Blog and updates
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7 Dec 2015
A look back at David Cameron's 10 years of leadership
David Cameron has been leader of the Conservative Party for ten years. I actually spoke to him the night before he launched his leadership campaign when he was giving a school lecture, and there...
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7 Dec 2015
The history of secret ballots for voting
In the UK, and in many other countries, we take it as given that when we turn up to vote we are able to do so in private, using private polling booths and then posting our marked ballot paper into...
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4 Dec 2015
The Washington Post's Fact Checker - juicy untruths from US Politics
I always try to check out the Washington Post's Fact Checker at the end of each month - the November issue is full of claims by 2016 Presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. You can...
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4 Dec 2015
Syrian refugees in the US - federalism and states' rights
Over 20% of US states have said that they will no longer welcome refugees from Syria following the attacks in Paris. Individual states are allowed to determine their own policy under the concept of...
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4 Dec 2015
By-Election quiz - lesson starter
So, the by-election result for the Oldham West and Royton seat did not turn out to be such a political hot potato as many pundits thought. The Labour Candidate, Jim McMahon, comfortably retained...
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3 Dec 2015
Hilary Benn's Speech on Syria
If you've not seen it yet, then I highly recommend spending 15 minutes watching Hilary Benn's speech during the Syria debate yesterday. It is being widely praised, by people on both sides of the...
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2 Dec 2015
Wales organ donor opt-out - Federalism in the UK
AS Government and Politics students will know that the word 'federalism' is often used when discussing the changes to UK government and constitutional reform. The devolution of powers to Wales,...
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1 Dec 2015
Corbyn's leadership - a sea change in UK Politics?
Love him or loathe him, there is no doubting that Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the Labour Party is having a significant impact on UK politics.
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30 Nov 2015
What is COP21?
This BBC 60 second Espresso video provides a handy introduction to the Climate Change talks taking place in Paris.
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30 Nov 2015
Bombing Syria - free votes
The Tories have reportedly spent the weekend scrabbling around trying to persuade enough Opposition MPs to back them in a Commons vote on whether the UK should engage in bombing Syria, following...
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30 Nov 2015
Oldham by-election - will Labour win?
The by-election in Oldham takes place this week (December 3rd) following the death of the long-standing Labour MP for the constituency, Michael Meacher (see here for an excellent obituary that also...
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27 Nov 2015
Trump vs Obama: who said what?
Who said what? is a fantastic teaching aid to challenge your students' perceptions of two very different political figures in American politics: Donald Trump and Barack Obama.
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26 Nov 2015
John McDonnell's Little Red Book - political naivety?
Yesterday's spending revue from George Osborne was big political and economic news. The scrapping of the tax credit cuts will be seen as a huge political move as Osborne attempts to sideline a...
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25 Nov 2015
Politics at the Movies - Bridge of Spies
Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance star in the newly-released Cold War film Bridge of Spies - this looks like a super film to take students to, especially if they are studying the Ideologies option at A2,...
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25 Nov 2015
Could tax credits be the new "poll tax" issue?
In the Chancellor's anticipated Spending Review today, we will find out exactly what he plans to do over the tax credits debacle. The BBC has posed an interesting question on this topic this...
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25 Nov 2015
Explaining the Syrian war
The Hip Hughes History Channel on YouTube is full of short and engaging briefings on key US politics topics and an increasing number of global politics topics too - there are over 300 videos for...
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24 Nov 2015
Effects of a Brexit on Europe
Much of the coverage surrounding the EU Referendum has been focussed on the impact on Britain, British people and British business, but what about the partners we may leave behind? Isn't it time...
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24 Nov 2015
What should we call Hillary?
There has been some hoo-ha this week in the more gossipy elements of the political media about Hillary Clinton's apparent "abandonment" of part of her name. During her time as First Lady (when...
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24 Nov 2015
Where do parties stand on Syria?
Last week, the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution, drafted by the French, to "redouble" action against Islamic State (IS) in the wake of the Paris attacks. Throughout...
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24 Nov 2015
What does Donald Trump actually believe?
Trump's sketchiness with the details is common - what does he actually believe?
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