This piece is part of our debate 'The Great British Summer?'.
Anthony Barnett:
I was in Scotland during the Jubilee for a family celebration of Tom Nairn'
The festivities of the ‘Great British Summer’ are steeped in ideas of monarchism, timeless heritage and monoculturalism. What is forgotten are the continually striking encounters of peoples and histories which have made and continue to make the country today.
The festivities around the London Olympics and Diamond Jubilee will paint a picture of a stable, timeless (simultaneously modern) Great Britain. But the Anglo-Britishness it appeals to is far from the present-day reality of contested identity and authority, in which England is preparing to speak.
The Deputy Prime Minister has declared a war on social immobility in Britain. But he is denying the strong relationship with growing income inequality. He should take a leaf out of the Spirit Level book, which has now launched an accompanying campaign.
One arm of the state, the NHS, saves Roseline Akhalu's life. Another, the UK Border Agency, threatens to end it.
Tax avoidance and high interest costs are diverting resources away from healthcare.
As the UK gears up to the Diamond Jubilee and Olympic Games, the 'Great British Summer' is beginning. But behind the pomp and dazzle, big questions loom. What is 'great' and 'British' about these celebrations? Do they belong to the British people? OurKingdom invites you to investigate.
Bringing together the victims of crime and those who have harmed them has been shown to reduce re-offending and bring relief to the sufferers, but Lizzie Nelson says the the UK still lags behind best international practice
The UK Border Agency gave a £30 million contract for housing asylum seekers to G4S, the world's biggest security company. Now vulnerable people are losing their homes.
Government ministers are planning to adopt Singaporean educational practices in English schools. We need to keep in mind that children in Singapore may currently be better at doing sums, but they do not live in an open democracy
