Good Society
We need to stop more than lethal injection drugs being exported from the UK
Oliver Sprague, Amnesty International UK Arms Programme Director, outlines the issues sorrunding UK export of fluids for lethal injections and the action the government should take.
Growing coalition of opposition to Coalition’s £350m Legal Aid cuts
Joanna Lumley re-entered the political fray today when she unveiled a campaign calling for government to rethink their proposed cuts to legal aid, reports Will Horwitz.
The ‘Big Society’ must not be imposed on communities
The Prime Minister’s restatement of the Big Society is a recognition that the idea has so far failed to resonate in many communities, because the reality of the cuts has hit hard, focusing attention on the loss of much-needed support for grassroots volunteers. We are still waiting to count the numbers of community development workers still in place after the cull in public sector jobs.
The Protection of Freedoms Bill: A new era in Westminster
Although the government has made serious moves in the direction of civil liberties - notably cancelling inherited plans to introduce identity cards and an aspiration to end child detention within the asylum system - the announcement of the Freedom Bill is a landmark moment in British government. The previous Labour government passed liberal reforms which changed Britain irrevocably.
True multiculturalism acts as a bulwark against further extremism
The lack of concrete proposals for change or a credible alternative vision suggests multiculturalism is a convenient whipping boy rather than the real problem.
Social work needs support now more than ever
The impact of the recession, financial hardship and job losses on families and individuals all adds up to more need for social workers, writes UNISON gen sec Dave Prentis.