Is Matt Hancock needing a boot camp for compassion?

By Lucette Davies

Our society has developed quite an unpleasant attitude towards claimants of welfare.  The media and government have joined forces in a propaganda campaign that has been remarkably successful.  We have all heard about the neighbours who won’t open their bedroom curtains until midday, or the man with the walking stick who throws it into the back of his car and goes jogging every morning. Many people will talk about how dreadful it is that so many people are ‘welfare dependent’ or ‘just want something for nothing’. But the reality is somewhat different and people who eye welfare claimants with an air of disdain have seriously got their head in the clouds.  Many people are paying a high price for this fantasy of greedy, lazy, deceitful claimants living in every British town and city.

Is globalisation at the root of Islamist extremism?

 By Ruth Manning

I recently held a conversation with a 12 year old boy. I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. As is a common dream of many young boys, he told me he wanted to play football for Chelsea. However, he quickly stated that his second choice would be to study law in Cambridge University and become a lawyer. It transpired that his reasons for choosing Cambridge boiled down to his belief that he would earn a higher wage by having a degree from Cambridge University. At 12 years old this boy fully understood that a degrees worth was dependent on its origin. This indicates that people today are more aware of the competitive lifestyle which characterises modern day life at a far younger age compared to previous generations.

Why the young should vote on May 7th

By Eddie Saint-Jean

Latest figures show that Labour is the most popular party among younger voters at 32% followed by The Greens on 22% with the Conservatives close behind. However, it has been argued that Government statisticians are aware of the falling youth vote.  This falling turn out has made the government feel able to formulate policies that are damaging for 18-24 year olds without having to worry about losing their vote. In this age bracket just 56% of people will go out and vote, moreover only 60% of them are registered to do so compared with  92% of the wider population. So is youth apathy sabotaging their own progress in British society?

Young people have the power to decide the result of May’s election

By Edward Sawyer

Following the rise in tuition fees and the slash of the EMA allowance, it’s hardly surprising the majority of young people feel let down by public policy. Ed Sawyer explores the complexities of engaging the younger generation in politics.

Stabbings by young people in London attract little media attention

By Lucette Davies

The problem of knife crime in London does not seem to be getting much media attention, simply because murders and injuries happen in London so often they are not consider news.

But could this lack of media attention mean that we are ignoring a very desperate situation that actually needs a greater awareness within our society at every level?

 

 

 

The arguments for and against the decriminalisation of cannabis

By Lucette Davies

As some American states are now relaxing the legislation that prohibits the uses and sale of cannabis people are starting to predict that this will be a trend that is reflected in other countries.

It seems that there are many people who have very strong views on this subject, but it has been hard to find anyone who can give an analysis of both the pros and cons of this change in legislation.