Blogs by Benjamin Judge

Hunting Schools

This week, Dr. Beaumont des Crayeres, also known as Dr. Tristam Hunt, launched a vintage attack on Britain’s independent schools. Under a Labour government post 2015, independent schools will be required to meet a “schools partnership standard” or else be denied the business rates tax relief they currently enjoy.It was ...

What can Cicero teach today’s politicians?

Written in 64 B.C., Commentariolum Petitionis is a letter from Quintus Tullius Cicero to his brother Marcus outlining how to win an election in his bid for Consulship. In 2015 A.D. both the Conservative Party and the Labour Party will face a challenging but potentially winnable election. What can the ...

Thatcher's central idea was liberty

Last Wednesday, the great nucleus of the City of London, the Guildhall, saw over 700 people attend the Margaret Thatcher Conference on Liberty, marking the 40th year since the Centre for Policy Studies was founded by Lady Thatcher and Sir Keith Joseph. The day’s focus was ‘liberty’, a word seemingly ...

Excellent employment but weak wages

Last week’s labour market statistics showed phenomenal employment growth in the UK over the last quarter. Between February and April 2014 there were 30.54 million people aged 16 and over in work, 345,000 more than the previous quarter. When compared to the same period a year earlier, there was an ...