'Council democracy' - reform must begin with the local

Ivo Mosley 22 May 2013

Arendt, Jefferson and Maitland are three great thinkers who all shared a passion for the power of local democracy, its ability to bridge the distance of representation. As our political system breaks down, it's an idea we must consider once again.

Outsourcer Nick Buckles retires at 52, a multimillionaire

Clare Sambrook 21 May 2013

Security company G4S and its executives have got rich dismantling public services.

Not everyone can be a world citizen

Bridget Byrne 21 May 2013

Recent calls for 'renewed' identities in the UK mean little so long as they fail to assess the role of the state in a multicultural society. Certainly, a fundamental recognition is needed: that it is easier to be a global citizen when you are confident in the fulfilment of your rights as a national citizen.

The Great Tax Robbery - reviewed

Chris Hill 20 May 2013

Private Eye's Richard Brooks has released a new book, The Great Tax Robbery, reviewed here by a former colleague. How did HMRC come to be 'captured' by big money, and why is government doing so little to correct it?

Glass ceiling and rock bottom: women in 2013 Britain

Dawn Foster 20 May 2013

Gender equality is on the rise amongst the British elite. But outside of this bubble, women are suffering disproportionately from austerity and its fall-out.

Why politicians can’t be honest about the EU

Damian Hockney 20 May 2013

Responding to Stuart Weir's recent article, Damian Hockney says the EU's supposed benefits are as illusory as the supposed damages the UK would suffer from leaving.

Nigel Farage, the Scottish debate and the future of Europe

Gerry Hassan 19 May 2013

UKIP's rise is the clearest sign yet of the crisis of Britain as a progressive, liberal project. Nigel Farage's trip to Scotland and his prickly reception helps us understand the difference between the UKIP and Scottish independence projects.

The British legal profession has a duty to help ensure justice for all

Geoffrey Bindman 17 May 2013

Legal aid and Law Centres are under threat in the UK, along with the principle of equal access to justice. Geoffrey Bindman QC says it's time for the legal profession to dig into their pockets and help meet the gap in state funding. This week's Friday Essay.

Scotland and the EU: a tale of two referenda

Gerry Hassan 16 May 2013

Scotland's place in the Union, Britain's place in the EU. Two referenda are on the horizon, but the debates around each are strangely divorced from each other.

UK Immigration Courts: fresh observations from the Public Gallery

Bill MacKeith and Bridget Walker 16 May 2013

Two years ago trained members of the public attending immigration bail hearings published their first report, "A Travesty of Justice". Today the Bail Observation Project reports again. Unfairness and lack of due process persist.

Champagne for Serco shareholders, 23 hour lock-ins for Serco prisoners

Clare Sambrook 15 May 2013

Serco shareholders gather in the City of London today to celebrate financial success. Just across the river, Britain's newest private prison HMP Thameside, run by Serco, is failing.

A republican call for a basic income

Daniel Raventos and Julie Wark 15 May 2013

Republicanism offers a persuasive guide to the political shaping of markets. A basic income could be the foundation of a democratic republican economy that frees all citizens from the commodification of labour.

Debate: Britain and the EU – Is the UK leading the way or running away?

Vieuws - the EU policy broadcaster 15 May 2013

Watch the debate with Graham Watson MEP (ALDE Group Leader) and Martin Callanan MEP (ECR Group Leader), moderated by Peter O’Donnell, covering many of the key issues for debate. What would Britain actually lose?

G4S asylum-housing fiasco descends into farce

John Grayson 15 May 2013

Things aren't going well in the UK's new asylum housing 'market' that is dominated by the world's biggest security company. Now G4S threatens to evict an asylum-seeker because G4S has failed to pay her rent. Are public services safe in its hands?

The new normal: housing and protest in Britain

Deborah Padfield 14 May 2013

Action is stirring in response to the country-wide housing crisis. Severe shortage and cuts to housing benefits leave the UK struggling to put roofs over heads. Some local authorities and tenant groups are trying to rebel; they need concerted support.

Restating Scotland

Restating Scotland

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OurNHS

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Democratic Wealth

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Thatcher's legacy

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G4S: securing whose world?

G4S - securing whose world? Image of security camera focused on G4S

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Re-birth of the nation?

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Devalue or Else!

Roj, Flickr

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Can Europe Make It?

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