Unfortunately it seems I haven't kept my security up to scratch and I've been hacked. As such I'm going to have to search down and resubmit all my news, a minor annoyance but I'll be back up and running soon! Unfortunately this means that some links will be out of date linking here but I'll be doing what I can to alleviate that problem too

I'm sitting here watching the Oscars and thus getting utterly distracted from making Politalks, so I decided that I would finish off this post I've had for a few days that asks what we could perhaps spend the money that is potentially to be spent on the highly illiberal and unpopular ID card system on instead. The list isn't exhaustive, and I've left out plenty of examples where existing systems could be given more funding to be made more efficient and effective, but it's a start. Anyone else got any other examples? Click continue article to see the full list...

Trips to Auschwitz, they can form an important part of a child's education about history and also about the danger of politics gone bad. Plans are that the government will fund children to visit these places more, but the Tories are calling such a policy a gimmick. And you know what, they're right.

The facts are simple. There are over 750 thousand students at A-Level age, and around 27% of children live in poverty. The government is funding the trips to the tune of £4.65mil over three years, or rather £1.55mil a year. Trips to Auschwitz cost £350, so this money essentially pays for around 4,500 students a year to go and see the camp, this is roughly 0.6% of all sixth form students.

This policy IS a gimmick...