Increasingly lately I have been asked about my views on the role of volunteers in delivering public services. I guess it is a natural question arising from the Big Society hoopla. Well first thing I want to do is to say the following is my view and not VONNE’s view, my colleagues have a different [...]
25 January 2011 – 10:55 am
News out today that the UK economy contracted by 0.5% in the final quarter of 2010. Although the impact of the weather carries some mitigation, with last week’s announcements of increased unemployment, higher inflation and the cuts in public sector spending due to impact from April, are we at risk of dipping back into recession?
To get out of the mess we are in…we need to change the way we think about ourselves and our role in society.” David Cameron, Conservative Party conference, 6th October 2010. The above came from David Cameron’s speech calling for people to develop and foster a ‘Big Society’ spirit. He was calling on citizens to [...]
News today that the UK economy has grown in the second quarter by more than intially thought. The intial estimate was 1.1% and the revised figure is 1.2%. Not much but a step in the right direction. But as soon as this ’good news’ is announced what happens? Well we get the following: “But most economists do [...]
Today the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) published a report on the impact of the June 2010 Emergency budget. Those of you who have read my previous blog on the Emergency Budget will know that I had concerns the budget was written to address concerns of global financial markets and not the people of the [...]
By John Main
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Posted in Campaigning, Communities, Health and wellbeing, In the news, North East economy, Regeneration, Uncategorised
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Also tagged BBC, child poverty, Emergency Budget, HM Treasury, IFS, North East, Northern Echo, Public Sector cuts, Region, Surviving Not Thriving, VCS
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Life was a lot easier when I was younger and the only double-dip I had heard of was the sweet. However nowadays double-dip is the economic watchword accompanying any piece of negative economic news. As there is still a lot of concern that the UK will enter a double-dip recession. So it was perhaps no [...]
By John Main
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Posted in Big Society, Campaigning, In the news, North East economy, Regeneration, Support for sector, Value of the sector
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Also tagged double-dip, government, listen, Public Sector cuts, Support for sector, Surviving Not Thriving, VCS
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