Philosopher Gordon Finlayson (Sussex) writes:
I don't know if you have noticed this in the US, but there is widespread political action and civil disobedience, including occupations and flash demonstrations, being taken by students and school pupils all over England (mainly protesting at the tripling of Student Fees). This action taken by a young, technologically savvy and apparently newly politicised generation is being quite effective, and is creating some serious political instability. It will be interesting to see what happens in the run up to the vote on University funding on December 9th.
This action is part of a wider outrage at the austerity measures and slashing of public services by a Government that simultaneously gives huge tax waivers to its own rich advisors: Andy Halford (vodafone) and Phillip Green (Topshop). Vodaphone and Topshop are being targeted by protesters angry at the Governmnet sanctioned tax avoidance of these companies. A Winter of Discontent is on its way.
The rather sanguine discussion of Browne's report on your blog that I have read so far, has underestimated the explosive nature of the policy change that is about to be implemented in Higher Education, how widely it is resented by parents puils and students, just as it has ignored the wider context of current political unrest. I have never seen anything like this, since the miner's strike and the Poll Tax under Thatcher.
More thoughts and links from U.K. readers welcome in the comments.
