

Today it has been announced that Harrow Council (London) has dropped a Court case being brought against a mother who tried to get her child into a popular school by allegedly falsifying information (she claimed to be living at her mother’s which was in the School catchment area, rather than her family home, which wasn’t). The Council has called on the Government to amend the Fraud Act to allow such prosecutions. Continue reading “Rights and Responsibilities: the law and education” →

No legal rights to education entitlements – its official (and the Beeb was wrong)

The answer to the question posed in the previous post: the BBC had got it wrong. The education white paper published today makes it clear there will be not legal enforcement available to parents: Continue reading “No legal rights to education entitlements – its official (and the Beeb was wrong)” →

And Now Legal Muggles Too

This morning BBC Radio news is reporting that today’s Education White Paper will set legally enforceable rights. Either the Beeb has got it wrong, or this is the fastest U-turn in history – or maybe the Government is just in another muggle. Continue reading “And Now Legal Muggles Too” →

Building Britain’s Future II: the detail (well, some of it)

So, now we have the detail of the new “entitlements” approach – well, sort of. The government have published ‘Building Britain’s Future’ but frankly we’re not much more enlightened than we were before. Continue reading “Building Britain’s Future II: the detail (well, some of it)” →