Boys don't need lectures from the middle classesTLDR: Boys need teaching how to be men, not lectured by the middle classes on how they are a danger to society. A quick recap to yesterday. 41% of teenagers have been taught young men are a problem in society and a quarter of parents report their boys are made to feel ashamed of being male at school.Where was I? Oh yes you'll be glad to know I didn't get too upset yesterday and I avoided showing too much emotion so there was no #maletears and I didn't get too angry about boys being let down so I wasn't toxic. ... (more) |
Two-child benefit cap 'plunges extra 30,000 children into poverty under LabourThe Independent reports that new research ahead of the eighth anniversary of the introduction of the two-child benefit cap has found that an extra 30,000 children have been pulled into poverty by the controversial policy since Labour came to power. The paper says that last July ministers said they would consider ditching the "cruel" cap, in a bid to head off a backbench Labour revolt on the issue, but there has been no movement since, while official documents last week showed that separate moves to slash an extra £5 billion from the welfare bill are set to drive another 50,000 ... (more) |
A pilgrimage to a lost holy well in Muswell HillAnother walk with John Rogers. His blurb on YouTube runs: A north London walk in search of Muswell Hill's lost holy well - the Moss Well, or Mossy Well, Mouse Well that gave its name to the area. A chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Muswell became a resort of pilgrims after a King of the Scots had been divinely directed there and was miraculously healed by the waters of the well. It is recorded as early as 1112. Our walk starts on Crouch Hill, goes down Crouch End Broadway, Park Road, Muswell Hill, Muswell Hill Broadway, Colney Hatch Lane ... (more) |
Hallaton Museum is housed in a tin tabernacleI went to Hallaton today and found a tin tabernacle. It houses Hallaton Museum, which will be open in the afternoon at weekends and bank holidays from 21 April to 6 October. This tin tabernacle was purchased in 1894 by the new rector of Hallaton, Canon Chetwynd-Stapylton, to serve the village for recreation and as a reading-room. An unidentified local history book tells us: His generous gesture failed to secure him a seat on Hallaton Parish Council and he subsequently recorded his disappointment in the Parish Magazine: "I thought that I have established a fair claim to be accounted a ... (more) |
Podcast: First impressions of the House of LordsJohn Potter of the Lib Dem Pod quizzed me about my first experiences of the House of Lords for our latest joint podcast: Feedback very welcome, and do share this podcast with others who you think may enjoy it. Show notes Lib Dem Pod. The Government Chief Whip's Ring Binder. Photograph © House of Lords 2024 / photography by Roger Harris. Theme tune by Hugo Lee. New to listening to podcasts? Here are some tips on how to listen to podcasts. Check out some of this show's most popular previous episodes. Enjoy the show? Spread the word Share the show's ... (more) |
Trump's tariffs (and other wars).As a classic attention seeker President Trump must have enjoyed his day in the sun yesterday, with the eyes of concerned citizens in almost every country in the world on him. The Guardian's leader predicted that "No British retaliation [would] mean GDP 0.4% lower this year and 6% next." (2nd April.) By my calculations that means 40p less in every prospective £100 earned, then 60p. The bombarded in Gaza, front-line soldiers and citizens of Ukraine, and millions starving in Sudan and South Sudan, not to mention about 200 other "hot" wars, would presumably give their ears for that level of ... (more) |
Lessons from the Lords #1: the Chief Whip's Ring Binder[IMG: State Openning of Parliament September 2023] Copyright House of Lords 2023 / Photography by Roger Harris. Welcome to what may turn out to be, in decreasing order of likelihood, a one-off blog post, the start of a series of blog posts, the birth of a new email list or the opener to my next book: some first impressions from the House of Lords, which I joined in February 2025. For most people, what hits you when you enter the chamber of the House of Lords is the sprawling expanse of the The Sovereign's Throne, a super-sized dazzling expanse of ... (more) |
It's time to buy British - and mean ItPresident Trump's new tariffs on British exports aren't just a bump in the road they're a direct threat to our economic independence. The Office for Budget Responsibility says they could knock a full percentage point off our GDP by 2026-27. That's not abstract. That's real people losing jobs. Real businesses, especially in places like the North East, struggling to survive. We can't afford to shrug this off. If we've learned anything from recent years, it's that we need to be more self-reliant, more rooted, and far less dependent on volatile international partners. That starts with something simple: choosing to buy ... (more) |
ESG is still importantIt used to be all about ESG. Environmental, social and governance issues were regarded as crucial to long-term organisational success. But with changing political priorities and the growing realisation that ESG is not a guarantee of outsize financial returns, the focus of investors, board members and senior executives is moving on. And many organisations' ESG initiatives are falling by the wayside. This is short-sighted and wrong. But first, a quick primer: What exactly is ESG? It's essentially an umbrella term for the way in which an organisation approaches its impact on the environment, its relationship with its stakeholders (the people ... (more) |
Scottish Lib Dems select Andrew Baxter for top Highland targetAndrew Baxter has been selected as the party's candidate for its key target of Skye, Lochaber & Badenoch at next year's Scottish Parliament election. The seat significantly overlaps with the UK Parliament constituency of Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire which was won by Liberal Democrat Angus MacDonald at the recent election. Andrew Baxter is a well-known and hard-working community campaigner in South Lochaber, campaigning tirelessly on issues such campaigning tirelessly for rural communities to get a better deal from Highland Council and the Scottish Government and fighting for long-overdue investment in the Corran Ferry service. He has previously worked as ... (more) |