Milton Friedman famously wrote in 1970 that “there is one and only one social responsibility of business… to increase its profits.” But like much in the intervening 45 years, times have changed. This narrow definition of business success is partly why capitalism is under attack. It’s no longer enough to simply create jobs and make […]
Margaret Thatcher was the first leader of any major developed nation to call for a global treaty to address climate change in her speech to the UN in 1989. As a Conservative, and a professional scientist, she recognised the dangers of idleness and the advantages of acting sooner rather than later. She also wouldn’t have […]
For a continent containing 54 countries and 1.1 billion people Africa is often the victim of cliché and generalisation lacking proper analysis and depth. It is not the basket case it is often made out to be. But it’s fair to say that many parts of it face serious problems and deprivation is stark. In […]
Amid the dying light of the last Parliament one of the final pieces of legislation to hit the statute book was the aid bill, enshrining in law Britain’s commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of GNI on international development. Included in all three party manifestos in 2010, it featured in the Coalition Agreement and finally […]
Back in February, at the beginning of this seemingly never-ending election season, the bishops of the Church of England found themselves at the centre of a media storm with the publication of their pastoral letter urging UK Christians to vote in the upcoming general election and calling for a fresh moral vision for the country. […]
International Women’s Day is one of the more successful annual commemorations. This week the great and the good will be queuing up to quote shocking statistics about the marginalisation of women around the world – no doubt including Westminster politicians who might look rather sheepishly around at the lack of women on their own Commons […]
