Something Odd Is Going On With Small Boat Crossings There’s been a sharp fall in small boat crossings — and you probably haven’t heard much about it. In August, small boat crossings were down 40% compared to last month. That makes it the lowest August figure for five years. Why Small Boat Crossings Are Falling … Read more
Farage’s Authoritarian Dream Nigel Farage has unveiled another round of “policy announcements” — less a manifesto, more a vision for a whiter, more conformist Britain. Meanwhile, the Government appears asleep at the wheel, or perhaps snoozing on a deckchair. Angela Rayner provokes tabloid paroxysms by vaping in a dinghy or drinking rosé in a dry … Read more
A long time ago, when I was an NHS CEO, a member of staff asked if we could fly the England flag during a football tournament. I liked the idea, and even suggested we make it a tradition whenever England reached the finals over a major tournament we would fly the cross of St George. … Read more
Politicians blur refugees, asylum seekers, immigrants and “illegal” migrants into one debate. The facts tell a different story. Public debate in Britain often collapses refugees, asylum seekers, immigrants and “illegal immigrants” into a single, politically loaded category. The reality is messier. Refugees are already recognised as needing protection. Asylum seekers are waiting for that decision. … Read more
Back in the Premier League — After 3,009 Days Sunderland regeneration and Premier League return is finally a reality — 3,009 days since their last top-flight game. Travel far enough and you’ll find Sunderland fans in bars from Málaga to Malaysia. Not because the club is a global powerhouse like Real Madrid, but because Wearside … Read more
Asylum Seekers and the NHS: Why the Doctor Shortage Claim Falls Apart One of the most common complaints about asylum seekers is that they “put pressure on the NHS,” using up scarce healthcare resources and increasing waiting times for everyone else. It’s an easy claim to fact-check — just look at the numbers. The Numbers … Read more
Riot Season Starts Early Riot season has started early this year. In Ballymena, a far-right mob linked to drug gangs and paramilitaries attacked immigrants and drove them out of their homes. A week later, they burned effigies of asylum seekers on 12th July bonfires — a chilling endorsement of lynching immigrants. Let’s be clear: what … Read more
Medomsley, Stanhope Castle, and the Grooming Gangs the Right Doesn’t Talk About Warning: This post contains descriptions of institutional child abuse. The Medomsley Detention Centre Scandal Medomsley Detention Centre was built in 1960 on the site of a former Victorian orphanage. It opened in February 1961 and was run by the Home Office as part … Read more
On the 7th of July 2005, I was working for the NHS on Teesside as the Chief Executive of a Primary Care Trust. That mostly meant commissioning healthcare and managing primary care services. We were a bit unusual in that we directly ran three small community hospitals — complete with beds, minor injuries units, and … Read more
Reform UK’s First “Victory” in Durham? Not Quite. Reform UK now control Durham County Council, following the most recent round of local elections. They replaced a lacklustre Conservative-Lib Dem coalition — hardly a high bar to clear. Many of the wards that swung to Reform were Labour strongholds until 2015. Reform have already claimed their … Read more