Archive

16th February 2015

Retrenchment, reform, continuity: welfare under the coalition

The coalition’s record on working age social security is reviewed under the headings of continuity (with the policies of the previous government), retrenchment and reform.

4th November 2014

Is government really going to send this nonsense to all taxpayers?

I don't know whether HMRC has yet started sending out the 'tax summaries' which have been widely reported and commented on over the last couple of days. The table here shows why, if they haven't, it would be a good idea to pulp them and start again.

28th September 2014

Big words,thin ice. IDS on worklessness and social housing.

More detail than anyone is likely to want on why Iain Duncan Smith's claims to be 'breaking up 'shameless' housing estates' are about as well-founded as you might expect.

8th July 2014

Housing crisis? What housing crisis?

8th April 2014

Getting things wrong collectively

I wrote the draft article in the linked PDF about four years ago. I'm publishing it now because I think its main argument resonates with some current debates about public attitudes and public perceptions, particularly with regard to poverty.