Where is this year going? Way back on Jan 7 Jeremy Corbyn (remember him?) asked in the House of Commons ‘where is the Prime Minister?’ In reply, Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary since 2019, replied ‘The Prime Minister is busy running the country’. If only that were true. It is another of those myths which … Continue reading Running the country
Asking about #130story
I first wrote about #130story back in January 2018 by which time the idea was already over three years old. I am writing about it again as a number of people have asked me about it, presumably on the back of my attempts. I felt it would be good to help cast the net wider. … Continue reading Asking about #130story
We should be paying more for goods
Like a hamster on a wheel we are running faster and faster to stay where we are. For businesses to be successful they need to sell more. To sell more they have to be cheaper and to be cheaper they have to manufacture at a lower cost. Common wisdom says that to make something cheaper … Continue reading We should be paying more for goods
What is so good about sovereignty?
During the whole in/out of the European Union debate the question of sovereignty has repeatedly raised its head, but what does it mean and why is it so important? It is a word that seems to be self-fulfilling in that sovereignty is the ‘Supremacy of authority or rule as exercised by a sovereign or sovereign … Continue reading What is so good about sovereignty?
North of Tyne Mayor’s event
It was my first time ever at the Queens’ Hall in Hexham. I hope it’s not my last as it is an impressive building and a great place for the performing arts. The reason I was there was for the North of Tyne Mayor’s question time. This is the first time that I have ever … Continue reading North of Tyne Mayor’s event
Enough capacity
You would think a simple train journey to Sheffield would be pretty uneventful. A mere one hundred and fifty miles should be no problem for a modern rail network. At least that’s what I thought but my problems began from the outset. I had one change to make on the outward journey. A quick hop … Continue reading Enough capacity
Lost postal votes
The more I think about the way that we conduct our version of democracy, the more I become concerned about its lack of democracy. I have described in many previous blogs, among other things, how first past the post leads to a minority government but my mind has now become occupied by seeming anomalies in … Continue reading Lost postal votes
Giving books away
If there is one subject that I like to talk about it is the culture of organisations and the mess they get into. This was the subject that gave rise to my thinking about Guerrilla Working and is what I am still most passionate about and so when Carsten from Cintra HR and Payroll asked … Continue reading Giving books away
Hidden passage
My Grandma had some funny sayings. If she was talking about someone that she was acquainted with but didn't know particularly well, she would say ‘their dog ran down my passage.’ As I got older I did wonder whether this phrase had other, slightly lewd connotations as it was always said with a twinkle in … Continue reading Hidden passage
A better vote allocation
The only thing I like about our first past the post system is that it is local by nature. We all vote for someone who represents our constituency. I have made the point however on many occasions that when all the votes are counted and MPs elected the majority of the public are let down. … Continue reading A better vote allocation