One of the fundamental faultlines of the British model of finance capitalism – its failure to steer resources into the real, productive base of the economy – is not even on the government’s agenda. That’s why the prospect of sustained recovery is proving so elusive.
The Heseltine Review implemented quickly and properly could spur on the economic recovery, but sluggish, tokenistic implementation isn’t going to cut it.
The media is already occupied with pre-Budget clamour: what will Osborne’s rabbit out the hat trick be this time round? But pasty taxes, bedroom taxes, even a mansion tax (which will raise around £2bn) can only be described as fiscal tinkering. What’s needed is a bolder approach.
Budget predictions and demands can be boring (read most of those in the Observer if you don’t believe me) but it is an annual requirement to make clear what you want knowing full well that you’ll be disappointed. If that’s to be the case I’ve decided to go for maximum remorse and show no restraint in what I’d hope for.
In November a British delegation including the Queen is set to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka, hosted and chaired by the accused government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. If Britain wants to live up to its self-proclaimed commitment to human rights, then it should move quickly to cancel its delegation to Colombo.
Among a large part of the population, ‘Labour’ still means ‘authoritarian’. Over Leveson, it has once again revealed its authoritarian streak.
The international community has so far failed to fulfill its full duties towards the Syrian people. This must change.
We will be presenting a petition calling upon the government to support the Syrian people using all possible political, diplomatic and economic means.
If we want to help more young people start and run successful businesses we need to recognise the wide variety of entrepreneurial journeys that they take.
The least worst option for Labour could be to stand up for the victims and resist David Cameron’s suffocating embrace – even if that means going back to the drawing board and starting over together with the Lib Dems.
The EU is strongest when it acts as one in the world. The weakness or reluctance of one member state impacts us all, and especially the people living in the shadow of Hezbollah’s destabilizing activities.
