Expert insight, analysis and comment on key public policy issues
By Kathryn Oliver Filed Under: All posts Posted:
Ignore middle managers at your peril. They may be central to development and implementation of policy, explains Dr Kathryn Oliver Middle managers are more important than people often think – and that is very true when it comes to influencing and implementing public health policy. In fact, middle managers without a professional training in public […]
When Internet freedom contrasts with a lack of wider political freedom, it may be an indicator of likely revolution, explains Professor Richard Heeks. In April last year I wrote a blog revealing that research showed Ukraine to be the country most likely to undergo a revolution. Given recent events, I was fascinated to look back […]
By Jonny Hankins Filed Under: Science and Technology Posted:
The emerging concept of responsible innovation is already taking hold in science policy and governance, writes Jonny Hankins. He argues for a multi-faced approach that emphasises reflexivity, involves public engagement from the outset and brings on board social scientists. The phrase ‘responsible innovation’ is cropping-up ever more frequently in policy documents in the UK, Europe […]
By Paul Simpson and Kathryn Almack Filed Under: Featured Posted:
Encouraging an LGBT-friendly, or better still, an LGBT-inclusive environment needs to be higher on the agenda in care homes, argue Dr Paul Simpson and Dr Kathryn Almack. If homes were to function more along these lines, they could work more like communities than simply places to live. What if you had lived a life as […]
By Nicola Spurling and Daniel Welch Filed Under: Science and Technology Posted:
A focus on ‘techno-fix’ solutions to climate change like electric cars simply perpetuate current unsustainable practices and represent a failure of ambition, argue Nicola Spurling and Dan Welch. In January David Cameron announced that his cabinet might trade in their limousines for electric cars. It was the latest in a stream of initiatives to promote the […]
By Ewan Munro Filed Under: Europe, Featured Posted:
Former Greek Prime Minster George Papandreou delivered the Manchester Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence’s Annual Lecture, accompanied by two formidable looking bodyguards. Ewan Munro heard him affirm his commitment to the European Project and decry the lack of visionary leadership at the national level. While the Eurozone crisis may have slipped from the front pages […]
By Ruth Lupton Filed Under: Featured Posted:
Last week the government announced its child poverty strategy – but at the same time revealed that, after a year of consultation and consideration, it has still not been able to reach a conclusion on how to measure success. Prof Ruth Lupton explains why the government should stick with the measures it has got. Thanks […]
By David Barnard-Wills Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted:
David Barnard-Wills argues that EU citizens don’t necessarily want to trade their privacy for security – and that policymakers should take their views seriously in determining surveillance practices. Fuelled in part by Edward Snowden’s release of documents revealing NSA and GCHQ surveillance practices, recent months have seen much media coverage of surveillance and European citizens […]
By Nicholas Lord Filed Under: All posts Posted:
It’s been a difficult few years for the UK’s beleaguered Serious Fraud Office (SFO), writes Dr Nicholas Lord. As the authority responsible for the investigation and prosecution of corporate corruption in international business, it’s been blighted by a lack of prosecutions, collapsed cases, failed investigations and data loss. But while the introduction of Deferred Prosecution […]
By Jonathan Hammond Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted:
The potential for Care.data to improve the health of the nation is hard to argue with, writes Jonathan Hammond. But he argues that a lack of patient control, security concerns and a lamentable communications strategy have tarnished the laudable aims of the whole scheme. Let’s start with some facts about Care.data. It is a programme […]