Good Society
The Great Gatsby holds up a mirror to the illusions of austerity Britain
In the mirror that The Great Gatsby holds up to 1920s America, we can see a reflection of our own illusions. We need to acknowledge them before we can deal with some of our most deep-rooted social problems.
The logic behind privatised roads is deeply misguided, as we are slowly finding out
Handing over management of major infrastructure to the private sector means decisions over its use are no longer made in the national interest but in the interests of shareholders, which can be very different.
Pensions – an unfinished revolution
Before Mrs Thatcher destroyed Britain’s post-war pension consensus, Beveridge had given us a decent state pension that kept up with earnings, and Barbara Castle had added an earnings related state pension (SERPS) to those whose employers did not provide a decent workplace pension on top.
As well as talking tough on police killers, Theresa May should look at police brutality
The home secretary Theresa May announced today that under the Conservatives those convicted of killing a police officer will have their sentences raised to the 'whole life' category, usually reserved for the very worst types of murderer.
Boris Johnson’s agenda for Europe could be a social and environmental disaster for London
Boris's free trade agenda for Europe could be a social and environmental disaster for London and the rest of the UK.
The progressive case for ‘dignity in dying’
Assisted dying is not just about patient rights at the end of life but about how society as a whole approaches death and dying, and Lord Falconer’s Bill does not champion rampant individualism but rather it challenges paternalism and the imposition of unshared principles. It is a progressive cause of our time, and an issue that will affect us all. It is time for change.