Promise of Major Changes

The New York Times' article "Side by Side, Britain's Improbable New Leaders Promise Major Changes" discusses the promises that the new coalition has agreed upon. Prime Minister David Cameron and his deputy, Nick Clegg of the liberal democrat party, have agreed on a cabinet of mixed members of both parties. The political days of party self-interest are over, since the coalition requires much more conversation about policies. Also, the current tradition of dissolving parliament at any time during five years is being questioned, a fixed five year term proposed for the parliament. Apparently in the past David Cameron had joked that his favorite joke was "Nick Clegg". The coalition is launching a new campaign for "national" interest instead of "party" interest.

This is relevent to our class since the article has to do with public policy, and in such a critical time, the policies formed from this coalition will be an integral part of the future. The British system of government that we know today could be different in the next five years.

Article found in the Thursday May 13th issue of the New York Times.

Picture credits to flickr.

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No Surrender

Cutting the BBC

In a recent Economist article it discusses the recent voluntary cut by the BBC to its budget. Considered, " the world's first, and mightiest, national public broadcaster" it is shocking to commercial media firms. although critics have claimed that it is not a really cutting very much, just limiting its already exponential expansion. 98% of all Britons use the BBC in some form weekly. And about of third of Britons go to their website daily. OF course many people call the BBC's power "chilling" but according to a recent poll 63% of Britons trust the BBC, this is more than most politicians, other media sources and journalists. This effects legitimacy of the BBC, it displays the effects of the world wide recession. It also shows an interesting blend of a governmental controlled organization competing with free market media.

grade this post. 3/7/10