Category Archives: neoliberalism

Ofqual Fiasco and Planning revolution point to where the Vote Leave Government gets its ideas

As I watched the A-level results fiasco unfold over the last week  – the latest in a long line of shambolic Government u-turns  – it got me thinking about how this Government actually decides on what policies it is going … Continue reading

Posted in covid19, Cummings, Dominic Cummings, Michael Gove, neoliberalism, planning, Policy Exchange, Think Tanks, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

A Tale of Two Speeches – Gramsci, Newts and the Instrumentarians

As we finally reach the point where the first wave of covid19 has effectively passed (excess deaths in the week to the 19th June were the same as the 5 year average – 65000 dead so far),  it’s clear that … Continue reading

Posted in coronavirus, covid19, Dominic Cummings, instrumentarian, Michael Gove, neoliberalism, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Michael Gove and the American Neoconservatives

Last week I wrote about Michael Gove’s surprise arrival as Secretary of State for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs. There is so much more to write about this, but time is limited and I will not be able to … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Sells, Defra, deregulation, farm subsidies, Michael Gove, neoconservatism, neoliberalism, Policy Exchange, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

The EU Referendum: Turkeys have voted for Christmas

SARA has come to stay. That’s Shock, Anger, Rejection, Acceptance.  – it’s a model to explain the process of grief. Yesterday we experienced the shock that the country had voted to leave the EU. I say country – actually 72% … Continue reading

Posted in EU referendum, farm subsidies, neoliberalism | Tagged , , , , , , | 60 Comments

A vote for Brexit is an attack on public spending and the public sector

Once again today we hear pro-Brexit ministers claim that all the things that are funded via the EU will continue to be supported, from the Treasury. So, according to Farm minister Eustice, things like farm subsidies will stay the same … Continue reading

Posted in Brexit, climate change, neoliberalism, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

IEA may end up gagging on its own sock puppet

  Charities are to be banned from using “tax payers’ money” to influence Parliament, Government or Political Parties, the so called “sock puppet” issue. The Government has decided to introduce this change in legislation, as a result of a campaign … Continue reading

Posted in Charities campaigning, Institute of Economic Affairs, libertarians, neoliberalism, sock puppet, Think Tanks, Tory Party, Uncategorized, voluntary sector | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

More tales from Natural Capital Wonderland: Woodlands and Badgers

“What’s the economic value of woodlands in the UK? Hmm? Come on, I haven’t got all day. Yes, you at the back there   – £720 Billion you say? That sounds like a made up figure.” An imagined conversation perhaps, but … Continue reading

Posted in badgers, libertarians, Natural Capital, neoliberalism | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Ecomodernists split over links with neoliberals and libertarians

Ecomodernist Mark Lynas was rather rueful in his Guardian article yesterday, where he openly regretted having agreed to speak at Owen Paterson’s UK2020 “thinktank”, alongside ecovandal Paterson and his libertarian brother in law “rational optimist” Viscount Matt Ridley. He described … Continue reading

Posted in ecomodernism, libertarians, neoliberalism | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Ecomodernism takes us back to an old future

The risk all utopians run is that entryists will use their idealism for their own ends. This would appear to be happening this week, as arch neoliberal brothers Owen Paterson and Viscount Matt Ridley, and others, seek to appropriate Ecomodernism … Continue reading

Posted in ecomodernism, Living Marxism, Matt Ridley, neoliberalism, Owen Paterson, People Need Nature | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

UKIP – the new Monday Club?

Bastions of Power: The Institute of Directors           The problem with the internet is that it is easy to make connections between people, events and organisations: you could call it a conspiracy theory generator. It is … Continue reading

Posted in Charities campaigning, corporate lobbying, deregulation, neoliberalism, the far right, Think Tanks, Tory Party, UKIP, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments