Happy birthday?
27 Apr 2011
The coalition's first anniversary is bound to prompt the nation’s newspapers into drawing up balance sheets based on what has gone well and what has gone badly. Expect plenty of … » more
Apr 2011: Happy Birthday?
Is Britain's private sector in George's debt?
27 Apr 2011
When Sir Keith Joseph served as Secretary of State for Industry during the deep recession of 1979-81, he used to ask his senior civil servants whether they could detect any … » more
Foreign affairs
A private war Britain must settle if it is to win in Helmand
27 Apr 2011
The performance of Task Force Helmand in the first two years of the deployment to the Province have now been the subject of intense military, academic and journalistic critique, culminating … » more
Nato under fire
27 Apr 2011
In June 1999 John Keegan declared ‘there is a new date to fix on the calendar: June 3, 1999, when the capitulation of President Milosevic proved that a war can … » more
The new challenges facing Andrew Mitchell
27 Apr 2011
In the week of its release in March, the DfID Bilateral Aid Review (BAR) gathered considerable attention. A number of countries will be experiencing a doubling or more of bilateral … » more
Health and welfare
Gove is heading schools to the bottom of the list
27 Apr 2011
One thing is for sure: the range of education policies with which the Conservatives fought last year’s general election, and which were outlined in the Schools white paper last November, … » more
If you want to 'look after the poor' Mr Cameron, it isn't going well
27 Apr 2011
David Cameron distinguished himself from Margaret Thatcher when he said, on first entering No 10 as prime minsiter: ‘I want to make sure that my government always looks after the … » more
Fiddling with the NHS is still no answer to its problems
27 Apr 2011
For politicians, 're-disorganising' the NHS is a substitute for dealing with the real problems in health care: inefficiency and inequity. Whether it is a Labour or Coalition government, the reformers … » more
The stigma that turns a hospital into prison
27 Apr 2011
What is going on for patients who have a mental illness? Coercion is becoming more prevalent in the care and treatment of those with mental illness at the very time … » more
Constitution and government
What's the problem with mixing religion and politics?
27 Apr 2011
What is wrong with using religious arguments in political debate? A ruling by an American judge provides a pretty good answer, albeit intentionally. In denying a mother visitation rights with … » more
A British Bill of Rights? Sounds great, until you remember that we are in Europe
27 Apr 2011
It is over ten years since the Human Rights Act 1998 entered into force. Its impact has been significant — but not universally welcomed. Indeed, it is hard to open … » more
Business and finance
Brussels bank law must not wreck EU energy reforms
27 Apr 2011
Thursday, March 3, should have been something of a red-letter day in the long, hard slog towards liberalising Europe’s gas markets. It was the day that member states were due … » more
More questions than answers
27 Apr 2011
The global financial crisis that began in 2007 has cast a long shadow over the British economy and the health of its banking system. The cost of the crisis to … » more
Rumbled: the councils that don't register they are breaking the law
27 Apr 2011
The campaign to Save the Edited Electoral Register (STEER) has garnered support from a wide spectrum of society and there can be few left still doubting its value to local … » more
The pensions web that Mr Webb must unweave
27 Apr 2011
A discussion on private pension costs is unlikely to pull in the crowds. Faced with the question ‘do you think pension charges are too high?’ most of us lose the … » more
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April 2011 edition
Not a pretty first year for the odd couple; also: health care: it's the money stupid; Afghanistan: the private war we must settle in Helmand; Public debate: religion and politics can mix