Opinion

One of the key messages that never came through in the run-up to the referendum is that Britain can not expect to influence the political makeup of the EU if it decides to leave the bloc. For me, the vote to leave was always a war on two fronts. The remainers battled on economic grounds, which we can only enjoy within the EU, and the leavers battled on political grounds, which we can also only influence if we're in the...

Money is a funny thing in education. Much like the emergency services, the big money rarely reaches the most useful areas. The government has now had the wizard idea of making raising standards even harder by slashing school budgets; since the largest chunk of any school’s budget is staffing, this means it’ll be the staffers who feel the pinch – by which, of course, we don’t mean senior management, as they look after themselves very nicely, thank-you. Some support staff...

In the early days of Margaret Thatcher’s tenure as Prime Minister a sociological phenomenon dubbed the "Basildon man" came into existence to describe the archetypal Thatcher supporter that had previously been expected to vote Labour. The Basildon Man was at the heart of her political machine, denoting aspirational voters who eschewed notions of working class solidarity in favour of personal self-promotion. Last week history repeated itself in Copeland - where voters looked less towards togetherness and more towards hope. If the...

Honouring Sir Gerald Kaufman MP who has died aged 86, many tributes today mention the pugnacity as well as intellectual might, influence, length of career, kindness and concern for those most marginalised by society of the outspoken former frontbencher. The controversial Labour was unafraid to tell truth to power even if that occasionally meant embarrassing powerful officials who came before the committees he served in, figures in his own party, or sometimes fellow members of Britain's Jewish community with whom he...

By Jacqui Hunt, Europe Office Director at Equality Now On average two women a week in England and Wales die at the hand of their current or former male partner, and around 85,000 women are raped every year, according to Home Office and Office of National Statistics data. This Friday, the UK government has the opportunity to lead the way on protecting women and girls’ against violence - both in the UK and on the global stage – by voting to...

Trust UKIP to get us out of the EU, Labour wants to keep you in, a poster reads on the streets of Stoke on Trent in preparation for today's crucial by-election. Despite UKIP been entangled in a Paul Nuttall fiasco and Labour imposing a  three-line whip on their MPs to vote in favour of the Brexit bill it's clear the issue at the heart of the Brexit capital remains Europe and Britain's exit thereof. If buyers regret seems prevalent in...

By William Makower, Founder Trustee of The National Funding Scheme We British are generous when it comes to giving to charity; something that we should rightly celebrate. In fact a recent report ranks the UK as 1st in Europe and 7th in the world. Supporting this effort are a number of public bodies and organisations that promote effective giving. The Office of Civil Society is the Government department tasked with encouraging giving and volunteering whilst Charities Aid Foundation (founded by the...

By Keith Fernett, Chief Executive of Caritas Anchor House Homelessness and social action charity Caritas Anchor House has finished the construction of its 25 move-on flats for previously homeless people. Caritas Anchor House is a residential and life skills centre for single homeless adults, in the London Borough of Newham, which provides a home and support to up to 250 homeless people each year. By providing education, guidance and personal rehabilitation, they work to ensure each individual grows in confidence and...

By John Baguley, the Chair of the International Fundraising Consultancy With fundraisers following bankers onto the naughty step, uncertainty over the effect of Brexit on accessing funds from Europe, and a new draconian fundraising regulatory regime set up to curb aggressive fundraising techniques, 2016 will definitely go down as annus horribilis for the not-for-profit sector. Public confidence in charities was damaged, fundraisers were concerned about income levels dropping off proverbial cliffs, and charity services to the vulnerable were hacked cut....