Why banning social media for children misses the pointThe Government is considering following Australia's lead with a blanket ban on social media for under-16s. It's a move that will appeal to anxious parents and play well in focus groups. It also represents a fundamental misunderstanding of both the problem and the solution. This isn't to dismiss legitimate concerns about children's online experiences. The evidence on mental health impacts is real and concerning, particularly for young people already vulnerable. Algorithmic amplification of harmful content, cyberbullying, and the manipulation of attention through addictive design features cause genuine harm. Parents are right to worry. But a ban throws the baby out ... (more) |
Will Labour backtrack on leasehold reform?The Guardian reports that the former Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner has urged Keir Starmer to stick to his campaign pledge to cap ground rents for leaseholders in England and Wales, as cabinet divisions over the government's plans to rip up the leasehold system come to a head. The paper says that Rayner has intervened in a tense standoff between Steve Reed, the housing secretary, and Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, over whether to stand by Labour's promise to limit annual charges for existing leaseholders: The measure was part of a draft leasehold bill due to be published last year, which ... (more) |
Lib Dems call for fair treatment for Wales on railway investmentThe Liberal Democrats have tabled an amendment to the Westminster government's Railways Bill calling for the full devolution of rail powers to Wales, reports Nation Cymru. Both the Lib Dems and Plaid Cymru argue that Wales is losing out on billions of pounds of railway investment because some projects based entirely in England, such as the Oxford to Cambridge reopening, are often classified as "England and Wales" schemes. Nation Cymru quotes David Chadwick, the Welsh Lib Dems' Westminster spokesperson and MP for said: "Wales has been treated as an afterthought when it comes to rail for far too long. While ... (more) |
An Observer podcast series on The Real Salt PathIf you were hooked by Chloe Hadjimatheou's reporting of the questionable veracity of The Salt Path, you may be interested to know that the Observer has now produced a series of podcasts telling the story of this exposé, The Walkers: The real Salt Path. I walked The Salt Path myself - we called it the South Coastal Path in those days - from Minehead to Weymouth, over four summer holidays, in the Eighties and Nineties. Don't tell Jennie, but I left out the stretch through Torbay (my guidebook said it was allowed) because it was so built up. (more) |
My nan: kindness was her politicsOn Thursday, 15 January at 12:14 AM, my nan passed away. She was admitted to Morriston Hospital on Tuesday morning with stomach pains. She was immediately seen by medical professionals, who did everything they could to help her. But at 90 years old, with a weak heart further damaged by a cardiac arrest early on during her stay in hospital, they, along with us, her family, made the decision to stop all procedures, as continuing to do so would trigger another heart attack. From that moment until her passing, my nan had round-the-clock care by the wonderful nurses, who ensured ... (more) |
Reform have mutated into the Truss/Johnson Tory Party Mark IIAfter Robert Jenrick joined Reform I made a comment on a Facebook post by a despairing former Tory MP, I suggested that he should look on the bright side, 'most of those responsible for crashing the economy under Liz Truss are now in Reform. You have an almost fresh start'. Readers of the Independent seem to agree. The paper says that they now see the party as little more than a refuge for self-serving ex-Tories. Commenters on the paper's site have argued that high-profile figures such as Robert Jenrick, Nadhim Zahawi, and Nadine Dorries switched allegiance to protect their political ... (more) |