The truth matters. Not only ‘speaking truth to power’, but turning that on its head to speak truth to the masses. The perversion of political debate and populist appeal is, put simply, dangerous and divisive.
S is for Skills
Basic skills. Functional skills. Essential skills. Soft skills. Skills for life and work. Future skills. Practical. Technical. Digital. Creative. Confused?
100 different parties
As we look ahead to party conference season, I score a rare century of annual conferences at the main three Westminster parties, and always the party of Government and Official Opposition.
R is for Regions
What happens when you devolve powers to the English regions? More Mayors with increased responsibilities but less funding pushes problems away from Westminster and Whitehall. Yet a Government cannot afford to ‘let go’. It survives if people are better off, or at least feel better off, and are more confident about their futures. That is the sum of all parts of the country.
Q is for Quiz
Holiday season is in full flow. It’s the time of year we can ‘take a break’ and turn to the summer quiz pages published in our favourite magazines, newspapers and online sites – and nostalgia for the summer specials in our childhood comics.
P is for Parties
It’s party time! Summer is here and we are celebrating 20 years of Citadel, founded in August 2005.
O is for Opportunity
The Government’s stated mission is to break down barriers to opportunity. This is a critical plank of policies to tackle structural and systemic challenges of disadvantage, discrimination and marginalisation. A levelling playing field, just as the last government talked about levelling-up.
N is for Nation
A nation can be defined by its people, as a community and society of shared values and common cultures, and by its political standing as a sovereign state with its own borders, government and international recognition.
M is for Media
In an age of digital media, influencers and counter-factual truth, why bother with “the mainstream media”? As world leaders use the megaphone of social media and algorithms skew where you are heard, and what you see, polemic views gain ground and click bait headlines dilute political discourse.
L is for Listening
Learn to bite your tongue. Resist a ready quip at someone else’s expense. No insults are permitted. Avoid exaggeration and boasting – arrogance isn’t a pretty sight and jars on hearing. Instead, stop and listen, you may learn something new from those you work with and for.
Citadel 