The gulf in provision for private and state pupils has never been starker. Who can doubt now that they entrench privilege?Keir Starmer’s pledge earlier this week to end the lucrative tax breaks given to private schools has predictably brought out the u…
When Dasani left home
Many of you may remember the story of Dasani, the homeless girl in rapidly gentrifying Fort Greene whose experiences were chronicled in a NYT article several years ago. This article follows up on her experiences since, as she attends a boarding school…
‘Spiritual medicine’: orchestra helps people with dementia write music
Suburb where Shameless was filmed is now home to Manchester Camerata, which is intent on serving the communityOn paper, it may seem like an odd pairing: the Manchester Camerata, one of Europe’s most renowned orchestras, and Gorton, the tough Manchester…
Cop26: Women must be heard on climate, say rights groups
Those worst hit by global heating are left out of talks, says feminist coalition calling for systemic changeWomen must be enabled to play a greater role at the Cop26 summit, as the needs of women and girls are being overlooked amid the global climate c…
Why do children in Britain always bear the brunt of Tory cuts? | Polly Toynbee
With such a cold and unfeeling government, it’s little wonder our birthrate is fallingThis is no country for babies. It’s no surprise the birthrate keeps falling when would-be parents face impossible obstacles. As in the 1930s, it happens in hard times…
Small farmers have the answer to feeding the world. Why isn’t the UN listening? | Elizabeth Mpofu and Henk Hobbelink
We’re among the thousands boycotting the UN food summit – it’s been hijacked by corporate interests while the voices of small-scale farmers go unheardThursday’s UN food summit proposes to help solve the world’s nutrition crisis, with 800 million people…
The £20 benefit cut is the most morally indefensible thing I’ve seen in politics | Gordon Brown
Seventy-five years after the British welfare state was born, our poorest people are about to be cast aside by the government’s universal credit cutGordon Brown is the WHO ambassador for global health financing, and was UK prime minister from 2007 to 20…
The universal credit cut is outrageous, but this callousness is nothing new | Frances Ryan
From the bedroom tax to ESA reductions, a gulf between those who make policy and those affected by it has brought a decade of miseryNext month, universal credit will be cut back by £20 to its pre-pandemic level. A policy that will – by the admission of…
Marcus Rashford to be included in GCSE media studies course
Pupils will learn about footballer’s use of social media to highlight social and race issues he cares aboutMarcus Rashford’s much-lauded use of social media to pursue his campaign against child food poverty and persuade the UK government to expand fr…
Ministers have no clear plan to tackle child poverty, say cross-party MPs
Committee calls for robust cross-departmental anti-poverty strategy to tackle growing problemMinisters have no clear plans to tackle rising child poverty, while a lack of focus and leadership has hindered efforts to reduce the numbers of youngpeople li…