Welcome to my journal.
Get an insight into my day-to-day work and my perspective on key issues.
Why investment in Public Service Children’s Media is so is vital - especially now.
High quality British children’s content will become scarce and could become extinct. Parents, politicians and producers all have a role to play here – but all need to step up before it’s too late. As well as our great tradition of making high quality British media for children, we risk losing our heritage of growing new producers and writers. Once the traditional, regulated broadcasters and their budgets are no longer being found by children, who will pay for this vital element of our children’s nourishment?
How Labour can unleash our entrepreneurs and kick-start growth
Trickle-down economics has failed and continues to fail, and our economy has stopped growing. We are the only G7 nation to still have an economy smaller than it was pre-pandemic. And the IMF recently forecast that the UK will be among the worst performing economies in the G20 in 2023.
So what can Labour propose in order to avoid another decade of low growth and lots of inequality? ….
…. An entrepreneurial mindset places value in curiosity and innovation, constantly iterating for building growth and cultivating meaningful relationships, partnerships and collaborations.
Mission Led Government: The master key to open the door to transformational change
The way government works could be in for a long overdue shake up. Following Labour’s historic victory, it’s reported that five “mission boards”, chaired by the PM himself, will be set up to deliver Labour’s five missions across Whitehall departments. This could quietly prove to be the master key that unlocks effective, efficient government and delivers transformational change.
Innovation in the world of Children's Services
Summary of my keynote talk delivered to Coram Innovation Incubator, 2nd February 2024
Open letter to the Mayor of London as London's Child Obesity Taskforce
Every child a healthy weight - still a critical priority for young people in London. An open letter to the Mayor of London.
Start-Up, Scale Up: A reason to believe a vibrant economy can return.
A vibrant economy is underpinned by a dynamic culture of innovation and flexible structures that support entrepreneurs with sources of investment capital, knowledge-flow and market opportunities. As a previous national Entrepreneur of the Year, I have seen first hand how ideas can be supported to become reality, how start up businesses can successfully scale and how both profits and improvements to lives can be created together.
Only One Major Party has a Viable Plan for Growth...
After 12 years in power, we bear witness to an unproductive, low-growth economy - one that offers workers and families only stagnant wages and declining living standards and investors little confidence to invest. This is no coincidence. For an economy to grow its businesses it needs a government driven by purpose and direction, acting with credibility and competence, and that encourages confidence and stability. Yet this new government, in its six-week tip of a 12-year iceberg, has shattered any illusions of each in its strategy of gamble and hope.
Farewell to the Queen's 'Reassuring Continuum'
I had the privilege of seeing HM The Queen just twice in my life…….. Two tiny moments in my life, yet hugely precious memories carefully packed and proudly carried in the suitcase of my life's journey. One woman, just two minutes, forty years apart. How strange that it feels so significant.
Or is it? She was after all the most famous person in the world.
The Role of Universities in Global Security
I was honoured to be invited to give a lecture to educationalists, policy makers and students at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London. I had been asked to consider the role universities have in global security by wearing my new hat as Chancellor of the University of Reading.
A New Kind of Chancellor for the University of Reading's Second Century
In May 2022 I was appointed as Chancellor of the University of Reading, the ceremonial head of the University. I am the ninth person to hold the position in Reading's 96 years as a University, taking over from the current Chancellor, William Waldegrave, Baron Waldegrave of North Hill, who has held the post since 2016. I wrote this blog to set in context of a reflection on what kind of Chancellor I hope to become...
