Journalist, editor, analyst and trainer on computing, government, climate and data
It would be interesting to see all of these topics into a single article, but this is to cover two recent articles. The first, for Beacon, looks at the two big gambles for David Cameron’s government over the next five years: Britain’s place in Europe or Scotland’s place in Britain.
Following the SNP’s remarkable general election night, I have taken a close look at its manifesto for The Register. Although the SNP has ended up in opposition in Westminster, it looks likely that some of its proposals may well come about through further devolution to Scotland, particularly the fiscal ones on taxation, grants and the like. Continue reading “SNP march on Westminster may be good for UK IT”
Following my article earlier this week on the manifestos and implications for NHS professionals, I have looked at how they might combine to change tech policy, on issues including surveillance, business and IT, government IT, immigration and the EU (both of some interest to the tech industry), employment law and the whole ‘actually having a government’ issue.
My conclusion: Continue reading “For The Register: what the general election could mean for tech policy”
The NHS is centre stage in the parties’ manifestos; there are subtle yet significant differences between their commitments
Having read the general election manifestos so you don’t have to, I have written the following piece for Guardian Healthcare Professionals Network. There is an area of significant difference between the parties on the NHS, and – perhaps not a massive surprise – it’s the role of the private sector.
If you do want to read the general election manifestos, which I find is often the best way to get an overview of what each party wants to do, you can do so through the following links, to PDF copies in each case: Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Scottish National Party, UK Independence Party, Green Party, Plaid Cymru and National Health Action Party.
Continue reading “Election 2015: what do party pledges mean for NHS staff?”
After the score-draw Cameron-Miliband clash of last week, and the seven-way leaders’ debate last night, I have rounded up Election 2015 for Beacon readers with five weeks to go, concluding:
What all this means is Britain may well be about to elect no government, or at least not a stable one: as Jon Stewart used to brand US election campaigns, we’re heading for Indecision 2015. When in Britain no party gets a majority of seats on a local authority, the council concerned is said to belong to ‘no overall control’. On 8 May, we may have to hoist that sign over the whole country.
Continue reading “Election 2015 for Beacon: it’s looking like no overall control”