Jon Wilson

The crisis in Ukraine brings us to the governance of London. For us, citizens of a country whose capital city is a crossroads for global capital, foreign policy does not just happen out there. British politicians anxiously vex about their…

When public officials blame the weather, you know there’s something wrong. When Tory MPs are angry at the inaction of public institutions, you know there’s a crisis. The poor response to the floods was caused by a system of government that…

These could be the last days of the old politics. Labour has decided it wants to win the election next year. In Ed Miliband’s Hugo Young lecture last night, in the ferment of ideas around Jon Cruddas’s policy review, in speeches by Tristram…

‘Go bold or go home’ is Ed Miliband’s advice to the shadow cabinet. In his slow creation of a clear Labour plan of action from the wreckage of defeat in 2010, Ed Miliband has a battle on his hands. The battle isn’t just with the forces of…

Dear Iain, As you can imagine, the invitation by Labour Friends of India to Narendra Modi to speak in Parliament has caused concern in the UK and India. As Barry Gardiner MP states in his invitation letter, Mr. Modi is the elected Chief…

My part of England has a shrinking number of local financial institutions. The Nationwide Building Society closed its branches in Greenwich, Woolwich and Blackheath. Our neighbours used to borrow and save with the Woolwich. The Woolwich…

Woolwich is an amazing place. It’s where the Labour party was founded as a mass membership organization. The Woolwich Provident was one of Britain’s first building societies. The Royal Arsenal Coop one of our first cooperative societies…

Last Thursday was a big day for the Labour Party. It was also a big day for my dad. In an important speech to the British Chambers of Commerce, Ed Miliband outlined Labour’s plans for a network of local banks to back small business. In…

A crisis in Britain’s institutions is driving popular frustration at everyone with power, from bankers to newspapers to politicians. From duck ponds to the economic downturn, we’ve allowed small groups to look after their own interests…

Political leadership is the art of bringing people with different interests together to act for the common good. That doesn’t just need policy detail. We need something bolder – give people a say over their institutions that run their…

Parliament represents the people. But the House of Commons represents us in only one dimension of our lives. It divides us by territory. It asks us to elect our national representatives according to where our flats or houses are – in other…