Good Society
Fighting the cuts: The false choice between networks and organisation
It is a mistake to set up a false choice between network and organisation; instead we should recognise that each has their strengths and weaknesses.
The private sector is the real source of unfair pay
Will Hutton’s interim report on fair pay in the public sector, published yesterday, is packed with statistics illustrating what has happened to public sector pay over recent years. Importantly, it places these trends squarely in the context of earnings in the private sector.
Making the 16 days of activism against violence count for the world’s women
On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women last week (November 25th) the government announced the appointment of Liberal Democrats equalities minister Lynne Featherstone as the new champion for tackling international violence against women.
Anti-cuts networks are more flexible and effective than big organisations
Yesterday marked the continuation and escalation of a campaign led by the decentralised activist network UKUncut against major UK businesses who fail to meet their full tax obligations. The first target, Vodafone, was actioned at numerous sites across the country and done with a level of organisation and effectiveness that came to many as a surprise while also eliciting genuine support.
The real threat to living standards for those on low to middle incomes
Ed Miliband’s attempt on Friday’s Today programme to define the ‘squeezed middle’ has made some people question the point of the term. Shadow chief secretary Liam Byrne tried again on Sunday to pin down the concept. But the big question remains: is the ‘squeezed middle’ just a political slogan – as meaningless as ‘the deserving majority’ – or does it refer to something real, and a big, new challenge for political leaders?
Squeezed middle includes top-rate taxpayers
The Guardian this morning reports that "Labour says 'squeezed middle' earns up to £50,000". The counter-intuitive result is based on analysis by the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies.