The corrosive fallout from the EU referendum, the shock of the Covid-19 pandemic and the horror of the ongoing war in Ukraine have been deeply unsettling and have led many to adopt a somewhat fatalistic approach to the future. It seems that since the financial crash of 2008, UK politics has never reverted back to … Continue reading It’s time for Labour to be bold
The UK's political system has some obvious democratic failings, perhaps the most prominent being the 'first past the post' voting system, which has enabled our current Government to rule as an 'elective dictatorship' on a minority of votes cast. However, there is less obvious inequality of representation created by the lack of working-class voices in … Continue reading Why we need more working-class voices in Parliament
UK homes account for around 15% of our CO2 emissions. A combination of improved energy efficiency and on-site renewable energy would reduce this, as was set out in the zero carbon homes plan, abandoned in 2016. In 1998 a reduced 5% VAT rate was introduced for energy-saving materials such as solar panels, but this didn't … Continue reading The Treasury vs Net Zero Carbon
Below is an open letter sent to my North East Bedfordshire MP Richard Fuller, setting out why a Hillsborough Law is urgently needed and calling for his support for it. Dear Richard The tragedy of Hillsborough goes far beyond the horrific events that took place on 15th April 1989. The Liverpool supporters suffered a double … Continue reading An open letter on the need for a Hillsborough Law
The sheer scale of the tragedy of Hillsborough is difficult to comprehend, cutting across so many aspects of the relationship between the people and the state. It starkly set out how justice is not applied equally across our society and how agencies of the state persistently close rank and prioritise reputational protection over the safety … Continue reading Hillsborough – finally a catalyst for change?
Blaming the Victorians for a large percentage of our rail network being inaccessible to a significant proportion of the UK public is wearing very thin after 150 years. While some progress has been made since 'Access for All' funding for step-free stations was introduced by Gordon Brown's Labour government in 2006, thousands of platforms across … Continue reading When will Labour stand up for a step-free railway?
After being asked to stand in at short notice and give a presentation to my local Labour Party on Labour's 'Green' policy I spent a few hours trawling the internet and writing notes in preparation. I have written previously about the importance of crystal clear messaging and the need to present a radical alternative to … Continue reading So what exactly is Labour’s Green policy?
The recent actions by the government in shamefully attempting to defend corruption have done considerable damage to the credibility of Parliament and people's trust in both politicians and our political system. The actions of the Prime Minister, and others in the Conservative Party, have shown such a blatant disregard for accountability, so vital to our … Continue reading Is it time to stop MPs from having second jobs?
Whilst the purpose of the Health & Social Care Committee report (published on 12th October) into the government's response to the Covid-19 pandemic was not to apportion blame, the relentless condemnation of the approach taken by the government, whose primary purpose is to protect us paints a grim picture of just how far the UK … Continue reading Covid Report – the treatment of people with disabilities
The looming climate disaster is the most pressing issue of our times. The failure to meet the challenge will lead to a domino effect. Numerous other issues, such as climate induced migration, water scarcity, food shortages, ocean acidity, threats to biodiversity and both financial and political shocks will threaten the fabric of societies across the … Continue reading It’s time to slash the VAT on domestic solar energy
Julian Vaughan 