Archive for May, 2009
A quasi-democracy?
Posted by Claire Daley in European Union on 20/05/2009
The European Parliament is the only directly elected EU institution, but MEPs are not directly elected.
Human Rights Lawyers to be Given Field-Day in Court by Legal Ruling
Posted by David Conway in Education, Human Rights on 19/05/2009
Yesterday, the Court of Appeal ruled that the Human Rights Act extends to British soldiers serving overseas. As a result of yesterday’s decision, if a British soldier dies while on tour overseas, whether through combat or illness, his or her family will be able to sue the Ministry of Defence for the right to life of their relative having been breached.
What’s so scary about the NHS?
Posted by Laura Brereton in Health on 18/05/2009
As President Obama pushes ahead with his plans to reform healthcare in the United States, announcing a proposal that would vastly expand federal regulation of insurance and the healthcare industry as a whole in order to guarantee all Americans access to affordable coverage, he is facing some equally determined opposition. Conservatives for Patient Rights (CPR), a right-wing advocacy group, last week launched a $500,000 television advertising campaign to promote free-market health care. The campaign’s message? Obama’s proposals could turn the U.S. healthcare system into…the NHS!
Small classes make a big difference
Posted by Anastasia de Waal in Education on 15/05/2009
This week the DCSF showed a rise in the proportion of infant classes with over 30 pupils: a shift from 1.5% to 1.7% since January last year.
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First night of the PROMs
Posted by James Gubb in Health, Uncategorized on 14/05/2009
The HSJ today carries the revelation that the NHS is spending £144m annually carrying out operations on people who either have no significant complaints about their health before surgery or report that their condition is unchanged or worse afterwards. Should we be surprised? Probably not. Read the rest of this entry »
Crucial questions ahead of the 2009 Euro election
Posted by Claire Daley in European Union on 13/05/2009
A debate hosted yesterday by Open Europe asked Does Westminster or Brussels rules Britain? The distinguished panel discussed many aspects of EU politics, including next month’s European parliament election, the Lisbon Treaty and the need for reform in the EU: