Unit 2 & 4: Cameron and the EU Referendum

The latest attempt by Cameron to bolster support from potential UKIP voters is seen in this article. The article highlights the division on Europe, both between the major parties and within parties themselves.

Unit 3: Help to Work schemes for Unemployed

Click here to access the article on the Coalitions new policy on long term benefits. Useful for discussion on how Conservative policy/views have changed over the years.

Unit 4: A few articles on Europe

I am sure you have read these, but just in case, click here for an article on why UK leaving EU would be bad for business (the 'related stories' provide further useful information)

and click here for UKIP perspective.

Unit 4: Usual from UKIP!

Click here to to access fear! :-)

Is this the way we want politics to run in UK. This does not help improve democracy, only panders to the fears of the electorate.

Unit 2: Minister resigns from the cabinet.

Click here to access a BBC article about Maria Miller, the (Former) Culture Secretary. She was forced to resign after falsely claiming thousands of pounds of taxpayers money.

Unit 4: EU - The Facts!

Economic Benefits of EU Membership

Membership of the European Union (EU) has had a big positive effect on average incomes in all but one of its member countries. That is the central finding of research by Nauro Campos, Fabrizio Coricelli and Luigi Moretti, to be presented at the Royal Economic Society’s 2014 annual conference. 

They also find that the more financially developed countries have grown significantly faster after joining the EU.

The study examines data for each EU member to answer the question, ‘what would levels of per capita income and labour productivity be if countries had not joined the EU when they did?’ Among the findings:

* For the average country, average incomes would be 12% lower if they had not joined – and annual rates would have been 1.2 percentage points lower.

* Denmark, Ireland, the UK, Portugal, Poland, Hungary, Estonia and Latvia have benefitted most from EU membership.

* Spain, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Lithuania have also benefitted financially, but by less.

* Greece is the only country where joining the EU has resulted in lower levels of per capita income.

* The benefits for the UK have slowed down over time, but the benefits for Ireland have not. This suggests that the former benefited more from the single market while the latter did mostly from the euro.

Cleeg v Farage fact check: www.theguardian.com/news/reality-check/2014...

Channel 4 news - does Europe bring each household £3000?: http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/factcheck-euro...

Unit 3: Law & Order - League tables criticised

An interesting article here, where the Metropolitan Police say there is a "culture of fear" in the force because of what it calls the "draconian" use of performance targets.

Useful when discussing the issue of targets and league tables.....this could be a pressure group response.