Demos Staff overview
Duncan O'Leary
- Telephone
- 020 7367 6316
- duncan.oleary@demos.co.uk
Duncan O’Leary joined Demos in January 2005. At Demos he works on projects looking at public services, skills and work and was edited a recent pamphlet on The Politics of Public Behaviour.
Duncan has been involved in Demos’ public interest consultancy work with the Department for Education and Skills, The British Council, and the Central Police Training and Development Authority. He was co-author of The Leadership Imperative: Reforming Children’s Services from the ground up, Demos (2005) and Working Progress: How to reconnect young people and organisations, Demos (2006), 'Children's Services: The Professional Challenge', The Learning We Live By, Capacity (2006), Re-imagining government: Putting people at the heart of New Zealand's public sector, Demos (2006). Duncan is also a regular contributor to the Demos weblog.
Prior to joining Demos, Duncan worked as a Researcher for the National for School Leadership. He has a BA in History from the University. of Nottingham College
- Authors
- Duncan O'Leary, Hannah Lownsbrough
- Publication Date
- 2005-12-07
- Publication Type
- Pamphlet
The Leadership Imperative explores the role of leadership in the emerging reforms of local children's services. It suggests that for the integration of services to work, leaders must focus upon changing the prevailing cultures of organisations, rather than altering the structure of services and hoping that working practices will naturally follow.
- Authors
- Duncan O'Leary
- Publication Date
- 2006-05-30
- Publication Type
- Pamphlet
This report proposes a series of recommendations for schools, universities, government and other organisations aimed at reconnecting employers and young people in the name of productive and fulfilling work.
- Authors
- Duncan O'Leary
- Publication Date
- 2006-11-16
- Publication Type
- Pamphlet
This report argues that the time is right to go beyond restoring the capacity of New Zealand’s public sector. The next step is a full-scale renewal of its purpose, systems and ways of working.
- Authors
- Duncan O'Leary, Kate Oakley, Grahame Broadbelt
- Publication Date
- 2007-01-30
This provocation paper analyses the strengths and weaknesses of the emerging consensus – given expression by Lord Leitch in his review – around education and skills policy for the future. It argues that important elements of this consensus need to be challenged if the UK is to fulfil the laudable ambitions outlined in the Leitch Review and succeed in harnessing the talents of the whole population.
- Authors
- Duncan O'Leary, Niamh Gallagher
- Publication Date
- 2007-04-26
- Publication Type
- Pamphlet
Intermediaries have become hugely important to us. They mediate many of our personal and professional relationships, providing us with new opportunities, guiding and shaping our choices. Advisers, experts and brokers tell us where to shop, who to do business with – and who to hire.
- Authors
- Duncan O'Leary
- Publication Date
- 2008-04-24
- Publication Type
- Pamphlet
A Common Language underlines why English matters and sets out how policy can encourage and support learning.
- Authors
- Duncan O'Leary
- Publication Date
- 2008-05-08
- Publication Type
- Pamphlet
The personal has become political. Increasingly, governments find themselves drawn into questions about how children are parented, how household waste is disposed of, how people travel, how much they save for later in life, and how much they eat, drink, smoke and exercise.
- Authors
- Kate Oakley, Duncan O'Leary
- Publication Date
- 2008-12-11
- Publication Type
- Pamphlet
This report examines Britain's skills gap and argues that a damaging paradox - those with the least skills are the least likely to train - is a social as well as an economic issue.
New directions for public services
Duncan O'LearyWe are examining emerging approaches to public service delivery from across the globe to understand what a new wave of reform might look like in New Zealand, and to examine how unions can take a proactive role in helping their members adapt and thrive in the future.
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Professional Authority
Duncan O'LearyA project with IDeA looking at how efforts to re-orient services around the needs of users are disrupting professional boundaries, roles and status.
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Recruitment 2020
Duncan O'Leary, Grahame BroadbeltA project with the Guardian and the The Recruitment and Employment Confederation
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Future Innovators
Duncan O'Leary, Hannah GreenA project with NESTA, exploring the extent to which the perceptions of and attitudes of school-age pupils towards work and innovation differ from or complement the working world they are likely to experience.
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The Politics of Public Behaviour
Duncan O'LearyThis project is a chance to explore the tensions in the current debate between fostering a 'nanny state' and finding a response to some of the most pressing social issues of our time.
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A Common Language
Duncan O'Leary, Richard Reeves, Dan Leighton, Tommy MoodyThis project, running in parallel to wider Demos work on adult learning, will begin with first principles – why ESOL matters – and work through to a logical conclusion of how best it can be delivered in practice, within a coherent policy framework.
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Network Citizens
Duncan O'Leary, Peter Bradwell, Richard ReevesThis project will explore how social networks will transform the workplace, with implications for how people experience work and businesses increase their bottom line.
MoreCBI: Further education failing us
CBI take on skills - claims the FE sector is underperforming due to an uncompetitive market
Politi-Cola
Last week I watched two different programmes charting the progress of two new brands of...
Miliband on Personalisation
The last two days has seen Demos, OECD and the Innovation Unit (DfES) hosting an international...
Offshore benefits?
Just read an interesting Article in USA Today regaling the benefits of offshoring programming...
Open Source Learning?
Where does plagiarism stop and open source learning begin? A report from the Joint Council...
Higher Personalisation
Charlie Leadbeater continues his personalisation Odyssey with an article in The Times Higher...
"The man" fights back
Last month there was a brief discussion on an example of the internet 'bringing innovation...
Bookworms and Networks
[via IWire]Valdis Crebs has produced a new networked representation of the purchasing pattern...
Kerry storms ahead…
Its not something which seems likely to precipitate an immediate revision of the American...
PPPs down under
The Evatt Foundation in Australia have just published an article that I wrote for their...
Roundies and Squaries
The Guardian carries the think-tank version of the kiss-and-tell story today. Ellie Levenson...
Apathy on the Beeb
Perhaps foolishly I expected them to appear at the top of the page (where the headlines...
Blogging to the Converted?
The issue still being debated, however, is whether these blogs actually broaden the base...
Big Brother meets politics (again)
When George Orwell wrote 1984 he probably didn’t envisage Davina McCall presiding...
Feeling unwell? Have a holiday...
The idea has had a mixed reception – some regarding it as fairly traditional bonus...
Cancer Care
The way in which medical staff provide care for cancer patients was explained to me over...
Anyone's armband
A few words from the camp:"We'll judge each game and each week as it comes."...
Like an ipod...
The UK's first official download chart is launched today.The move is being trumpeted...
Straw poll
There’s a bit of an experiment taking place on Tom Watson's blog at the moment...
Guest blogger no.2
As promised, the recruitment of guest bloggers for the Party conferences continues. David...
Lost value?
Public value might not be that valuable, suggests James Crabtree in an article in The New...
More Brighton blogging
As the posts come in from Brighton, it seems that the Labour Party itself is getting in...
Depressing
My little brother achieves fame before I do, reacting to Tony Blair's conference speech...
Thoroughly Unreliable
Another day of speeches in Brighton, here's a flavour..."Of course we debate. Of...
The 'September 10 attitude'
Interesting to see George Bush criticising his opponent for his ‘September 10 attitude...
Chocolate with a difference
Following hot on the heels of Mecca Cola and The Islamic Bank of Britain is Ummah Foods...
The Washington Journo
On one level this seems a good example of the Pro-Am economy, but on another it interests...
Whatever it takes
It can be difficult filling an audience for an event, even if you’re President of...
Hold the front page
An experiment on the Guardian newsblog starts today which might be worth keeping an eye...
Joining the party
This seems to throw up a couple of issues:Firstly, that the first-past-the-post system isn...
From Newspapers to Viewspapers
Peter Preston wrote an article in the Observer yesterday that’s worth a read if you...
The politics of fear?
There’s a bit of a storm brewing over Peter Hain’s comments in an interview...
Smaller government...literally
Apparently polling has demonstrated some support for the idea, but is it really going to...
Sky's the limit?
As might be expected they have gone for the Sky option, arguing that the '2 million...
Networked Learning Communities enter the blogosphere
The Networked Learning Communities programme, which aims to facilitate the spread of good...
Busted!
Being a text vote it was fairly predictable that a group with a teenage following would...
What the Media Are Doing to Our Politics
The debate certainly seems to be gathering momentum ' the Media Guardian ran lengthy...
How to blog like a rockstar
Ever wondered why your postings never get any comments? If so, click here for some advice...
How to prevent a word of mouth epidemic
I came across an article in The Times over the weekend. The headline was 'And talking...
What-do-you-reckon'?
So the good news is that Tom Watson's blog is back up and running ' and the other...
School Networks, Election Manifestos, and Sunny St Albans
Networks of schools are something that Demos has been interested in for a while; last year...
Faking it
The first was the description given by Derek Twigg, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of...
Yesterday's News
Seeing as the paperboy in my area has taken to delivering the papers after everyone has...
See you tomorrow
Right, i'm off home.[via Tom Watson]
The day in pictures
News is getting pretty visual nowadays. I've just come across a site called 10x10...
One more drink and a lie-in?
There are undoubtedly many profound ways to engage with the public realm. For now, though...
The Wage Forward..?
It may have died down a bit recently, but one phrase that's been hard to avoid during...
Renewing the Beeb
So the BBC's license fee looks set to be renewed today, with a new governance structure...
Did you hear about the...
'survey that says word-of-mouth/personal recommendation is more important in creating...
The way it should be
The topic up for discussion in our seminar was Personalised Learning and the presenters...
Policing by the book
Great story on BBC news this morning about a new directive in Mexico City ' the mayor...
Parent Power
With an election drawing closer, there's been an ever'growing clamour over the...
Wake up!
So it's Monday. Feeling tired? I'm not. But then according to a survey reported...
Pros vs Ams?
If you enjoyed our publication last year The Pro-Am Revolution then the discussion taking...
Lion-sized leadership
The bit that really interested me comes towards the end of the article when Woodward says...
Collectively individual
Collective action seems to be getting interesting nowadays. The Fairtrade movement seems...
Show me the Money
Bored of the polls yet..? Did The Wisdom of Crowds float your boat..? If the answers are...
You read it here first
Bit slow on the uptake here, but The Times has an election blog...featuring (amongst others...
The Big Issue
Which all makes you wonder whether there really is one. As I sat with a group of professionals...
On your toes, folks
One up for the Open Source movement - the Guardian Online reports that Wikipedia had an...
Seriously Small
Sometimes you wonder about the future of politics. And then you have your faith restored...
They want to be elected
MPs eh. You might have noticed that they work for you...well it also turns out that they...
Lessons of Power
Governments eh. Geoff Mulgan, co-author of the aforementioned Wide Open [and Demos founder...
Getting the story straight
Having done this, it came out in favour of Labour...before decrying virtually everything...
These are not the policies you are looking for...
George Lucas says there'll be no more Star Wars after Episode III. What with all the...
Listen carefully
I've just been doing some reading for our Community Leadership project with the National...
'Ello 'ello 'ello
Avid greenhouse readers might remember that a couple of months ago Demos held a seminar...
All for one
It's Friday, we're starting a new project. And it looks a really interesting one...
Whisky drinkers, the England Rugby Team'and Children's trusts
As it happens, Woodward makes the same point in his book. During his time in charge he revolutionized...
Political hot potatoes
Here are two things i didn't know before i switched on the radio this morning:1. There...
A common band
Something pretty inspiring happened to me yesterday - i met an 86 year-old wearing a white...
Whose service is it anyway?
First things first, this is already happening in a lot of pretty successful schools and...
Beer for geeks
Who said Open Source couldn't be fun...?[Via the GIB]
When values meet
During the discussion, one thing which I thought came out particularly strongly was the...
Blood, sweat and tears...
Like many a great sporting event, however, the occassion has been marred by controversy...
Ten lessons on leadership...
1. Failure is often a precondition for innovation and learning. Leaders must balance organisational...
Who are ya..?
Despite all the cliche's about 'lame ducks', i'd say Michael Howard has...
The Backlash
England won the ashes yesterday. The contest has captured the nation's imagination all...
Risking it
Yep, you guessed it. According to this bit of research, you might well be safer choosing...
I've been inspecting you
Five steps to better inspectionWe expect a lot of our leaders. In education, we expect them...
NFER change for Children Site
Just come across what looks a useful resource for anyone interested in Children's Services...
Beckham for PM
George Weah, footballing legend, is one of 20 candidates standing for President in the Liberian...
The Politics of Community
I've just had a read of David Miliband's speech this week on 'The Politics of...
'Organisational Literacy' project
- We'll be looking beyond literacy and numeracy (though of course not dismissing them...
It's all academic
So i've been doing some reading for our project on Organisational litercy. Having been...
The votes are in...
There have been weeks of deliberation. Of point scoring. Of drama. Of tears. Of trials...
The Leadership Imperative
Our report on leadership in children's serives is out today (download it here). After...
You decide...
This will be interesting if it happens.People who are not members of the Conservative Party...
Enterprisingly numerate and literate problem-solving citizenship studies...
The interesting thing about it seems to be that there is no predetermined answer that the...
Are you being served?
All of which reminds me of a speech I saw Alan Johnson make on regulation about a month...
What qualifies you for work?
The answer's not as obvious as you'd think, apparently. A couple of stats from today...
He's right you know
I've come accross a bizarre set of statistics over on the Guardian Newsblog - apparently...
War of the Wards
There will be the inevitable cries for government to �do something�, which...
It's all about me
Great picture over on Councillor Andrew Brown's blog...
total public services
And wasn't one of the great football teams was the Dutch team which famously played...
Political incorrectness gone mad
Amongst his list of criticisms of the 'PC Brigade' he writes, 'Giving employment...
Getting it wrong
Digby Jones (who is Chair of HTI for this year) was typically strong on this � arguing...
What's all the skype about...?
You may have noticed that we're getting excited about Skype at the moment at Demos...
Wiki-d
Contintuing the theme of the take-up new ideas/technology, I meant to write a post the other...
McFamilies
Interesting news - McDonald's is introducing a pilot scheme which will allow two members...
Spot the Difference
The challenge that Cameron set himself, I think, was the right one:�Having defined...
Taking the debate upmarket
The temptation is to be either support or oppose greater freedoms for schools, but the danger...
Drinking humble pie
The Guardian carries a story today on the fall of serious/violent crime since the liberalisation...
Commenting on the Greenhouse
You've never had it so bad. Sorry if you've been trying to comment on the greenhouse...
It's good to talk
Talking to the public about science can be a controversial matter. Really controversial...
Invisible politics
Perhaps James Tooley, who thinks that education was fine before the state got involved with...
You're fired
The general response seems to be that there are some funny people around nowadays. But does...
Topstuff
I see that Topshop is launching an ethical clothing range today (or an experiment with one...
What kind of 'power to the people'?
Of course it may mean all of the above - and more - but i do think that the terminology...
New Zealand's Business as usual
Firstly, it's very noticeable that the New Zealand political scene is quite differentt...
Deadly serious
Amongst the wealth of useful things that we've been learning about New Zealand over...
learning on the job
- Perhaps the biggest lesson, which we hadn't picked up before we got here is the genuine...
In praise of inefficiency
- There is a school of thought that Surestart is actually becoming less effective as it...
Life-work balance
Update: thanks to everyone who has emailed in on this (keep them coming!) - i'll post...
Comments
Yes, the rumours are true - the comments section is working again. There's no registration...
Civil Partnership
- Using the Children and Young People's Plan to agree a where national priorities...
Trust me, i'm a doctor
The announcement from a group of 900 doctors that the government should look at moving away...
This time its personal
Just a quick entry to point towards a couple of interesting things going on over at the...
Case studies of new professionalism
You may have noticed that we have a bit on an interest in professionalism at Demos at the...
Demos in wikipedia
...ok you've clicked this far......so you might fancy editing the discription of us...
Thought for the day
No Friday rant as yet, so a thought for the day instead:Before you criticise someone, walk...
About Us [part II]
Sorry for the second posting in a week about Demos, but i couldn't let my favourite...
Back in the pavlova paradise
The PHOs in particular seem to be doing some really interesting work by linking GPs, communities...
If Mark Moore made libraries'
As with so many of the innovative projects that we've visited this week it seems to...
Why we get the politicians we deserve
For me, the answer (as always) seems to lie in Ronald Heifetz's analysis of leadership...
Collective action lives on
Crisis, what crisis? In a perfect storm of identity politics and collective action a new...
Rise of the Pro-Ams
Demos associates Charlie Leadbeater and Paul Miller have just started working on a book...
Jamie, Tony and David
Tony Blair caused a stir a couple of weeks back by signing a petition (do prime ministers...
The Origin of Wealth
I'm going to do something silly here and recommend a book before i've even read...
Top of the Hoffs
Sociologist Zygmunt Bauman says that 'We have never been so free and so unable to change...
How to reconnect young people and organisations
Have a read of the pamphlet here, or have a glance over the presentation that Sarah and...
Recyclebank
I’ve just come across what looks like a brilliant recycling scheme in the US. It’...
Hot air?
It didn’t make the front pages (as far as I know) but I think David Miliband’...
Where to, guv?
Writing in the Guardian today Polly Toynbee argues that “If John Major was in office...
Get involved!
Welcome to the project blog for this project. During the project i will be posting some...
From strategy to reality
In The Leadership Imperative, published by Demos last year, Hannah Lownsbrough and I argued...
Get involved!
Welcome to the project blog for this project. During the project we will be posting some...
Fit for purpose
Oh dear. Tony Blair has made a speech saying that people need to adapt their lifestyles...
The last word
So Tom Bentley finished as Demos Director on Friday – completing seven years at the...
Local professionalism
I’ve been doing a bit of reading for a new project that we are starting with the IDeA...
In the bag
This is a smart idea of from Tesco - people will be able to earn loyalty points for every...
Who are you?
Having watched five episodes of the West Wing this weekend (i'm a late starter) i feel...
Sufficing - or not
There are lots of different ways to make money in the same market – high value added...
Built to last - but how do you build it?
I've been having a read of the Conservatives' revised Built to Last document, that...
Quote of the week
"An honest and good point, well made" - Labour MP Harry Cohen on John Prescott...
You heard it here first
A while back I wrote a fairly unformed blog post about the relationship between professionalism...
Friday rant: democracy on the cheap
If there’s one thing that annoys me, it is when the same people who defend the first...
Professional matters
Reading the special Every Child Matters pull-out in Society Guardian yesterday one quote...
Stern talking
Couple of quick thoughts on the response to the Stern report on climate change today: ...
Tripping
The Education Secretary, Alan Johnson, wants learning outside the classroom to be at the...
What's in a word?
Every so often you see a new word and you feel duty-bound to post it on the blog. So here...
I know what you did last summer
As useful as Google is, I think it might have some interesting effects on the recruitment...
Another day, another word...
Ever heard of a webinar? Nope me neither, until i was asked to take part in one the other...
In demand
I am just writing a provocation paper for a Demos event with Bill Ramell on January 30th...
Demos skills event with Bill Rammell, 30th January
Just a quick post to let you know that we are holding an event with Bill Rammell on January...
Big Bother
Ok i admit it. I watch Big Brother. And i’m worried. In the space of two weeks a whole...
In the house
Is it me, or is it becoming compulsory to offer some kind of metaphor to do with a house...
We don't need no thought control...
Iain Dale writes an interesting post on his blog to today, criticising Alan Johnson and...
American dream?
So Barack Obama is standing for President. If you're wondering what all the fuss is...
And finally..
What a shame that Martha Kearney is leaving newsnight. She is off to present the World at...
Who you gonna call?
Neighbourhood Fix-it, apparently. It’s a new website from the evil geniuses at MySociety...
Soft paternalism
Aside from all the pessimism in Prospect this month there is also a really interesting article...
Polls Apart
It’s a matter of weeks now before a new Prime Minister takes office and the clear...
You're Hired!
Yesterday Niamh and I launched Demos’s latest pamphlet, Recruitment 2020: How Recruitment...
Cheesed off
Another damaging poll report for the government today:Apparently 52 per cent of senior figures...
Blair resigns
His resignation speech in full: And now, the end is here And so I face the final curtain...
Hopeful Belfast
I had the pleasure of going to Belfast last week for Thursday and Friday. What a great place...
Choice words
I’ve been watching the debate about schooling/grammar schools/academies/choice with...
Informing or influencing?
Really interesting post from Danny Finkelstein, over on the Times' Comment Central blog...
Testing times
Here's a thought. The government wants to raise the school leaving age. And lots of...
What works?
Here's a good idea, i think. Harriet Harman says that: "Once a bill has gone through...
Schools of thought
The Sutton Trust has (rightly) caused a bit of a stir today with its work highlighting Britain...
Systems tinkering
Another tension i’ve been mulling over recently is the difficulties that all political...
The Politics of Public Behaviour seminars, 10th July and 19th July
Just a quick post to flag up two roundtable seminars that we are running on The Politics...
The album formerly sold by...
I was bemused watching the news yesterday. Apparently Prince has ‘insulted’...
Ken vs Boris
Boris Johnson is standing as a Conservative candidate for London Mayor. This should be fascinating...
I don't believe it
This to me is incredible. As in literally. I don’t believe how seriously it is being...
Daily reading - advice wanted
Here’s a question: can anyone recommend me a good left-wing blog or two to add to...
Home and Away
I'd forgotten how slow news is in August. If you're struggling for something to...
Mill: timeless or timed out?
Roy Hattersley has a provocative peice in the Guardian today, in which he argues that J...
Reforming public service reform
There is a bit of a debate bubbling under about public services at the moment, which will...
They're all the same etc etc
This is pretty good - tells you where all the candidates stand in the US presidential running...
The failure of market failure
John Kay has an good article in Prospect this month, presumably based on his book The Truth...
Watching history
I was in parliament square for the unveiling of the Mandela statue today. I went there thinking...
School of Everything
The one question I always struggle to answer is ‘what to people do when they leave...
That's not Right
Anthony Browne, the new Director of Policy Exchange, has an article in the Spectator this...
The Politics of Public Behaviour seminars, October 8th and 22nd
Just a quick post to let people know that we’re holding two more seminars on The Politics...
The only thing we have to fear...
Just a quick post to flag up an article i have up on the Guardian's Comment-is-Free...
Death tax or life tax?
One of the more interesting Political developments of the last week – the non-election...
Facing the music
There’s another interesting record industry story around today – Radiohead are...
Political round-up
If you’re still wondering what to make of the political events of the last few weeks...
News + comment round-up
A few links below that you might be interested in from this week: The Times’ Comment...
Bad behaviour
Anyone interested in the debate on public behaviour – and the role of government in...
Warning: the type of information that you provide to people may matter
This strikes me as a great idea: 'Drinkers worried about liver damage can test...
What equals what?
My hopes for a bit more progressive action in the blogosphere may have been answered. Liberal...
'Power to the people' - but how..?
I wonder if David Cameron has prompted an interesting debate this morning – not about...
Evidence vs Information
Here’s a question. Who knows best about how to teach children to read: teachers and...
Reclaiming evidence
Last week I argued that both the government and the opposition are struggling to reconcile...
2008: the year of decisions
I know everyone's supposed to be fed up at this time of year but I'm not. I reckon...
The meaning of modernisation
The Times’ Comment Central is one of my favourite blogs and I enjoy Daniel Finkelstein...
Battle of the 'isms
This was the most interesting thing I read over the weekend. It’s a piece looking...
Groundblog day
I don’t know why I keep blogging about school choice, but I can’t help it. Today...
Comment is free, but some are less abusive than others
Good to see that the Guardian is getting a little more web 2.0 with its comment moderation...
Listen up
Just a quick post to let everyone know that the recordings from the launch of the Demos...
Who are you?
Mitt Romney has pulled out of the race to be the Republican nominee, leaving the field clear...
What interviews should be like
If you have five minutes to spare have a listen to John Humphrey's interview this morning...
Equality of what?
John Hutton’s speech to Progress today is causing a stir. (Here’s Polly Toynbee...
Life and art
WARNING: If you have not seen the ending of the West Wing and intend to do so, do NOT continue...
Exchanging ideas
I’ve just seen this article by John Craig – of the newly formed third sector...
You know something they don't know
I’m enjoying the new Politicshome – it’s found a niche in providing cross...
Think again
Lots of talk of U-turns in the news today. Yesterday’s news on the 10p tax rate, Jim...
Political Science
A couple of thoughts struck me this morning as I listened to the debate on the today programme...
The Politics of Public Behaviour
Demos published a new pamphlet yesterday: The Politics of Public Behaviour. It looks at...
Fueling debate
George Osborne’s idea of a 'fuel duty stabiliser' is an interesting one...
Walkabout
I just got in the lift up to our office, only to read a notice saying ‘This lift does...