All posts – Page 69

Ethnic inequalities in health – policy paralysis and the need to be ambitious

By James Nazroo Filed Under: All posts, Ethnicity, Featured Posted: February 5, 2015

How and why does policy continue to fail to address inequalities in health? asks Professor James Nazroo. A recent report on inequalities in health, commissioned by the British Academy, brought together responses to the question, “What one policy could make a difference if implemented at a local level?” The context was, of course, local government, […]

Nigeria’s Elections – 2015

By Bala Yusuf Yunusa Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted: February 4, 2015

With Nigeria due to go to the polls later this month Bala Yusuf Yunusa, of the Brooks World Poverty Institute at The University of Manchester, explores the impact the result may have on Nigeria’s international relations and particularly relations with the UK. Trade between the two nations is worth £8b a year. Bala has previously […]

Should We Welcome “Three-Parent Babies”?

By Iain Brassington Filed Under: All posts, Featured, Science and Technology, Westminster Watch Posted: February 3, 2015

The House of Commons voted for a small but significant change in the law when it expressed its approval for the legalisation of mitochondrial transfer. Iain Brassington, Senior Lecturer, in the School of Law at The University of Manchester explores the issues the debate hinged on and whether the right decision was made. Mitochondrial illnesses arise […]

Socio-economic inequalities widening again in English schools: The story behind the 2014 GCSE results.

By Ruth Lupton Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted: January 30, 2015

Publication of the 2014 GCSE results has highlighted a worrying decline in academic performance by poorer children, say Ruth Lupton and Stephanie Thomson from The University of Manchester. Yesterday’s release of the 2014 GCSE results, showing a fall in overall achievement and a doubling of the number of schools not meeting the government’s floor target, […]

Greece- The shape of things to come

By Dimitris Papadimitriou Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted: January 27, 2015

In the aftermath of the Greek general election, which put SYRIZA, an anti-austerity left wing party, into power in coalition with far-right Independent Greeks, Dimitris Papadimitriou Professor of European politics at The University of Manchester, explores the situation and assess the possible impact. So, there you have it! Greek bailout politics have come full circle. […]

‘Neither Unified, Nor Uniform – So What Civil Service for the Twenty-First Century?

By Francesca Gains and Dave Richards Filed Under: All posts, Featured, Whitehall Watch Posted: January 26, 2015

In the final part of our special series on the Civil Service, Francesca Gains and Dave Richards sum up the debate and assess the future of the service during a period of great change. The most striking theme to emerge from the Policy@Manchester series of Civil Service ‘stocking-taking’ blogs by Martin Stanley and Colin Talbot […]

Civil Service Accountability to the Public Part III

By Martin Stanley Filed Under: All posts, Whitehall Watch Posted: January 23, 2015

In the latest blog in our series on the Civil Service , Martin Stanley continues his examination of whether senior officials should be more accountable – especially to MPs – for the advice that they give to Ministers. Whatever the strength of the arguments for and against greater civil service accountability, there does seem to […]

Tolstoy’s River – Why pro-Europeans need to be braver

By Michael Welsh Filed Under: All posts, Europe Posted: January 22, 2015

As the anti -EU movement grows, ex Conservative MEP for Lancashire Central Michael Welsh, argues those in the pro-EU camp need to be braver when arguing their case, if Britain is to continue to play its part in the world. In the concluding chapters of War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy compares the course of history […]

Civil Service Accountability to the Public

By Martin Stanley Filed Under: All posts, Whitehall Watch Posted: January 14, 2015

In the second of our series of posts exploring the corridors of power in Whitehall, former senior civil servant and public sector chief executive Martin Stanley discusses how we are governed and the tensions between the needs of Ministers, MPs and the wider public. The electorate clearly believe that ‘the Westminster Village’ is incompetent and/or […]

Drug policy: Time for change?

By Michael Donmall Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted: January 9, 2015

After four people are suspected to have been killed by tablets that may have been thought to be ecstasy over the festive season, Michael Donmall, of the National Drug Evidence Centre at The University of Manchester writes about the dangers of keeping recreational drugs illegal and calls for controlled availability of tested products. Recent deaths […]