Tuesday, November 23, 2010
THE PICKLE PROJECT
After reflecting on "The Pickle We're In", or The Big Society Pickle, and the particular pickle in which New Localism and Eric Pickles find themselves, I discovered this rather wonderful blog called "The Pickle Project": http://pickleproject.blogspot.com Pass the Pickles Please !
SOME ADVICE FOR GETTING OUT OF A PICKLE
I have some sympathy for the Prime Minister's former Enterprise Adviser, Lord Young (now 78). The business banking adviser in my local branch of one of the UK major financial institutions expressed similar sentiments to those of the good Lord, to the effect that most people have never had it so good and what's all the fuss about. Indeed, I'm sure that many people, by reason of some insulation from the wider world - wealth, stupidity, some combination of the two, university vice-chancellors, people who run "difficult conversation" workshops for the Cabinet Office etc, etc - feel the same. The question is do we want such people running, or helping to run, the country or advising businesses on their banking. No, but they will continue to do so.
This is precisely why it is important that politicians, business people and bureaucrats are constantly reality-checked, and every citizen should regard this function as a basic duty. So last week I wrote, for the second time, to Bob Neill, the Minister for Local Government and Planning: please see http://janetmackinnon.wordpress.com/
My letter was prompted by a legal judgement against the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, to the effect that his over-hasty abolition of Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS) earlier in the year was unlawful. I anticipated this judgement, although - and I'm sure that Mr Pickles would agree with me - the law can be just as much of an ass as anyone else. In fact, Mr Bob Neill may well be right when he describes this judgment against the Secretary of State as a Pyrrhic Victory for house-builders. My legal verdict, which may be as good as that of anyone else, is that whilst the Pickles was "ultra vires" in his abolition of the RSS, the development targets set during the previous administration's revision of these are a matter of government policy, which has now been superseded.
This is precisely why it is important that politicians, business people and bureaucrats are constantly reality-checked, and every citizen should regard this function as a basic duty. So last week I wrote, for the second time, to Bob Neill, the Minister for Local Government and Planning: please see http://janetmackinnon.wordpress.com/
My letter was prompted by a legal judgement against the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, to the effect that his over-hasty abolition of Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS) earlier in the year was unlawful. I anticipated this judgement, although - and I'm sure that Mr Pickles would agree with me - the law can be just as much of an ass as anyone else. In fact, Mr Bob Neill may well be right when he describes this judgment against the Secretary of State as a Pyrrhic Victory for house-builders. My legal verdict, which may be as good as that of anyone else, is that whilst the Pickles was "ultra vires" in his abolition of the RSS, the development targets set during the previous administration's revision of these are a matter of government policy, which has now been superseded.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF PRUDENCE
Whilst trying to calculate the expenditure by UK Universities on property development and construction projects under the previous government, I came across an interesting paper by the Oxford Professor Avner Offer subtitled "The Political Economy of Prudence 1870-2000". Although the paper didn't deal with the period in which I am most interested, its exploration of the "political competition" between private and public control of services such as housing, health, transport and other infrastructure is instructive, and an addendum for 2000 to the present day would be very welcome. The original paper was published by Nuffield College Oxford in 2002.
In the meantime, the real political economy of prudence, or perhaps the political economy of real prudence, is definitely something worth valuable consideration. This isn't intended as an Irish joke, although, for my money, the mare called Prudence may have already bolted.
In the meantime, the real political economy of prudence, or perhaps the political economy of real prudence, is definitely something worth valuable consideration. This isn't intended as an Irish joke, although, for my money, the mare called Prudence may have already bolted.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
UNIVERSITY TUITION FEES - MY POSITION
Over the weekend I was greeted by a dog bearing a remarkable resemblance to Kanellos, "The Famous Greek Riot Dog", in the car park of a rural village hall. However, the owner assured me that his hound is a law-abiding British citizen...and so am I. Therefore, I want to clarify my position on university tuition fees.
First of all, the bad guys (and girls) in this case are fat cat British Vice Chancellors and other expensive university suits who have been responsible, along with the previous New Labour Government, for the unsustainable expansion of the further education sector. To put it bluntly, many universities have unaffordable overheads and these have contributed more than anything to the proposed rise in tuition fees.
I do not, however, agree with the proposed rise. Instead, I would suggest that universities need to substantially reduce their overheads through a programme of asset - primarily land and building - disposal and improved management. Cutting administrative costs is also necessary, as well as a re-focusing on their "core business" of education and research. Spin-off enterprises should be precisely that.
Students, and prospective ones, should also bear in mind that the pension entitlements of some of the very staff who accompanied them on their march last week are also a contributory factor in the cash crisis faced by many universities. Extending the retirement age for those in a profession well suited to the older worker would therefore seem a good idea.
I make the above comments as someone who enjoyed a university degree funded by the state - but which didn't create a career path - and who subsequently self-funded a part-time masters degree, whilst working full-time. This led to better paid positions and professional training paid for by employers. I was by then thirty years old and had experienced two major economic recessions.
First of all, the bad guys (and girls) in this case are fat cat British Vice Chancellors and other expensive university suits who have been responsible, along with the previous New Labour Government, for the unsustainable expansion of the further education sector. To put it bluntly, many universities have unaffordable overheads and these have contributed more than anything to the proposed rise in tuition fees.
I do not, however, agree with the proposed rise. Instead, I would suggest that universities need to substantially reduce their overheads through a programme of asset - primarily land and building - disposal and improved management. Cutting administrative costs is also necessary, as well as a re-focusing on their "core business" of education and research. Spin-off enterprises should be precisely that.
Students, and prospective ones, should also bear in mind that the pension entitlements of some of the very staff who accompanied them on their march last week are also a contributory factor in the cash crisis faced by many universities. Extending the retirement age for those in a profession well suited to the older worker would therefore seem a good idea.
I make the above comments as someone who enjoyed a university degree funded by the state - but which didn't create a career path - and who subsequently self-funded a part-time masters degree, whilst working full-time. This led to better paid positions and professional training paid for by employers. I was by then thirty years old and had experienced two major economic recessions.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
FURTHER EDUCATION - NOT FOREVER 21
Forever 21, yet another "young" high street store opened in Birmingham's Bull Ring yesterday. The city boasts the youngest population in Europe in a region which still claims chronic labour shortages. Nevertheless, the young shoppers, who looked very much like the student marchers of earlier in the week, formed an orderly procession as they waited for their next consumer fix. It was clearly this kind of behaviour that police had anticipated in London.
There was, however, more than one difference between yesterday's queues and the storming of Conservative Party HQ: participants in the London disorder were predominantly white, and - notwithstanding any subsequent claims by the Whitechapel Anarchist Group - likely to be mostly middle class. One can interpret this as either a cascading down of upper class/public school yobbishness, a sort of Bullingdon Club rampage for the masses, or an ascent upwards of the kind of behaviour expected of so-called lower class Chavs.
My perception of the group of people likely to have participated in last Tuesday's disorder, as distinct from those who may have instigated it, is that they came from "Middle England", either earlier in the morning or at the beginning of the university term, with no thought of conducting themselves in the manner that transpired. Indeed their lack of ability to think for themselves made them vulnerable to the kind of pack mentality which subsequently erupted.
This doesn't say much for our post-16 education system, or perhaps it does. For far from encouraging what the Coalition Education Secretary, the Conservative Michael Gove, has called "deep thinking", the British system seems to encourage precisely the opposite. For in reality it is the unsustainable growth of the this system - and of universities in particular - and its especially unaffordable building programmes, which has led to the escalation in costs now reflected in the rising price of further education.
In short, Britain has too many young people in full-time education, particularly at university, and too many foreign students. The main beneficiary of this situation appears to be the retail sector, the ever burgeoning number of high street and online outlets serving the youth market, together with associated media services which market and promote "fast fashion" and cheap consumer goods, including BBC WM who advertised the opening of Birmingham's "Forever 21" yesterday.
So Wise Up Young People, You Have Nothing To Lose But Your Retail Chains !
There was, however, more than one difference between yesterday's queues and the storming of Conservative Party HQ: participants in the London disorder were predominantly white, and - notwithstanding any subsequent claims by the Whitechapel Anarchist Group - likely to be mostly middle class. One can interpret this as either a cascading down of upper class/public school yobbishness, a sort of Bullingdon Club rampage for the masses, or an ascent upwards of the kind of behaviour expected of so-called lower class Chavs.
My perception of the group of people likely to have participated in last Tuesday's disorder, as distinct from those who may have instigated it, is that they came from "Middle England", either earlier in the morning or at the beginning of the university term, with no thought of conducting themselves in the manner that transpired. Indeed their lack of ability to think for themselves made them vulnerable to the kind of pack mentality which subsequently erupted.
This doesn't say much for our post-16 education system, or perhaps it does. For far from encouraging what the Coalition Education Secretary, the Conservative Michael Gove, has called "deep thinking", the British system seems to encourage precisely the opposite. For in reality it is the unsustainable growth of the this system - and of universities in particular - and its especially unaffordable building programmes, which has led to the escalation in costs now reflected in the rising price of further education.
In short, Britain has too many young people in full-time education, particularly at university, and too many foreign students. The main beneficiary of this situation appears to be the retail sector, the ever burgeoning number of high street and online outlets serving the youth market, together with associated media services which market and promote "fast fashion" and cheap consumer goods, including BBC WM who advertised the opening of Birmingham's "Forever 21" yesterday.
So Wise Up Young People, You Have Nothing To Lose But Your Retail Chains !
Thursday, November 11, 2010
KANELLOS & THE STORMING OF 30 MILLBANK
The spirit of Kanellos, the famous "Greek Riot Dog", appeared to have joined yesterday's protests by student and university lecturers against proposals to raise tuition fees.
I'm rather surprised that this wasn't anticipated by classical scholar - albeit more of Rome than Greece - Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London
As a consequence, a truly British farce ensued with the occupation of Conservative Party HQ by protesters, whilst "Military Intelligence" officials in a nearby building locked themselves in.
One can only suppose that "The Dogfather" of London and his advisers presumed that the consumer values of most young Brits cannot produce "good old fashioned" anarchy.
I'm rather surprised that this wasn't anticipated by classical scholar - albeit more of Rome than Greece - Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London
As a consequence, a truly British farce ensued with the occupation of Conservative Party HQ by protesters, whilst "Military Intelligence" officials in a nearby building locked themselves in.
One can only suppose that "The Dogfather" of London and his advisers presumed that the consumer values of most young Brits cannot produce "good old fashioned" anarchy.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
THE CHINA SYNDROME
This week's visit to China by the UK Prime Minister and leading members of the Coalition Government has inevitably raised the issue of human rights, and how these should be handled.
However, the issue is much more entangled than some in Britain might wish, for contemporary China is as much a creation of western consumption patterns, including our insatiable appetites for cheap consumer goods, as it is of communist state capitalism.
Moreover, the West's own record on human rights issues, following the US-UK led intervention in Iraq in 2003, is also currently open to question.
The Chinese interpretation of "human rights" is certainly one that would not be widely countenanced in Western democracies. Nevertheless, for the billions of very poor people in the world, China's development model may be preferred to, say, that of India.
Human population management, something which India has largely rejected in recent years, has certainly played a key role in lifting millions of people out of poverty in China.
Yet the present vulnerability of China to those very Western market forces which have enabled its apparent economic miracle in the past 20 years suggest that this achievement remains precarious and perhaps unsustainable.
There is also the more important underlying question of environmental sustainability in the context of Chinese "growth", and whether this may yet trigger a crisis of Gaian magnitude.
What is certainly needed in this context is freedom of expression, but any criticism of China should bear in mind that there are some subjects in Britain and the West which are still very much politically "off-limits", including resource consumption and population management.
However, the issue is much more entangled than some in Britain might wish, for contemporary China is as much a creation of western consumption patterns, including our insatiable appetites for cheap consumer goods, as it is of communist state capitalism.
Moreover, the West's own record on human rights issues, following the US-UK led intervention in Iraq in 2003, is also currently open to question.
The Chinese interpretation of "human rights" is certainly one that would not be widely countenanced in Western democracies. Nevertheless, for the billions of very poor people in the world, China's development model may be preferred to, say, that of India.
Human population management, something which India has largely rejected in recent years, has certainly played a key role in lifting millions of people out of poverty in China.
Yet the present vulnerability of China to those very Western market forces which have enabled its apparent economic miracle in the past 20 years suggest that this achievement remains precarious and perhaps unsustainable.
There is also the more important underlying question of environmental sustainability in the context of Chinese "growth", and whether this may yet trigger a crisis of Gaian magnitude.
What is certainly needed in this context is freedom of expression, but any criticism of China should bear in mind that there are some subjects in Britain and the West which are still very much politically "off-limits", including resource consumption and population management.
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
ROCKET SCIENCE & THE GOLD STANDARD
The World Bank suggestion that a return to "The Gold Standard" should be 
considered comes at a time when rocket science is undergoing a renaissance: that is real rocket science rather than the kind deployed in recent years by banks, and largely responsible for the global financial crisis. We should also remind ourselves that much of Britain's reserves of gold were sold by "No more boom and bust" Brown when Chancellor of the Exchequer on the advice of his own personal rocket scientist, Ed Balls, when in fact both men were ill-equipped to run the proverbial "p.ss up in a brewery".
considered comes at a time when rocket science is undergoing a renaissance: that is real rocket science rather than the kind deployed in recent years by banks, and largely responsible for the global financial crisis. We should also remind ourselves that much of Britain's reserves of gold were sold by "No more boom and bust" Brown when Chancellor of the Exchequer on the advice of his own personal rocket scientist, Ed Balls, when in fact both men were ill-equipped to run the proverbial "p.ss up in a brewery".
Friday, November 05, 2010
BBC: IT'S ALL COMING OUT IN THE WASH !
I was actually grateful for the British National Union of Journalists strike (about pensions) this morning, which meant that the BBC Radio 4's prime time "Today" was replaced by an interesting nature programme about "The Wash", a large estuary in the East of England. This comes on a day when former Countryfile presenter Miriam O'Reilly takes the Corporation "to court" for unfair dismissal on the grounds that she had too many wrinkles for high-definition television. Countryfile had a "face lift" a couple of years ago, and number of older presenters had to leave when the programme moved to a prime time slot. When are women in their prime I wonder.
Monday, November 01, 2010
RALLY TO RESTORE SANITY IN UNITED STATES
The Rally to Restore Sanity in Washington over the weekend is a reminder of the Roman festival of Saturnalia*. Aimed at overheated political debate and laziness in the media, according to today's Guardian newspaper, we could very much do with a rally over here.
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturnalia
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturnalia
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