The RSA Blog

Mr Lansley's tough assignment

Blog

28 May 2009

Matthew Taylor

Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley is speaking here in a couple of hours. I will post again after I’ve heard what he has to say. He has a tough job. In a system as big as the NHS there will always be problems, but Alan Johnson has less to worry about than any of his recent predecessors.

Life and death issues hidden by the fog of indignation

Blog

27 May 2009

Matthew Taylor

Yesterday I suggested that the big problem with politics is neither MPs’ expenses nor the conventions of the constitution (although I am a reformer), but the content and tone of the conversation between the people and their representatives. There is something febrile and disconcerting about the state of public opinion. A few days ago I described an arc of indignation starting with Ross and Brand travelling through Fred Goodwin and Sharon Shoesmith and landing now on MPs. Daniel Finkelstein is, as always, very sharp on this today.        

Democractic reform: we still aren't having the right discussion

Blog

26 May 2009

Matthew Taylor

David Cameron’s lengthy Guardian essay about democratic reform is welcome, even if there isn’t much in it that is both new and a concrete commitment. As a long standing supporter of electoral reform, I also supported Alan Johnson’s call this weekend for a referendum on the day of the next General Election - indeed, I advocated exactly this policy in my blog a few days days earlier.

Why our leaders may be making a bad situation worse

Blog

22 May 2009

Matthew Taylor

As if the daily revelations about MPs expenses weren’t enough, the way Gordon Brown and David Cameron have chosen to handle the affair guarantees it will have many more downhill twists.  Running scared of the media and seeking political advantage, the leaders have tried to appear uncompromising in their condemnation of MPs accused of misdemeanours, and in their determination to act against wrong-doers.

Would you join the bloggers' circle?

Blog

21 May 2009

Matthew Taylor

I have posted before on the highs and lows of blogging. A few readers have kindly offered me reassurance that they enjoy my musings. I am really not fishing for compliments today. A fascinating seminar we held here yesterday (find out more and join the debate here) got me thinking again about on-line content. I have asked in the past about how we can build ‘content ladders’ encouraging people – especially young people- to move on to more participative and challenging content. 

Bringing tomorrow into today

Blog

20 May 2009

Matthew Taylor

Rarely, I fear, do I say anything worth repeating. Once, when I was asked ‘what is it like to be an only child?’, I answered ‘I don’t know, I haven’t got any brothers or sisters’, which I thought was cute. I have a recollection that some time ago, maybe even in this blog, I said something like this: ’political leadership is the courage and the ability to bring tomorrow into today’. I’m sure I'll find it was said more elegantly by someone much more distinguished but until then I’ll claim it.

The unsustainable art market bubble

Blog

19 May 2009

“The contemporary art bubble will surely go down as the vanity and folly of our age” was the concluding claim on Ben Lewis’ charming BBC4 documentary about the notoriously secretive artworld market.  But before writing about last night's TV, I want to say that the inflated bubble refers to the private international contemporary art market, not the whole of contemporary art. It is a good thing that gallery attendance is at an all time high and more people are making and creating things in their spare time. But as Lewis said, "Billionaires are effectively hijacking art history", or at least they were...

Reasons to be cheerful - one, two, three

Blog

19 May 2009

Matthew Taylor

We are told our society is ‘broken’, we know our economy is in recession and it feels like our democracy is falling apart at the seams. So, now is the time for me to point out some things that have got better. Not the kind of big ticket public service targets the Government will want to boast about, nor simply the consequence of increasing affluence, but more subtle changes that are worth celebrating partly because they make us feel better but also because they help us to understand how progress happens.

Hard working MPs, an opportunity for Labour, a mistake by Nick Clegg - and other unlikely propositions

Blog

18 May 2009

Matthew Taylor

A bittersweet Sunday: I managed to run the 10k of the Great Manchester Run in 41 minutes 27 seconds, which made me 460th out of 33,000. I’m not even going to pretend I’m not pleased with myself. Thanks again to all those who kindly sponsored me.