The Social Care Experts Blog: politics Archives

Centre for Social Justice contradicts Cameron's 'broken Britain' slogan

By Adam McCulloch on April 28, 2010 3:50 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

by Bob Holman

Unlike Margaret Thatcher, David Cameron does acknowledge the existence of
poverty. The credit rests with Iain Duncan Smith whose Centre for Social
Justice (CSJ) contains staff in contact with people in deprived areas.

Continue reading Centre for Social Justice contradicts Cameron's 'broken Britain' slogan.

Politicians should keep out of politics

By Allan Norman on November 3, 2009 8:09 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

by Allan Norman

'Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, "Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement."'

A couple of weeks ago, Conservative MPs criticised the Director or Public Prosecutions, Kier Starmer QC for speaking out in opposition to Conservative proposals to repeal the Human Rights Act. It wasn't in their power to force his resignation, but that is what the home secretary did when Professor David Nutt spoke out in opposition to Labour policy on drugs last week.

It seems our political masters have a shared view that those in public office should keep out of politics. Indeed, faith leaders should keep out of politics too. So should the royal family. The list goes on.

Which begs the questions, what is there that is not political? And who other than politicians in public life is entitled to an opinion?

Continue reading Politicians should keep out of politics.

Is Duncan-Smith benefits plan an end to Conservative welfare bashing?

By Adam McCulloch on September 25, 2009 2:25 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

by Simon Heng

It's party conference season, and, not so long ago, we could rely on the Conservative Party conference to produce some headline-grabbing speeches bashing all of us benefits claimants. We would all be castigated as scroungers, living a life of luxury on the back of other people's labours. But things are changing.

Continue reading Is Duncan-Smith benefits plan an end to Conservative welfare bashing? .

We need more experts by experience

By Adam McCulloch on August 28, 2009 12:34 PM | 1 Comment | No TrackBacks

by Kaarina Elisabeth

Harriet Harman believes that unless women are guaranteed positions in government, we won't get good government. She advocates positive discrimination, already employed for race and gender by various bodies. And it can be a good thing. It makes groups feel their views are represented.

Continue reading We need more experts by experience.

Adult care green paper: split adult services in two

By Adam McCulloch on August 9, 2009 12:07 AM | 3 Comments | No TrackBacks

by Simon Stevens

The green paper lacks clarity for younger adults. To remedy
this, social care for the over-65s should be run separately

I was quite excited when the Department of Health invited me to one of the "big care debate" events in Birmingham, despite the lack of payment. I was, however, shocked when I arrived to find I was the only wheelchair user, yet alone speech-impaired person.
There were certainly few service users in the crowd of professionals and carers. I was also annoyed no lunch was provided after three hours' solid work without a break and there was no consideration of access issues. Although the contents of the meeting looked forward, its execution was a step backward.

Continue reading Adult care green paper: split adult services in two.

The New Claiming Classes: It's time banks and bankers stood on their own two feet

By Simeon Brody on February 17, 2009 11:58 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

by Peter Beresford

As we watch the shops shutting and the jobs going, we are as never before being confronted by the most enormous contradictions in UK PLC. Bank chiefs receive enormous bonuses, after driving us and their businesses into the ground. A government that can't offer a helping hand to 27,000 Woolworth's employees or earlier save Rover, the sole large British car producer, hands over multi-billions, to the same banks, almost unconditionally. It appoints as key advisers to get us out of this mess, some of the very people whose greed and incompetence first got us into it, people like ex-HBOS supremo, Sir James Crosby.

Continue reading The New Claiming Classes: It's time banks and bankers stood on their own two feet.

UN Convention on Human Rights for Disabled People: beware backtracking

By Adam McCulloch on February 5, 2009 10:19 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Hopes for the UN convention in the UK are suffering a setback as the government appears to backtracking on its commitments, writes disability campaigner Simon Heng

In September 2006, our government ratified the United Nations Convention on Human Rights for Disabled People. At the time, this seemed to be a positive thing - Britain was going to be one of the first nations to legally affirm its belief in equality for disabled people - even though it wouldn't be accountable for this until 2025.

Continue reading UN Convention on Human Rights for Disabled People: beware backtracking.

Credit crunch opportunity for green social work

By Adam McCulloch on November 25, 2008 12:20 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

by Helen Bonnick

The government's announcement last month of tougher targets on carbon emissions means we are going to have to do more than switch to low energy light bulbs, turn off the television and use the train instead of the car. We already moan about these measures. In our minds, cutting back means returning to a past age and losing our luxuries. My neighbour summed it up: people won't give up these things - they see them as a right.

Continue reading Credit crunch opportunity for green social work.

Police autonomy is the way forward for social work

By Adam McCulloch on June 24, 2008 5:17 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

by Steve Rogowski

Under New Labour, there have been longstanding concerns in the public services about the amount of bureaucracy and resulting pre-occupation with paperwork, targets and performance indicators. Teachers, police officers, health and social workers all bemoan and question this aspect of their jobs.

Continue reading Police autonomy is the way forward for social work.