“Tax Credits are a vital piece of support for many families who need to bridge the gap between low-paid work and the costs of raising a family.” – Julia Unwin, Joseph Rowntree Foundation Continue reading Tax Credit cuts: an impending disaster?
Tag: opinion
Soapbox: A partly political broadside!
While the referendum was the big political story in Scotland last year, the rise and rise of UKIP hit the headines south of the border. Now it’s General Election year, and Broughton High School student ROSS COWPER thinks the country may be going backwards …
This is a party political broadcast by the UK independence party …
With the re-election of Mark Reckless to parliament in the Rochester and Strood by-election in November, it is safe to say that UKIP are gaining some ground in the political dog race.
Over the past year the party seemed to attract more and more under 30 year old’s to join them in getting rid of foreigners together, and turning good old Blighty back to the 50’s.
UKIP recently served up a slightly ironic new poster to the public, copying Russell Brand’s Revolution, which has turned the letters ‘evol’ around to spell ‘love’ – not something immediately thought of when thinking of UKIP!
Maybe UKIP are trying to appeal to Russell Brand’s younger audience (not necessarily supporters of Brand), in the hope of making them bigots from an early age. They will hopefully stay with the party to their dying day, where Britain is safe from those damn Europeans!
Perish the thought that if you went back far enough into a person’s history you will find they are actually originally through blood from southern France, for example, and not ‘truly English’ at all. No that would never do, it’s inconceivable!
So what can teens really expect under the ‘purple revolution’? It feels like I am repeating myself here but I guess that’s what UKIP wish. On their site the caption: ‘love Britain again’ and to accompany is the Winston Churchill’s famous ‘V for Victory’ gesture. Tell me again if I am repeating myself. Yes, it is great that Britain was part of the victory through World War Two, and Winston Churchill commanded that era, but you can’t go back and try to live off this forever – and if some people don’t like it, they’re seen as Nazi lovers! Seems like blackmail to me – and who are the real fascists now anyway?
I can’t imagine Russell Brand reacting positvely to this UKiP message; although he doesn’t think people should vote anyway, but instead rise up to challenge the establishment. Ironically this is where UKIP may have the upper hand: they don’t appear to be part of that ‘establishment’.
Farage has manifested himself (and his party) to look like a beer-swilling man of the people; people who know immigrants are to blame for all our troubles. If UKIP were a man, that man would be Farage, I guess.
UKIP supporters feel disenfranchised and believe that the political class ignores ordinary people, so why not change? I am all for change, to redistribute wealth, to help other countries in corrupt situations and for every human to have their rights.
I do want change, just not this change: I call UKIP’s change stepping backwards in time.
Soapbox: Revolution – or evolution of delusion?
So Russell Brand’s no longer just a comedian, he’s a campaigner. But like him or loathe him at least he makes you think, argues Broughton High School student ROSS COWPER:
Over the past year Russell Brand has become some sort of liberating Jesus for some younger people in particular.
Born 1975 in Gray’s Essex, Russell Brand decided from a relatively early age that to get out of the run down place he lived, he would have to ‘better’ himself by becoming rich, famous or even both.
Russel got his wish by presenting for MTV, but it was his excessive drug use that kept giving him problems in the infancy of his career. In 2008 he resigned from the BBC for a prank call to Andrew Sachs; soon most people were not taking him seriously, and it was’t because of his comedic status.
Over the last year, following his guest editing for the New Statesman, Russell took to a new step in his career and life. He’s changed his opinions: either because he is in a better circumstances, or genuinely thinks that money and fame is not the way out. Following a Jeremy Paxman interview on Newnight, Russell Brand’s words became viral overnight on Twitter.
Russell actively encouraged that, to bring about change, the British people should’t vote. He explained that there must be a “massive redistribution of wealth” and accused ‘big business’ as a major player in the world’s corrupt societies.
Since the release of his book on the 25 October, ‘Revolution’ has unquestionably came under fire from political commentators, reviewers and from some sections some of the public. In his book Russell Brand argues that politicians now have to bend over to the media 24/7, in an attempt to make sure they look desirable with indisputable charisma to become next in line to inherit the idiotic throne of what PM has become.
Over the last decade especially the position has been filled with awkward fake smiling ones, to who try appease the ‘great’ British public that Romanians are taking the biscuit now, and its time for the reclaiming of our land!
Now don’t get me wrong, there are some good politicians out there, but many TV voxpop interviews in town centres show people saying they think all politicians don’t do a good job, or any job for that matter – it seems almost a disease to think that one could actually help you.
It does appear that some at the Guardian, the Daily Mail and the Telegraph do not agree with what Russell says in his book: he has been questioned on his books content – or for the lack of it. It can also be said that many of these political commentators are from higher class backgrounds, and they do have pacts to keep with certain parties after all. So who could blame them, they do have a job to keep!
So with Russell Brand posing different questions, and to this higher classed level of politicians, he may not have the most expanded substance in certain chapters of his book, but he is making a considerable noise.
I think it is the challenging the social norm of the political business-minded elite that are frightened of (especially the commentators). This is precisely why there has been so much noise recently over the matter; not the ‘revolution’ as such, but potential talk of change for poorer people in Britain.
In my opinion the book does contain some fallacies, but it is about learning the horrid inequality and wrongly distribution power of wealth. If anyone can get that through to people by even having to use the word ‘revolution’, then they have done something most politicians can’t.
Britain may be a long way away from the uprising, and the discarding of a golden statue of David Cameron put up by taxpayers money but ripped from it’s foundations by the people. We may be waiting some time …
talking about regeneration
Muirhouse residents invited to take part in regeneration focus group
Ashley McDonald is a final year Geography student at the University of Edinburgh. As part of her final year study, she is undertaking research on the regeneration taking place in Muirhouse and she’d like to hear from YOU!
If you live in Muirhouse or Pennywell and you’d be interested in taking part in a small focus group to discuss your opinions on the regeneration and the area’s future, email Ashley for further details at: amcdonald1168@gmail.com
Ashley has booked Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre next Tuesday -(25th November) from 6.30pm – 8.30pm.
Inspired by design
There’s more to fashion than meets the eye, says Broughton High School student Layan Degachi:
“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street; fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” – Coco Chanel.
I certainly agree with this exceedingly influential artist’s view on fashion and the way she interprets it as more than just as a trivial interest or a superficial obsession. There’s so much more behind it.
People may have different views regarding fashion; they might say it’s an unhealthy obsession or ridiculously shallow, but in reality it’s the complete opposite of that. Why should people who enjoy fashion be automatically labelled as gullible or empty-headed? In fact working in fashion is one of the most demanding fields there is. It requires cleverness, originality, insight and the ability to inspire. It comes with specific skills, a sense of creativeness and commands for long hours of hard work.
“Fashion is so close in revealing a person’s inner feelings and everybody seems to hate to lay claim to vanity so people tend to push it away. It’s really too close to the quick of the soul.” – Stella Blum.
Fashion allows the freedom of self expression and so plays an increasingly important role in an individual’s life. The garments and accessories that man or woman wear, help them to identify with a group of others whether it’s a lifestyle, profession, a religion or an attitude.
“Fashion is the most powerful art there is. It’s movement, design and architecture all in one. It shows the world who we are and who we’d like to be.” – Blair Waldorf.
Fashion is something everyone can relate to and for me it is fascinating in this sense. For many years now I’ve found myself so easily and intensely drawn into it. I’m fascinated by the detail that goes into fashion items; I admire and find inspiration in everything around me so much that it has become a distinguished part of my identity and I just can’t imagine how life would be without the enchanting effect that fashion spreads.
I find that what you’re wearing can also reflect on how other people see you. For example a specific choice of colour can show your personality or mood. Different styles of clothes are assigned meaning in the same way words are. For example a suit and tie are always associated with formality and a willingness to treat other people with some degree of respect as well as expecting to be treated the same way in return.
Fashion is culture and history. The evolution of fashion dates back to several hundred years and as our attitude and culture change, fashion comes along with it. From Victorian times when dresses were layered and made with heavy fabric to around the 1900s – changing to elegant and extremely long dresses, a time for men and woman wearing fancy hats, influenced by the cultural trends and events of the time.
Fashion continues to change during each new and unique era to match different seasons, keeping in mind people’s demands and needs from all age groups. Therefore even though it may be stereotyped as otherwise; fashion is not only for young people, it’s for everyone.
As an industry it has a hige impact on the economy. In 2010 the UK fashion industry was worth £ 21 billion – that went up to £ 26 billion in 2014. The ‘value of the UK fashion industry’ report commissioned by the British Fashion Council emphasizes the importance of the contribution of fashion towards the economy and events such as London fashion week attracting millions of visitors to the UK every year. It states that 816,000 people are employed in the UK fashion industry across a wide range of all the creative industries and it’s the 15th largest industry (out of 81) in the UK.
There is so much more to fashion. If you may think you’re not involved in it at all I ask; do you get dressed every morning? One breathes and lives fashion without awareness. You might consider that it doesn’t relate to your job or the routine of your daily life but this is not the case: fashion is all around us.
Think from the work uniform you put on in the very morning to the buildings and different architecture you see on your way out to school or work, all the small details, the designs you come across every day in your wardrobe, house, office, culture and environment. Fashion is a captivating, mesmerizing and critical part of life.
When thinking of fashion, the astounding, countless thoughts that sparkle up in my mind are best described by my favourite quote from the extraordinary designer, Oleg Cassini: “Fashion; a mirror of the time in which we live, a translation of the future and should never be static.” This supports and adds to my argument that fashion can go much deeper and beyond mere aesthetics. There’s more to it than meets the eye.
Layan Degachi
Letter: People, not commodities
Dear Editor
Despite the massive potential wealth of the UK, around two million people are unemployed, causing great hardship, depression and a loss of dignity. If people are willing to work, and the materials needed are available, what then is the problem and what can be done about it?
We live under a system of capitalism whose main concern is to make profit: if it cannot, in any industry or enterprise, the owners of wealth will not invest, switching their money to where it can, irrespective of any damage or hardship caused in doing so. This cannot be right; it only appeals to the greedy and selfish and the events of the last few years have shown just how much damage has been inflicted on people.
Investors, then, have considerable power; supported by people in powerful decision-making positions, protecting the existing set up.
If switching of investment purely for profit is the creator of unemployment, then this activity must be changed. An initial steps could be to put a limit in place on the rate of interest on an investment, coupled with a minimum term of investment to prevent money being pulled out and putting an industry and employees at risk.
This immoral position of holding the threat of unemployment over people purely for private gain is long overdue for changing – people are not commodities to be used and discarded.
A. Delahoy
Silverknowes Gardens
Letter – Rights and Responsibility
Dear Editor
‘Rights come with Responsibility’ is a favourite call of the Cameron government. A second favourite: ‘strikes are wrong and evil in intent’.
The biggest and longest lasting strike – still going on and having disastrous consequences – is the strike of the very rich and their investment companies in ‘the Market’: they only invest if the profit return is large enough.
Although they are only investing money, ‘rights with responsibility’ obviously does not apply to them, whereas the majority of the population invest the whole of their working lives. The majority of workplace strikes are, in the main, by people exercising their rights and responsibility to their families in resisting efforts by employers to worsen conditions of work and pay – and being made to feel guilty for doing so.
A. Delahoy
Silverknowes Gardens