From a guest blogger: In The Republic, Plato struggled with the question of what relationship the State should have with academia, and settled on the concept of philosopher kings. It is right, thought Plato, that there are some who focus on seeking the truth in all matters. To these should be ordained the right to […]

If there is something we have learnt from recent elections in the UK it is that the working classes have become increasingly alienated from political life. Elections in 2009 saw two MEPs elected for the British National Party (BNP), not because of a notable increase in their support, but due to a collapse in the […]

Alongside the stories of swingeing cuts to the budgets of various departments, a number of news sources have picked up on a story about royal finances. For the first time since 1740, a proportion of the revenue generated by the Crown Estate will be given to the reigning monarch, as Chancellor George Osborne announced his […]

Based upon an introductory presentation given at the first session of the Thomas More Institute’s reading group entitled ‘University: Training for the “Rat Race” or Forming Virtuous People?’. Recent years have witnessed the increasing popularity of a new subject amongst the smorgasbord offered at colleges of further education in the UK. ‘Critical thinking’ is of […]

Imagine a crime committed here in England so grotesque that not only the national media but international news sites are united in shock.  The Deputy Prime Minister is called upon to comment publicly: ‘Quite rightly people don’t understand how [this] could possibly happen’, he says.  Global media outlets waste little time broadcasting the appalling truth, […]

An article from the BBC sums up the impact of the Browne Review: ‘Make no mistake. If Lord Browne’s blueprint is put into practice it will mean fundamental changes for higher education in England. Allowing universities to charge whatever they want will mean unleashing the forces of competition – which will mean winners and losers.’ […]

From a guest blogger: As we all know Western Classical Music includes Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and probably Wagner (so far so Austro-German). Then after Wagner things get a bit hazy with Debussy’s ‘musical impressionism’ and, depending on what one thinks of Stravinsky’s Le Sacre de Printemps, the classical tradition goes rather sharply downhill once it […]

Way back in 2007 David Cameron announced that a Conservative government would put an end to the ‘compensation culture’ which he claimed had been blighting Britain’s schools. He argued that children need ‘play, adventure and excitement. But, today, fear of litigation means school trips and adventure holidays are abandoned.’ A laudable ambition perhaps, which makes […]