by Simeon BrodyThe Labour party conference seems a good time to get all political. So here goes. First up, there's an interesting piece in Liberal Conspiracy about a possible way forward for Labour and the left.
It makes good points about tackling misery in a consumer society:
He suggests a way forward may lie with co-operatives, with which I heartily agree, but also with charities, which I don't agree with. Somehow a reliance on charity, to me has a Victorian feel and an abnegation of state responsibility. Also there are those chuggers and the whole focus on fundraising through making people feel bad.
We are raising another generation of inner-city kids who believe their options are celebrity or worthlessness. By implication, they are saying that they want more from life than a deadly dull job paying £20k a year in a box built on a flood plain with a few consumer goodies and sunny holidays -and they've got a point, haven't they?
And here's a subject close to my heart - working hours. The TUC Touchstone blog reports that the Labour conference voted to end the UK's opt-out from the working time directive. About time, I would say - but will it have an impact on social workers, who often work very long hours indeed?
And should the rich pay more tax? It seems Labour's women are not united on the issue.
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