Work experience: does it work?

An economist explains http://notthetreasuryview.blogspot.com/2012/02/work-experience-does-it-work.html?m=1

What does Keynesianism mean?

Complicated but excellent explanation of Keynesianism

http://notthetreasuryview.blogspot.com/2012/01/fiscal-policy-what-does-keynesian-mean.html

Plan A vs Plan B

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9694000/9694710.stm

The Doom Loop

Masterful essay on history of equity, leverage, risk-taking incentives in the banking system. From 19th century to present day. “In evolutionary terms, we have had survival not of the fittest but the fattest.” It’s time for change

http://www.lrb.co.uk/v34/n04/andrew-haldane/the-doom-loop

Constitutional Reform: Is devolution leading to inevitable break up of UK?

This year’s big constitutional development could well be the issue of the fate of the Union.  Has Devolution which was meant to arrest the centrifugal political forces at work within the Union actually have ended up accelerating them?

Very accessible piece by James Macintyre [Political Editor of Prospect Magazine] entitled From Devolution to Indepence in of all places the New York Times which focuses nicely on the question ‘How did it come to this?’ which given that it is written for a US audience gives a clear overview of the issue, its recent origins and possible directions.  He writes:

Today, Salmond is skillfully navigating the biggest test of his long career — a referendum on independence which, according to consistent polls, is still opposed by around half of Scots.

When British Prime Minister David Cameron last month tried to call Salmond’s bluff by demanding an “in or out” poll “sooner rather than later,” he was swiftly outmaneuvered by the S.N.P. leader, who paused for several days, allowed an argument to begin about “Westminster meddling” and then, during Scottish questions in the House of Commons, almost casually announced that 2014 would be the date. That year sees both the Ryder Cup and the Commonwealth Games come to Scotland, and is also the 700th anniversary of Scotland’s victory over England at the battle of Bannockburn.

Now even the staunchest Unionists accept that the breakup of Britain feels inevitable, if not this time then in a few years. Reports of the Union’s demise are not exaggerated.

This follows on a from an earlier article from Prospect - Would the Tories surrender Scotland?

Stephen Lawrence

The 2012 conviction of Gary Dobson and David Norris for the murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993 has allowed the entirety of the case to be closed from the legal perspective, this article from the Telegraph and highlights the huge significance of the case for the British police and legal system and for A2 Politics students.

LIFE IN A YOUNG OFFENDERS INSTITUTION

This piece from The Guardianon life in Ashfield YOI is an excellent read highlighting the complexity of the prison system and the challenges it presents. There’s plenty to take note of, not least the annual cost of locking up Young Offenders which, at £55,000 pa, is vastly in excess of sending a child to Eton

DENNIS SKINNER: THE SYNOPTIC GIFT

The Guardian has an article commemorating the eightieth birthday of Labour MP Dennis Skinner, nicknamed ‘The Beast of Bolsover’. Skinner is a gift to A2 Politics students as his consistent old Labour attitudes have made him an opponent of everything Tory for the last forty years. In addition he has clashed with the New Labour grouping in the Commons over the absence of genuine socialism in their plans. The Comments are worth a look too, as are the quotes

Summer riots and sentencing

A leading prosecutor, Alison Saunders, has argued that the sentences handed down to those caught taking part in the riots of last summer were correct and in line with the guidelines given to judges. An article by Saunders in The Guardian argues that sentences, which were as stiff as four years for attempting to incite a riot on facebook, were in line with the crimes committed and she highlighted the recent prosecution of Adam Khan Ahmadzai, 20 who committed 16 different offences. Either burglary, robbery, violent disorder or egging on the crowd. This is a nice story for arguing that judges have retained their independence in spite of government pressure.