If you can build a football team, you can advance the fortunes of poor nations

In Qatar, there has been a storm over its treatment of women, the LGBT community, and other minorities. But it has also, in another way, been the most egalitarian World Cup. What used to be called “upsets”, with notionally weaker teams beating their alleged superiors have almost become the norm. So, Cameroon beat Brazil, Tunisia […]

Housing Associations have no accountability and a 2-year-old has paid the price

The tragic death of Awaab Ishak, the two-year-old killed by exposure to mould, has been described in detail over the last week. We’ve heard of all the complaints made against Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH), the housing association which owned and managed the flat. And yet, the organisation appears to be full of self-congratulation. It boasts […]

Sunak’s flexibility has been curtailed by our undue reverence for the Bank of England

Rishi Sunak will deliver an updated Autumn Statement next week, after Liz Truss’ so-called “mini-budget” triggered her demise. His freedom for manoeuvre has been sharply contained by the new found reverence being accorded to the Bank of England and the Office for Budget Responsibility. The Bank of England has forecast a long recession, which could […]

It’s time to go back to basics and go about fixing our deficit before more tax cuts

As inflation pushes prices further and further up, food has been getting more expensive for some time. But, as the cliche goes, there was never such a thing as a free lunch. This idea, well known among economists, means prosperity depends upon making the effort to raise productivity. These are concepts which Western electorates are […]