Election Deposit Racket
If I said to you that you needed to pay £5000 before you could stand for election would you be shocked? Would you feel like democracy only works if you are able to pay? Would you be surprised to know… Continue Reading
I made a mistake and am leaving the Lib Dems
Last year I rejoined the Liberal Democrat’s from the Yorkshire Party. Unlike most people joining the Lib Dem’s I did not rejoin because of the EU referendum. Unusually (it seems so) I joined the most pro-Remain national party even though… Continue Reading
My battle with mental health
I mentioned briefly in my last post, “A new year plea on behalf of those already in the teaching profession” that I was a mental health sufferer. Very few people know this. I’m one of those that have (and to… Continue Reading
A new year plea on behalf of those already in the teaching profession
This is a re-post of a blog piece I wrote on my education site, mrchadburn.co.uk Excellence takes time. It isn’t an instant thing. This is what frustrates me about one of the debates on the future of teaching. Most discussion… Continue Reading
Alternative new year message from an old curmudgeon
As one of, I suspect, a silent majority, I want to deliver an alternative New Year message. I’m not going to wish you a happy new year because, if you are part of the silent majority you won’t appreciate the… Continue Reading
Devolution – United we stand, Divided we fall
This week, it appears, saw the demise of the (certainly for me) detested South Yorkshire Combined Authority Devolution Deal. It broke up in acrimony when, after the non-South Yorkshire councils had already withdrawn, two of the 4 South Yorkshire authorities,… Continue Reading
Mandate
One measure the Conservatives want to push through parliament is where, in a ballot for strike action, a union needs to persuade 50% of its membership before a strike can take place. I don’t want to argue one way or… Continue Reading
Wasted Votes
In my second of three posts on electoral reform, I want to focus on wasted votes. A wasted vote is defined as a vote which does not help elect a candidate. By definition, our first past the post electoral system… Continue Reading
Events Dear Boy
This week saw the anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre. On 16th August 1819 at St Peter’s Field Manchester, cavalry charged a crown of 60-80000 people. They had gathered to protest about a lack of parliamentary reform at the time. Of… Continue Reading
Richard Oastler
Yesterday I visited Brighouse to spend some time with family. We had a drink and a meal in the Wetherspoons pub there which was called “the Richard Oastler”. I’m always intrigued by names from the past which I’ve not heard… Continue Reading