Sam Freedman’s new book Failed State: Why Britain Doesn’t Work and How We Fix It offers a sobering diagnosis of Britain’s broken governance. His central claim: decades of over-centralisation and reckless outsourcing have hollowed out the state, leaving public services expensive, inefficient, and unaccountable. The centralisation problem – Successive governments stripped local councils of powers … Continue reading How Britain Outsourced Its Way Into Failure
Tag: politics
Why Investing in Continuous Training Systems Is Essential for the Age of Automation and Globalisation
“Change is inevitable, but growth is intentional.” We are living in a time where technology and globalisation are rewriting the rules of work faster than most education systems or businesses can keep up. Automation, artificial intelligence, and international competition are transforming industries and disrupting careers. In this landscape, the most valuable resource is not financial … Continue reading Why Investing in Continuous Training Systems Is Essential for the Age of Automation and Globalisation
Finance Lobbying Is Out of Control – Here’s How We Take Back Balance
The financial lobby has more influence over UK policy today than at any time since the 2008 crash. Ministers and regulators are being nudged—some might say coerced—into promoting the growth of finance as if it were an unquestionable good. But history tells us otherwise. When finance grows unchecked, inequality widens, crises multiply, and society pays … Continue reading Finance Lobbying Is Out of Control – Here’s How We Take Back Balance
Human Capital: The Evidence for a New Way Forward
For too long, governments, corporations, and even individuals have treated money as the ultimate measure of progress. But research continues to prove what we at the Academy of Life Planning have long argued: the greatest source of wealth is not financial capital, but human capital. A study published in the European Journal of Social Impact … Continue reading Human Capital: The Evidence for a New Way Forward
Britain’s Family Farms Face the Axe — All for a Misjudged Tax Grab
The government has seriously underestimated the damage its inheritance tax reforms will inflict on Britain’s small family farms. Far from targeting only wealthy landowners, the changes — due in April 2026 — will devastate hundreds of modest, working farms that have been in families for generations. The numbers are stark. According to the Centre for … Continue reading Britain’s Family Farms Face the Axe — All for a Misjudged Tax Grab
From Victim to Victor: How the Goliathon Helps Survivors Fight Back Against Financial Injustice
By Steve Conley, Founder of Get SAFE (Support After Financial Expoitation) and the Academy of Life Planning. I am a champion of the people — the voice of the little person on the street.I fight for justice. I stand up for what I believe in. For too long, ordinary people have been losing against the … Continue reading From Victim to Victor: How the Goliathon Helps Survivors Fight Back Against Financial Injustice
The Deregulation Time Machine: From Lehman to Sizewell — Same Plot, Higher Stakes
Deregulation Across Sectors: The Hidden Risks to People, Planet, and Prosperity We have seen the dangers of deregulation before. In 2008, the global financial crisis cost the world economy an estimated $10 trillion. Beyond the economic damage, research shows it directly contributed to more than 10,000 suicides in Western countries alone. Entire communities lost jobs, … Continue reading The Deregulation Time Machine: From Lehman to Sizewell — Same Plot, Higher Stakes
When Will We Wake Up? Human Capital, Not Tax Hikes, Drives Growth
By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning Economic growth comes from one place: investment in people. Not balance-sheet trickery. Not tax rises. Not deregulation. But in human capital—the skills, health, knowledge, and potential of individuals. And yet, here we are again. According to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, Chancellor Rachel Reeves … Continue reading When Will We Wake Up? Human Capital, Not Tax Hikes, Drives Growth
Imagine If Ofwat Had a Growth Mandate — We’d Need Snorkels by Now
Inspired by Dan Cooper’s thought-provoking piece in Money Marketing, which asks, “Who’d want to be a regulator, eh?” — I couldn’t help but reflect on our own well-chlorinated experiences with the FCA. Dan’s article dives into Ofwat’s spectacular collapse under the weight of its own inaction, drawing a tidy line between regulatory oversight and public … Continue reading Imagine If Ofwat Had a Growth Mandate — We’d Need Snorkels by Now
🕵️♂️ Redemption or Reputation Laundering?
The Curious Case of Alexander Wood, ‘Reformed Fraudster’ "I stole £1.2m in 40 minutes, then blew it all in Harrods."That’s the chilling headline from a recent article in The Sunday Times, profiling Alexander Wood—a man who claims to have swindled over £50 million through authorised push payment (APP) scams before reinventing himself as an anti-fraud … Continue reading 🕵️♂️ Redemption or Reputation Laundering?
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