It’s 26 years since a Labour government with a big majority replaced a tired Conservative administration. People who look back on the New Labour years, however, are inclined to bemoan its lost opportunities – a key message for the current Labour Party, as it tries not to get too complacent about the general election. Although many people, looking back on […]
But which is the real Michael Gove?
Michael Gove began his keynote speech on housing this week with a reminder. “Housing policy – the building of new homes, the stewardship of existing properties, the planning of our towns, the fundamental landscape of our lives – requires long-term thinking,” he said. “And a long-term plan.” Which is ironic when you think about it, given that this Parliament has […]
It’s politics, but not as we know it
People are saying it – our politics are getting stranger all the time. One of the many attractive features of the Smart Growth philosophy has always been its ability to attract support from thoughtful people across the political spectrum. Now it looks increasingly as if the need to rise beyond the hurly-burly of party politics is getting more urgent. To […]