Press Regulation: Just a Problem of Enforcement?
It’s become a common refrain that the problem with press ethics in Britain was enforcement. The PCC didn’t ‘have teeth’, it ‘lacked the power’ to do anything about press abuses, … Continue reading
Privatisation: A (Very) Brief History
Back on the topic of privatisation, here’s a short historical overview by Richard Seymour for the Guardian. Brings into focus the point I was making about the need to strike … Continue reading
Is tax avoidance a reason to drop the 50p rate?
The argument we are offered for dropping the 50p rate is that it encourages tax avoidance. That’s the point Osborne made today: A 50p tax rate can only be justified … Continue reading
Public Ownership, Private Ownership and Instrinsic Bads and Goods
“David Cameron unveils plan to sell off the roads”. This, then, is the latest in a series of ‘sell-offs’ announced by the government including hospitals, and only earlier this month … Continue reading
Update on Riots, Walkabout with the Police, More to Come
Another piece up on WNYC’s It’s A Free Country blog, an update plus some reactions from police I spoke to on the streets last night. It includes a fantastic map IAFC’s … Continue reading
Riots: The Changing Picture
So, I’m up late trying to get a sense of what is going on at the moment, largely from confused and contradictory reports on Twitter, following the #londonriots hashtag. TV … Continue reading
Privates, the Press, and Public Life
In the midst of all this coverage of phone hacking, I forgot that I actually wrote a piece for Oh Comely on political journalism and privacy a few months ago. … Continue reading
In an era of WikiLeaks and LulzSec, phone hacking is a blast from the past
As we watch events in Parliament unfold today, it’s worth bearing two things in mind: 1. This is the first public investigation into phone hacking, but we know it won’t … Continue reading
Brown’s “Presbyterian” Hypocrisy
I’ve seen a few opinions on The Telegraph‘s site criticising Brown for his performance in the Commons yesterday, particularly concerning his claims that he both lacked a “cosy” relationship with … Continue reading
New piece on WNYC – London is Burning, but Austerity Measures Aren’t to Blame
New piece up on WNYC’s political blog It’s A Free Country – it’s a response to the coverage of riots and the tendency to view looters as protesters: In a … Continue reading →