That numb, helpless anger you feel when a group of innocent people have been murdered in another jihadi attack. This is quickly followed by contempt for those who try and hijack the tragedy for their own ends, be it for self-publicity or political grandstanding, whether at home or overseas. Once this has passed, reflection sets in […]
What has happened to police numbers since 2010?
May 29th, 2017 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.Police numbers are falling. In England and Wales between March 2015 and March 2016 (the most recent government figures), “frontline” positions shrank from 110,853 to 106,411. Recruitment was down and the number of dismissals and resignations were up, continuing a five-year trend. It has also been widely acknowledged, not least by the Prime Minister herself, […]
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Theresa May’s Blairite Manifesto
May 24th, 2017 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.Chatting to Alex Nunns on the Twitter earlier, he suggested the Conservative (and Unionist) Manifesto was a Blairite document. And he’s entirely right. Not because of the substance of the politics, but because what Theresa May and “her team” are trying to do with it. Looking at the manifesto, if Labour’s was the best manifesto […]
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What is the ‘Dementia Tax’?
May 22nd, 2017 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.On page 67 of the Conservative Party manifesto (analysis here), Theresa May’s “team” announces a significant shift in the way elderly care is going to be paid for. Their plans have generated a great deal of controversy which, combined with means testing for winter fuel payments and ending the triple lock on pensions, moves the […]
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No Sign of the Liberal Democrat Revival
May 19th, 2017 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.The Liberal Democrats are not having a good election. Bullish coming off the back of a steadily increasing tally of councillors picked up from local authority by-elections, buoyed by a yellow wave of new members that has taken them to over 100,000 members, and their triumph in Richmond, everyone was expecting great things. Well, better […]
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Explaining Laura Kuenssberg’s Bias
May 18th, 2017 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.There’s a headline. It’s from the BBC, written by no less a figure than the corporation’s chief political editor. Not something up to the standards expected, you might say. As readers know, I tend not to moan much about the recipient of the licence fee. As a general rule, its news coverage is much better […]
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What’s happening to the Labour vote?
May 16th, 2017 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.Some welcome news for a change. Well, welcome-ish. The Tories have a lead in the polls that no superlative can accurately capture. Yet something interesting is happening to the Labour vote. It’s firming up. That’s right, the highest polling since before last year’s referendum shambles and in advance of what Saint Ed got two years […]
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Economic Anxiety and Donald Trump
May 12th, 2017 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.How to understand the rise of populist politics? In a time of unprecedented social peace, how can large numbers of people turn away from the sensible, managerial mainstream and find the simple answers of crackpots and charlatans beguiling? How is it a third of French voters supported a fascist last Sunday? How did we get […]
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Emmanuel Macron and Neoliberalism
May 9th, 2017 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.And breathe. Emmanuel Macron crushed Marine Le Pen in the second round of the French presidential elections by 66.1% to 33.9%. But that is no cause for celebration. Le Pen’s rebranded fascism was found beguiling enough for a third of voters, which is double what daddy got when he broke through to the run off […]
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The Scottish Tory Resurgence
Apr 28th, 2017 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.This general election is very interesting. Particularly Scotland. Last weekend, Survation for the Sunday Post had the Tories on 28% to the SNP’s 43%. This could net them eight seats at the nationalists’ expense. Panelbase for the Sunday Times has them down for 33%, or 12 seats. As this is a social science blog that […]
