Britain in the eighteenth century was a country of firsts; first to undergo the industrial revolution and in 1824, the first country to legalise trade unions with the repeal of the Combination Acts of 1799 and 1800. Although trade unions may have been recognised since the first quarter of the eighteenth century, their position was still precarious and subject to the capriciousness of political debate, judicial interpretation and public opinion. Furthermore while the liberal attitudes of the period had allowed for this concession to the unions, British ideals were very much subject to the idea of laissez-faire and the individualistic attitudes, thus the state was not going to intervene unnecessarily. Continue reading “A Whistle-stop Tour of British Labour Relations”

As the fash-pack descends on Paris, the British Fashion Council Show Space is dismantled, photographer’s retreat to spend a week on their Mac books and editors hang up their heels, it is time to reflect on the British talent showcased at London Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2010.

Hakaan was indisputably the highlight of the week – the Turkish designer drew the most exclusive of crowds who left enamoured by his strong silhouettes and muted palette of bandage dresses. Enthralled journalists scribbled furiously as Natalia Vodianova and Abbey Lee walked some of his more austere designs and the camel-coloured ostrich thigh-high dress even drew a demure smile from Kate Moss, perhaps the most unlikely event at LFW this season. Todd Lynn was also a firm favourite, with some unlikely stars littering his front row (Janet Jackson? Can someone explain please?). His nature versus man inspired collection featured hooded tan outer garments and elevated shoulders, of which shameless copies are sure to be flooding high-streets by September (thank goodness). Not much was to be said of his after-party however, which, despite being invited to in hushed tones by a PR exec, we left after half an hour following the shameless consumption of three free cocktails. Continue reading “London Fashion Week”

With just weeks to go before elections take place across London’s universities, you would hope that thousands of students were scrambling to find out as much as they could about the candidates and decide who would best vocalise student opinion. Unfortunately, as with every other university election in recent years, this is unlikely to be the case.

In 2008 London was politically hyped up like never before, students talked openly about politics and seemed genuinely excited by it all. But it was not the May London Mayoral Elections they were talking about, but the November US Presidential Election. Whilst it was a truly inspiring event that saw the first Black American elected Commander-in-Chief, it was sad to think that it took an election in a country most Londoners could never vote in to get us enthralled with politics again. Turnout in the US presidential election was some 63-percent, far higher than the 45-percent seen in the London Mayoral elections of May. Had the option to vote in the US election been extended to Londoners, there is little doubt that turnout would have been higher than in any UK election of modern times. Continue reading “Take note: Go vote”