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Aiding Corruption and Dependency

A leaked United Nations report claims that up to half the food aid in Somalia is diverted to corrupt contractors, local UN workers and Islamist militants, including the terrorist group al-Shabab. This, I suggest, comes as little surprise. I recall speaking with the auditor of a World Bank project when...

John Hayward   Posted: 12 March 2010   No comments

Keywords: Finance & the Economy, Government & Foreign Affairs,

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Lock 'em up?

I was struck by two contrasting quotes yesterday. Firstly, the mother of teenager Ashleigh Hall, murdered by Peter Chapman after he befriended her on Facebook, told ITV's This Morning, 'He shouldn't be allowed human rights; he's not human, is he?' Then on the BBC's Ten O'Clock News Kate Carroll, the...

John Hayward   Posted: 10 March 2010   No comments

Keywords: Crime & Justice,

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Every Parent's Worst Nightmare

Following yesterday's life imprisonment of Peter Chapman for the rape and murder of Ashleigh Hall after he befriended the 17-year-old on Facebook, the social networking site is today criticised for not adding a panic button, created by the Home Office's Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre...

John Hayward   Posted: 9 March 2010   3 comments

Keywords: Crime & Justice, Science & Technology, Sex & Families,

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From Biofuel To Biohazard

'The vast scale of palm tree plantations in southeast Asia (palm oil being the most efficient source of biofuel) is having a disastrous effect on the environment, partly in the wholesale forest clearance and burning that precedes the plantation, and partly in the monoculture that replaces diverse ecosystems.'...

John Hayward   Posted: 3 March 2010   1 comment

Keywords: Lifestyle Issues, Science & Technology, The Environment,

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Home Office Sex Clash with DCSF

The Home Office has today published a report on the sexualisation of young people, warning that parents have limited opportunities to prevent their children from being exposed to sexual imagery. It makes 36 recommendations including a ban on music videos featuring sexual posing or sexually suggestive...

John Hayward   Posted: 26 February 2010   2 comments

Keywords: Education, Government & Foreign Affairs, Sex & Families,

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My BBC News Debut

Last night I gave an interview on BBC News about the Government's plans for compulsory sex education in England's schools and the amendment debated in the House yesterday evening giving faith schools more freedom to teach the material in a manner consistent with their own beliefs. I made three main points....

John Hayward   Posted: 24 February 2010   3 comments

Keywords: Education, Sex & Families,

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Parent Power Plan

The Prime Minister has today announced that if parents are dissatisfied with their local school leadership, they will be able to force the local authority to bring in an alternative accredited provider. Implicitly criticising Conservative proposals that would enable parents to set up new schools (see...

John Hayward   Posted: 23 February 2010   1 comment

Keywords: Education,

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Assisted Suicide - Medical Murder

Once again assisted suicide is back in the news, after TV presenter Ray Gosling confessed on the BBC's Inside Out programme that he had smothered his lover with a pillow while he was in hospital dying of AIDS. He has since been has been arrested on suspicion of murder by Nottinghamshire Police.Later...

John Hayward   Posted: 17 February 2010   2 comments

Keywords: Crime & Justice, Health,

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Common Law Marriage

At the end of October, the Law Commission published a consultation paper, Intestacy and Family Provision Claims on Death. They are concerned that too many unmarried couples who are living together are unaware of the lack of rights and protection that results from not making a public marriage declaration....

John Hayward   Posted: 12 February 2010   2 comments

Keywords: Crime & Justice, Sex & Families,

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The Swedish Model

Last night's Newsnight asked whether Sweden can really teach British schools a lesson and questioned whether the Conservatives are misplaced in basing their education proposals on the Swedish model. Their questions resonate with some of the concerns about both the theory and practice of the Swedish model...

John Hayward   Posted: 10 February 2010   No comments

Keywords: Education,

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