The Wilberforce Society

7th May – TWS-Cambridge Union-Cambridge Hub Forum – ‘Tackling Homelessness’

georgebangham — Sat, 05 May 2012 18:38:40 +0000

*Why do people become homeless? And why do they remain homeless?*
*Whose fault is it?*
*What’s the role of government? Of individuals? Of society?*
*What can we do to help?*

The Cambridge Union, The Wilberforce Society and The Cambridge Hub present “Let’s talk about Homelessness” – a panel discussion at the Cambridge Union.

Our panel:
John Bird – Founder of the Big Issue
Stephen Gilbert MP – Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Housing and Homelessness
Kevin C Dooley – Formerly homeless and a heroin addict, now an addiction recovery consultant
Seyi Obakin – Chief Executive of Centrepoint
Kirsten Lavers – Founder and Creative Director of FLACK
James Martin – Manager of Winter Comfort

All students and residents of Cambridge are welcome.

Monday 7th May 2012, 7.30-9pm, at the Cambridge Union Society

27th April – Where next in public policy on same-sex marriage? LGBT rights in the UK, with Chris Bryant MP

georgebangham — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:45:42 +0000

For The Wilberforce Society’s first policy debate of term, we will be joined by Chris Bryant MP, former Minister for Europe, and Symon Hill, associate director of the Christian thinktank Ekklesia and the author of The No-Nonsense Guide to Religion.

Join the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/416681795027362/

Find us on Twitter @TWSCambridge

Meeting on 9th March on history/philosophy of Fund Management with Prof David Tuckett

georgebangham — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:10:01 +0000

Timmy Hele Room, Queen’s Building, Emmanuel College

Friday 9th March, 4pm

In TWS’s final meeting of term, we will be discussing a fascinating paper by Mike Walker on the history and philosophy of Fund Management, with the guest expertise of Professor David Tuckett of UCL.

David Tuckett is Professor of Psycho-analysis and Director of the Emotional Finance Project at UCL (University College London). He has received critical acclaim from Nobel prize-winner George Akerlof and Bank of England Governor Mervyn King as well as Gerd Gigerenzer, Andrew Sheng and Dennis Snower, among many others. He is a Fellow of the British Institute of Psychoanalysis and won the 2007 Sigourney Award for Psychoanalysis. First trained in Economics and Medical Sociology, he also introduced behavioural sciences to medical education at the Middlesex Hospital Medical School and was Principal of the Health Education Studies Unit at the University of Cambridge.

Email policy@wilberforcesociety.co.uk for a copy of the paper.

All welcome. We hope to see many of you there!

For more info please see https://www.facebook.com/events/362088390481143/

Forum on 20th February with Cambridge Union Society, on the London Riots

georgebangham — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 23:20:24 +0000

We’re holding a joint TWS – Cambridge Union Society Forum.
Monday 20th February, 7pm, at the Union!

Panel:

Rt Hon. David Lammy MP – MP for Tottenham and author of ‘Out of the
Ashes: Britain after the riots’

Dr. Phillip Blond – Founding Director of Res Publica, a leading public
policy thinktank, and originator of the ‘Big Society’

Supt. Leroy Logan MBE – Deputy Borough Commander, Metropolitan Police in
Hackney

Owen Jones – leading journalist, author of ‘Chavs – the Demonization of the
Working Class’

Alvin Carpio – Lead author, London Citizens’ Inquiry into the Riots,
launched February 2012

Chair: George Bangham, Chair of TWS Report on London Riots for Lord Glasman
______________________________________________________________

Why did the riots break out in August 2011?
What societal inequalities did they reveal?
How do we restore positive police-community relations?
What is the role of education in regeneration after the riots?
How can Cambridge students have a say in the process?
______________________________________________________________

The riots of August 2011 transfixed the world’s media as they occurred. The
simmering grievances they unearthed would prove intensely uncomfortable to
leading politicians. Subsequent events however pushed them from the
limelight, without prompting sufficient debate around Cambridge in their
wake.

TWS therefore presents you the unique opportunity to challenge the views of a
panel of frontline experts on the riots, representing MPs, policy experts, the
police and community leaders. In partnership with the Cambridge Union Society,
TWS will present their policy solutions to the riots, written as a commissioned
report for Lord Glasman, to set the scene for a panel-led debate.
______________________________________________________________

The Forum will take place on Monday, 20th February 2012 at 7pm, in the Main
Chamber at the Cambridge Union Society.

All are welcome.

Meeting on 13th February – UK National Security – with Lord Wilson

nickcrawford — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:17:08 +0000

On MONDAY, 13th February at 5pm, TWS will meet in Emmanuel College to discuss a wide-ranging and novel paper on the National Security Council and the Prime Minister by George Bangham and Sarang Shah.

Since 9/11 the UK’s national security has become an increasingly central organisational principle for government. The National Security Council was founded in May 2010 in acknowledgement of this trend, to provide high-level government co-ordination on all matters of security and defence. This politically-motivated innovation is now accepted by all parties, however its implementation leaves many shortcomings to be addressed.

This paper therefore traces two main threads in constitutional history; the role of intelligence in policymaking, and the constitutional authority of the Prime Minister. It proposes an obligatory role for the NSC in the intelligence cycle, examining the statutory means to regulate its future behaviour. Situating all this in the wider debates on UK constitutional reform, this paper will thus be of wide interest, to students of history, law, international relations, intelligence and much more.

Lord Wilson of Dinton has been Master of Emmanuel College since 2002. Previously, his 36-year career in the Civil Service spanned wide-ranging work in the Home Office, Department for the Environment and the Board of Trade, before culminating in his appointment as Secretary of the Cabinet and Head of the Home Civil Service from 1998-2002. He is among the country’s foremost authorities on all aspects of government, national security and the constitution. As Patron of the Wilberforce Society, he has been closely involved with TWS since its foundation, and has provided invaluable advice and contacts during the writing of this paper.

This policy seminar will take place from 5-6.30pm on Monday 13th February, in the Harrods Room, Queen’s Building, Emmanuel College.

All are welcome.

If you would like a copy of the paper, please email foreign-policy@wilberforcesociety.co.uk. We will provide printed executive summaries at the meeting.

Childhood Obesity Meeting – Saturday 28th January

nickcrawford — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:32:25 +0000

After a very successful conference on cyberspace issues we will now return to our policy proposal meetings. The first meeting of The Wilberforce Society this term will be on the subject of childhood obesity. The proposal is written by Alison Andrew.

Childhood Obesity is a major issue in the UK with around 27% of children now being overweight. As we know, obesity leads to a plethora of other health related issues, adversely affecting the quality of life of the people affected as well as, simply put, costing a lot of money.

Do come along for what promises to be a thoroughly interesting meeting on a very important issue. We have also restructured the format of our meetings and will have more time for an open discussion between the audience, author and guest expert.

The guest expert this week will be Dr. Matthew Capehorn.

***
Dr. Matthew Capehorn is the Clinical Director of the National Obesity Forum and Clinical Manager at Roterham Institute for Obesity. He has made numerous radio and television appearances in interviews and documentaries relating to current obesity matters.

TWS Cyber Policy Conference 13th January 2012

nickcrawford — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:11:27 +0000

To start off the new year, TWS will be holding its inaugural conference on Public Policy for Cyberspace. Speaking will be some of the UK’s leading authorities and policy-makers in the field. There will be keynote speeches from the Rt Hon Francis Maude (Minister for the Cabinet and Head of the Office of Cyber Security and Information Assurance) and Baroness Neville-Jones (former Security Minister, now the PM’s Special Representative to Business for Cyber Security).

There will be sessions on cyberwarfare, cybercrime and cyberethics with directors from BAE Systems Detica, Northrup Grumman and Deloitte, academics and former military personnel; YouGov will be presenting survey findings on attitudes to cyber security; as well as breakfast, lunch and a drinks reception.

The price is only £10 for TWS members, £15 for other students, and £40 for non-students.

For more information and to reserve your place see:

http://thewilberforcesociety.co.uk/2012-public-policy-for-cyberspace/

This really is a unique opportunity to meet, listen to, question and engage with policy-makers and experts from an area of policy that is only in its early stages. Technical knowledge isn’t required and we’ll be sending around a short briefing pack to all delegates before the conference.

So, see the poster attached, fill in the booking form and book a place soon, before they go!

The Future of the Eurozone – Saturday 26th November 5.00-6.30

nickcrawford — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:07:52 +0000

This Saturday sees the last TWS meeting of the term and it is perhaps our most topical meeting yet – on increased fiscal union in the Eurozone. The paper, written by Tom Pocock will be discussed with the counsel of Peter Westaway, the former Chief Economist for Europe at Nomura and Visiting Professor of Economics at Queen Mary’s London.

Westaway has been a Divisional Head at the Bank of England with responsibility for analysis and research on financial markets for the MPC. Earlier, in 2002-3, he worked for the HM Treasury and provided analytical input to HMT’s EMU Five Tests Assessment. He has also been a Senior Research Fellow at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research and was in charge of the team responsible for modelling and forecasting the UK economy.

The meeting will take place from 5 till 6.30pm, Saturday 26^th, in the Timothy Hele Rm, Queen’s Building (i.e. nr the Harrod’s Rm), Emmanuel College.

Annual Lecture with Rhodri Morgan Wednesday 16th November

nickcrawford — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:06:09 +0000

Come this Wednesday to The Wilberforce Society’s Annual Lecture with the Rt Hon Rhodri Morgan.

Rhodri Morgan was the first First Minister of Wales after the establishment of the Welsh National Assembly, retitled from First Secretary in 2000, and served in these positions as one of the UK’s most senior politicians for ten years.

As a Labour politician who has remained true to the Left’s argument that the NHS – and not private suppliers – should provide public health services, he argued frequently for “Welsh solutions for Welsh problems” against the policies of Blair and Brown. In that vein, he will be addressing us on the project of devolution from a position of great expertise.

So do come to this, our annual lecture, given by Rhodri Morgan on devolution, in the Old Library at Emmanuel College at 7.30pm on Wednesday 16^th November.

We look forward to seeing you there.

(Please note: As a result of this event, there will be no policy meeting this week.)

Meeting 5pm Saturday 12th November in Barbara White Room, Newnham College & Minutes for meeting on Homelessness

dbaynard — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 18:08:56 +0000

Hello!

At this meeting we will be discussing a paper by Justin Kempley, Director of External Affairs, on the regulation of the greyhound racing industry. Our guest is Johanna Beumer, who has over 40 years’ experience working in the racing industry, successfully re-homing over 4000 greyhounds in that time.

This meeting will be held at 5pm tomorrow (Saturday 12th November) in the Barbara White Rm, Newnham College, which is not as far away as you might think — just opposite the Sidgwick site on Sidgwick Street! Whilst quite a niche topic in public policy, it’s one that needs proper attention paid to it, hence this paper. Have a read, and do go along for an excellent discussion.

Minutes from the meeting on 28/10/2011 on homelessness in the UK are available here.

In other notices, if anyone is interested in working on a paper on discrimination towards LGBT relationships, please get in touch, emailing chairman@wilberforcesociety.co.uk. This will involve compiling a survey, analysing the data produced, and drafting policy responses.

See you soon.