Late last week it was announced that NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), the body that deals with organ donations, is exploring barring relatives of registered organ donors from overriding donor’s wishes in the event of their deaths – currently, this happens in at least 13% of cases. This announcement of course comes on the heels… [Read More]
It’s all rather confusing. Two weeks ago, I wrote about the launch of a new Europhile campaign, ‘Our Biggest Market’. It was supported by the Europhile organisations ‘Business for New Europe’ and ‘British Influence’, whose memberships seem identical. Supporters included Danny Alexander, Lord Mandelson and Vince Cable.
Portugal’s two-party coalition government appears to be cracking under the strain of the austerity measures set out in the €78bn bailout package agreed in May 2011.The resignation of Portugal’s Finance Minister Vitor Gaspar early this month, shortly followed by the resignation of the Foreign Minister Paulo Portas, signalled the beginning of political meltdown for the… [Read More]
HMIP reports critical of Feltham find that, with too many violent offenders in one place, violence is not being satisfactorily controlled.
Future economic historians may judge this particular week to have been of seminal importance. This is the week the mass-market retailer Maplin announced that it would start selling a 3D printer, the Velleman K8200, for £700. A potentially revolutionary technology will be put in the hands of consumers. A 3D printer literally allows objects to… [Read More]
Friday saw the 65th anniversary of the founding of the NHS, a date marked in different ways by the health and political worlds last week. Civitas released a new report, After Francis, reviewing current evidence on NHS performance, the mood of the reform debate this year and how the service could go forward.
Parliament had its first chance to debate James Wharton MP’s private member’s bill, which proposes a referendum on European Union membership for 2017. Since such a referendum would be in the next parliament, the substance of Wharton’s bill is effectively meaningless – it’s constitutionally impossible to ‘bind’ a future parliament.
Lithuania has now taken over the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union. It is the first time a Baltic state has ever held the 6-month Presidency. The outgoing Irish Presidency can give itself a pat on the back, having overseen the overwhelmingly complex task of securing an agreement on the EU Budget… [Read More]
Tomorrow is the 65th anniversary of the founding of the National Health Service. However, while a respected part of British national life and rightly lauded for its core principles, this year the service has faced considerable tumult; the fallout of Mid Staffordshire and the Francis report, investigations into high mortality at 14 other trusts, Morecambe… [Read More]
Kent police have been criticised for behaviour more related to meeting targets than to good policing.