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Compass (think Tank)
Compass is a British centre-left pressure group, aligned with the Labour Party (UK), Labour Party which describes itself as: "'An umbrella grouping of the progressive left whose sum is greater than its parts". Like the formally Labour-affiliated think tank the Fabian Society it is a membership-based organisation and thus seeks to be a pressure group and a force for political organisation and mobilisation. Compass was launched in 2003 with the publication of a founding statement called ''A Vision for the Democratic Left''. Supported by a number of academics and Labour politicians unhappy with the political direction of prime minister Tony Blair this was the first attempt by Compass to help guide the Labour government. Since then it has published pamphlets and a series of booklets as part of its Programme for Renewal charting an alternative path for left governments and for centre-left activists in the UK. In June 2023, it was revealed that the chair of Compass, Neal Lawson, is fac ...
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Governmental Organization
A government agency or state agency, sometimes an appointed commission, is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government (bureaucracy) that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions, such as an Administration (government), administration. There is a notable variety of agency types. Although usage differs, a government agency is normally distinct both from a department or Ministry (government department), ministry, and other types of public body established by government. The functions of an agency are normally executive in character since different types of organizations (''such as commissions'') are most often constituted in an advisory role — this distinction is often blurred in practice however, it is not allowed. A government agency may be established by either a national government or a state government within a federal system. Agencies can be established by legislation or by executive powers. The autonomy, indep ...
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John Harris (critic)
John Rhys Harris (born 1969) is a British journalist, writer and critic. He is the author of ''The Last Party: Britpop, Blair and the Demise of English Rock'' (2003); ''So Now Who Do We Vote For?'', which examined the 2005 UK general election; a 2006 behind-the-scenes look at the production of Pink Floyd's '' The Dark Side of the Moon''; and ''Hail! Hail! Rock'n'Roll'' (2009). His articles have appeared in '' Select'', '' Q'', '' Mojo'', '' Shindig!'', ''Rolling Stone'', ''Classic Rock'', ''The Independent'', the ''New Statesman'', ''The Times'' and ''The Guardian''. Early life Harris was born in 1969 and raised in Wilmslow in north Cheshire; his father was a university lecturer in nuclear engineering, and his mother a teacher who was the daughter of a nuclear research chemist. He became fixated by pop music at an early age. Harris attended the comprehensive Wilmslow County High School (at the same time as members of the band Doves), then went to Loreto College, Manchester, ...
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Unison (trade Union)
Unison (stylised as UNISON) is a British trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages .... Along with Unite, Unison is one of the two largest trade unions in the United Kingdom, with over 1.2 million members who work predominantly in public services, including local government, education, health and outsourced services. The union was formed in 1993 when three public sector trade unions, the National Association of Local Government Officers, National and Local Government Officers Association (NALGO), the National Union of Public Employees (NUPE) and the Confederation of Health Service Employees (COHSE) merged. UNISON's current general secretary is Christina McAnea, who replaced Dave Prentis in 2021. Members and organisation Members of UNISON are typically fro ...
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Helena Kennedy
Helena Ann Kennedy, Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws (born 12 May 1950), is a Scottish barrister, Television presenter, broadcaster, and Labour Party (UK), Labour member of the House of Lords. She was Principal (academia), Principal of Mansfield College, Oxford, from 2011 to 2018. A Bencher of Gray's Inn, an Honorary Writer to the Signet and the recipient of 42 Honorary Degrees from many universities including those of Glasgow and Edinburgh in recognition of work on women and the law and on widening participation in higher education. She is President of Justice, the law reform think tank, and is also director of the International Bar Association's Institute of Human Rights. In 2024, Kennedy succeeded David Neuberger, Baron Neuberger of Abbotsbury, Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury as Chair of the High Level Panel of Legal Experts on Media Freedom. Early life and education Kennedy was born on 12 May 1950 in Glasgow, Scotland, one of the four daughters of Mary Veronica (née Jones) and Josh ...
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Jon Cruddas
Jonathan Cruddas (born 7 April 1962) is a British Labour Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Dagenham and Rainham, formerly Dagenham, between 2001 and 2024. Having been critical of many aspects of the Blair government, he stood for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party in 2007, although he openly stated he did not wish to become Deputy Prime Minister. Despite winning the most votes in the first round of voting, he was eliminated in the penultimate round of the contest. Cruddas ruled himself out of the 2010 leadership election, saying he would rather influence policy. In 2012, Cruddas was appointed to Ed Miliband's Shadow Cabinet, replacing Liam Byrne as Policy Coordinator. In August 2022 Cruddas announced his intention to retire from Parliament at the 2024 general election. Early life and education Cruddas was born in Helston, Cornwall to John, a sailor, and Pat (a native of County Donegal, Ireland). Cruddas was educated at the Oak ...
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Frances O'Grady
Frances Lorraine Maria O'Grady, Baroness O'Grady of Upper Holloway (born 9 November 1959), is a British former trade unionist leader, who served as the General Secretary of the British Trades Union Congress (TUC) from 2013 to 2022, being the first woman to hold the position. After O'Grady presented her resignation in 2022, Paul Nowak was selected to succeed her; he took up the post on 29 December 2022. O'Grady sits as a life peer in the House of Lords. Early life and family O'Grady was born in Oxford, one of five siblings in a family of Irish descent, and was brought up in the Roman Catholic faith. Her father was a shop steward at the Leyland car plant in Cowley. She was educated at Milham Ford School, a grammar school which became comprehensive during her time there. At Manchester University, she earned a BA Hons in politics and modern history. She received a Diploma in Industrial Relations and Trade Union Studies at Middlesex Polytechnic. Career O'Grady worked for the Tr ...
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Dave Prentis
David Prentis, Baron Prentis of Leeds (born 29 May 1948) is a British trade unionist and former General Secretary of UNISON, the United Kingdom's largest trade union. He was originally elected in 2000. He was re-elected in March 2005 with 77% of the vote, in 2010 with 67% of the vote, and in 2015 with 49% of the vote. Early life Prentis was born and brought up in Leeds where he attended St Michael's College from 1959 to 1967. He went to the University of London where he took a BA in History, then studied Economic History at the London School of Economics. This was followed by a master's degree in Industrial Relations at the University of Warwick. Trade unions He joined NALGO in 1975, and in 1990 he became its deputy general secretary. He was UNISON's deputy general secretary (DGS) from its formation in July 1993, when it was formed from NALGO, NUPE and CoHSE. UNISON leadership In his role as the deputy general secretary, Prentis directed UNISON's national negotiating tea ...
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Ken Livingstone
Kenneth Robert Livingstone (born 17 June 1945) is an English former politician who served as the Leader of the Greater London Council (GLC) from 1981 until the council was Local Government Act 1985, abolished in 1986, and as Mayor of London from the Greater London Authority Act 1999, creation of the office in 2000 until 2008 London mayoral election, 2008. He also served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Brent East from 1987 United Kingdom general election, 1987 to 2001 United Kingdom general election, 2001. A former member of the Labour Party (UK), Labour Party, he was on the party's hard left, ideologically identifying as a socialist. Born in Lambeth, South London, to a working-class family, Livingstone joined Labour in 1968 and was elected to represent Norwood (electoral division), Norwood at the GLC in 1973 Greater London Council election, 1973, Hackney North and Stoke Newington (electoral division), Hackney North and Stoke Newington in 1977 Greater London Council ele ...
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Robin Cook
Robert Finlayson "Robin" Cook (28 February 19466 August 2005) was a British Labour Party politician who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1974 until his death in 2005 and served in the Cabinet as Foreign Secretary from 1997 until 2001 when he was replaced by Jack Straw. He then served as Leader of the House of Commons from 2001 until 2003. Cook studied at the University of Edinburgh before being elected as the Member of Parliament for Edinburgh Central in 1974; he switched to the Livingston constituency in 1983. In Parliament, he was known for his debating ability and rapidly rose through the political ranks and ultimately into the Cabinet. As Foreign Secretary, he oversaw British interventions in Kosovo and Sierra Leone. Cook resigned from his positions as Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons on 17 March 2003 in protest against the invasion of Iraq. At the time of his death, he was President of the Foreign Policy Centre and a Vice- ...
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Catalyst (think Tank)
Catalyst (later Catalyst Forum) was a left wing independent think tank based in London, set up in 1998 to promote policies directed to the redistribution of power, wealth and opportunity. Though not aligned to any political party, it was generally sympathetic to the Labour movement and described itself as "an organisation of the left". The organisation was founded at the high point of Tony Blair's modernisation of the Labour Party and struggled to attract funding, especially from the trades unions who had originally been expected to be the most sympathetic to its redistributionist platform. Trades unions, concerned at further exclusion from power either by the electorate or the new Labour Party leadership, took a sharp turn away from too deep an association with the Left at this time and only begun in 2005 and 2006 to develop an increased if cautious interest in left-wing thought as a new generation of activist trades union leaders has emerged. Former Deputy Labour Leader, Roy ...
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BBC News Online
BBC News Online is the website of BBC News, the division of the BBC responsible for newsgathering and production. It is one of the most popular news websites, with 1.2 billion website visits in April 2021, as well as being used by 60% of the UK's internet users for news. The website contains international news coverage, as well as British, entertainment, science, and political news. Many reports are accompanied by audio and video from the BBC's BBC Television, television and BBC Radio, radio news services, while the latest TV and radio bulletins are also available to view or listen to on the site together with other current affairs programmes. BBC News Online is closely linked to its sister department website, that of BBC Sport. Both sites follow similar layout and content options and respective journalists work alongside each other. Location information provided by users is also shared with the website of BBC Weather to provide local content. From 1998 to 2001 the site was n ...
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Abolition Of Monarchy
The abolition of monarchy is a legislative or revolutionary movement to abolish monarchical elements in government, usually hereditary. The abolition of an absolute monarchy in favour of limited government under a constitutional monarchy is a less radical form of anti-monarchism that has succeeded in some nations that still retain monarchs, such as Sweden, Spain, and Thailand. Abolition has been carried out in various ways, including via abdication leading to the extinction of the monarchy, legislative reform, revolution, coup d'état, and decolonisation. Abolition became more frequent in the 20th century, with the number of monarchies in Europe falling from 22 to 12 between 1914 and 2015, and the number of republics rising from 4 to 34. Decolonisation and independence have resulted in an abolition of monarchies in a number of former colonies such as those created by the United Kingdom. Motivations for abolition include egalitarianism and anti-class views, eliminating a riva ...
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