Mar 2011: Big Society: an idea worth saving

Bailing out the flagship

Tim Bale 05 Mar 2011

Can you re-launch a ship that's holed beneath the waterline? David Cameron seems to think so. In the face of polls suggesting that the majority of the public, even when … » more

Tim Bale is Professor of Politics at Sussex University and the author of 'The Conservative Party from Thatcher to Cameron'.

Showing we care

David Grayson 05 Mar 2011

For an idea that is variously dismissed as vague, naïve, or even a cynical ploy, the 'Big Society' has attracted plenty of column inches in recent weeks. Peter Oborne in … » more

David Grayson is Doughty professor of Corporate Responsibility and a life-long active citizen. He writes in a personal capacity. www.doughtycentre.info

Constitution and government

Have a party and get things going

Paul Whiteley 05 Mar 2011

Most people want an effective government, that is, one that delivers what citizens want and does it efficiently and fairly. An effective government provides good public services such as health … » more

Paul Whiteley is a Professor of Politics in the Department of Government at the University of Essex

Switching off the lights in the corridors of power

John Curtice 05 Mar 2011

There seems little doubt that the history books will record that one of the notable features of the last Labour government was the extent to which it rewrote the British … » more

John Curtice is Professor of Politics, Strathclyde University.

Defence

Defence is too good a business to kick into the long grass

Derek Marshall 05 Mar 2011

Is this a critical moment for the UK economy? Many commentators think so. Statistics come and go, but the depressing GDP data for the fourth quarter of 2010 followed by … » more

Derek Marshall is Managing Director of Policy and Public Affairs at A|D|S

So how long before this defence strategy falls apart

Andrew Dorman 28 Oct 2010

The Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), tied directly to the new national security strategy (NSS), argues in favour of Britain maintaining a global role, focusing on Afghanistan in the … » more

Dr Andrew Dorman is senior lecturer in the defence studies department, King’s College London, based at the Joint Services Command and Staff College.

Business and finance

Don't blunt the sharp end of British industry

Ian Brinkley 05 Mar 2011

Rebalancing the economy remains at the centre of the economic and political debate. The deputy prime minister in a recent speech asserted that ‘... gone are the days of government … » more

Ian Brinkley is Associate Director at the Work Foundation.

Growth? Don't bank on it

Simon Lee 05 Mar 2011

During its first ten months in office, four essential truths have become apparent about the Cameron-Clegg government’s economic policies. First, as the government’s own official statistics have revealed, the idea of … » more

Dr Simon Lee is Senior Lecturer in Politics and Director of the Centre for Democratic Governance, University of Hull.

Cameron recovers Keynes from Mrs Thatcher's dustbin

Christos Pitelis 05 Mar 2011

The prime minister's speech at the CBI on Monday, 25 October, 2010, was inspired, perhaps historical. It put an end to what I call the ‘Keynes curse’. Since Mrs Thatcher … » more

Christos Pitelis is Director of the Centre for International Business and Management, Judge Business School, and Fellow in Economics, at Queen's College, both at the University of Cambridge.

Powering ahead

Mike Tholen 05 Mar 2011

Just over a year ago, Oil & Gas UK boldly stated that the UK oil and gas industry had a major role

Mike Tholen is Oil & Gas UK's economic director and author of the 2011 Activity Survey which forecasts exploration, investment, production and decommissioning over the coming decades.

Were it not for the edited register, Kate Adie wouldn't know who she is

Antonia Tildesley 05 Mar 2011

When the last government launched a consultation on the future of the edited electoral register eighteen months ago, it precipitated over 7,000 responses in support of the edited register from … » more

Antonia Tildesley is an associate editor of Parliamentary Brief.

Foreign affairs

A six-month command is not the way to beat the Taliban

Anthony King 05 Mar 2011

On 1 February 2008, General Sir David Richards was appointed to the post of Commander-in-Chief Land Forces: he would eventually succeed General Sir Richard Dannatt as the Chief of the … » more

Anthony King is Professor of Sociology at the University of Exeter. He has worked closely with the armed forces as an adviser since 2003, most recently as a member of Nato’s Regional Command South in 2009 and 2010.

Back to reality

John Bew 05 Mar 2011

John Bew asks whether today's foreign secretary should seek inspiration from Canning, Castlereagh or both

John Bew is a Lecturer in War Studies at King’s College London and Director of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence.

Education

The inconvenient truth about the global 'school league tables'

Alan Smithers 05 Mar 2011

The Coalition government is making great play with the latest round of results from the OECD’s comparisons of the educational performance of 15-year-olds. Michael Gove continually refers to the UK’s … » more

Professor Alan Smithers is Director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at the University of Buckingham.

Biodiversity

This precious isle

Roderick Crawford 05 Mar 2011

In an age of austerity the government should be wise to the art of finding policy measures that offer big gains at low cost. Popular measures should be welcome too … » more

Parliamentary Brief opinion piece

Mar 2011: Big Society: an idea worth saving

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