Grahame Broadbelt
Grahame was Demos's Managing Director in 2006-7.
- Cameron vs Brown Listening to David Cameron on the radio this morning as he explained why Grammar Schools are a bad idea (whilst simultaneously trying to explain why his shadow cabinet is full of old Etonians) it became clear to me what some of the opportunities and threats are for both sides in the battle between Cameron and Brown. The main threat for Cameron (and the opportunity for Brown) is that Cameron is trying to find a language that is sufficiently different from the Old Conservatives to have appeal... continue reading on 22nd May 2007 Comments (2)
- Starting with the problem rather than the structure - aka how rather than who Whilst being no expert on the probation service I cannot help but worry about the current progress of the Offender Management Bill in the teeth of significant opposition from the Labour Backbenchers.My difficulty is this. The problem this bill is trying to solve is rooted in the assertion that the Probation Service are not reducing re-offending rates at the pace the Government require. The solution is to let the voluntary sector and the private sector have a go instead. The... continue reading on 1st March 2007 Comments (2)
- Kitchen Cabinet It was good to have the Home Secretary here this morning. He was making a wide ranging speech on the security challenges that face us in the UK and what we need to do about it. More on his speech and our reaction to it here shortly.But I wanted to applaud John Reid preparedness to use the Demos kichen area to meet and talk personally with some of our guests and to continue the debate. He clearly enjoyed it hugely. And so did we.Perhaps other Government Ministers might like to follow... continue reading on 9th August 2006 Comments (9)
- More Green Ideas Just seen an email from colleagues at City and Guilds which ends, not with the usual legal guff but with a useful line which says 'stop, do you really need to print this email'. A simple reminder that we are getting through a mountain of paper in this office and that anything we can do to slow down our paper burn rate would be good. continue reading on 25th July 2006 in Greening Up Demos Comments (1)
- I See You He told a story about his travels in Africa (undertaking his foundations AIDS work) where when people meet they greet each other with words that mean ?I see you?. He challenged us to acknowledge our interdependence by ensuring we recognised the many people who made the event work, the cleaners, the catering staff, the support staff, ?those people that make it possible for us to sit here today and those people that will clean up after we leave, make sure you see these people?.It seems to me... continue reading on 29th March 2006
- The Fast Food Political Party Social and political activism is alive and well, but has nothing to do with political parties or their machinery. The answer, for some, is for political parties to figure out how the single issue campaigns and hugely successful voluntary sector organisations are getting it so right, and then to copy that approach. This feels hugely satisfying as a tactic and leads to a long list on a flipchart of stuff that political parties could do. But it seems to me that political parties must be more... continue reading on 22nd March 2006 Comments (1)