Since Wednesday’s CSR announcement much has been said and written about whether the proposed changes in public spending are “fair” or otherwise. Nick Clegg in particular has gone on the offensive and attacked the IFS for drawing the conclusion that the CSR measures are regressive, below the top […]
In Self-denying … and self-defeating I offered some alternative readings of why the LibDems seemed to be willing to concede so much ground to the Tories, and what the consequences might be for the chances of success in the AV vote. In response to the version posted over […]
In 1927 the American Jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes stated that “Taxes are what we pay for civilized society”. That is sometimes rendered slightly more catchily as “Taxes are the price we pay for civilization”. This observation seems entirely apposite in the context of current debates over how to […]
[Originally posted on Liberal Democrat Voice, 21/10/10] It may have been a “miserable little compromise” back in April but AV would now appear to be the big prize. The coalition has to hold together, whatever the cost, at least long enough to allow a vote on electoral reform. […]
The online reaction from LibDem supporters to the Browne report on Higher Education funding, at Liberal Democrat Voice (LDV) and elsewhere, has been intriguing. And, depending on your perspective, encouraging. Following the General Election many of the blog posts over on the public areas at LDV have been […]
In his speech to the Tory party conference yesterday David Cameron used the argument that “it’s fair those with broader shoulders should bear a greater load” as justification for the removal of child benefit from higher earners. The appeal to “broader shoulders” is one of those statements that […]
The Chancellor’s proposal to cap total benefit entitlement at average income is just too dispiriting for words. If any coherent thought lies behind it I’d be surprised. If it is nothing more than pandering to the more rabid elements of the Tory faithful at party conference then that would […]
[Originally posted on Liberal Democrat Voice, 28/09/10] When the Big Society entered mainstream political debate a few short months ago the concept was relatively vague. Many people no doubt grasped that it was something to do with what government was or wasn’t going to do. And what we […]
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