It’s not at all clear who actually coined the aphorism that there are ‘lies, damned lies and statistics’ but whoever it was was wrong. Statistics are nothing more than meaningless figures until someone sits down to analyse and interpret them and it’s there that the problems arise. In, […]

In its most recent update on the DWP’s heavily criticised Universal Jobmatch service, the Public and Commercial Services Union revealed that, under current regulations, Jobcentre Plus cannot force job seekers to sign up to this service by issuing a Jobseeker Direction: Jobseeker Directions and Mandatory Use of UJ […]

The jury that sat in trial on Chris Huhne’s ex-wife, Vicky Pryce, has been widely derided in the press (and on Twitter, naturally) for putting this question to the trial judge: QUESTION 5 Can a juror come to a verdict based on a reason that was not presented […]

The Guardian’s CiF Belief section is currently running a head-to-head debate article which pits Austen Ivereigh, co-ordinator of Catholic astroturfing operation ‘Catholic Voices’, against Tina Beattie, a professor of Catholic Studies* at the University of Roehampton. * Quite why anyone would feel the need to study Catholics, least […]

I don’t know how much national press coverage this story will get but today’s Birmingham Mail is reporting another sorry case of a Police officer falling down on the job: A “rogue” policeman has quit the West Midlands force after admitting retracting a domestic violence victim’s statement without […]

A few days ago, the Court of Appeal finally handed down a ruling which confirms what many of us knew even before the current system of Criminal Records Bureau checks was introduced, that the system as created by New Labour was excessive, disproportionate and flagrantly in breach of […]

It’s been about six weeks since I last slapped Dr Peter Saunders around – metaphorically speaking, of course – but as he’s decided to give me an early Christmas present with a typically misconceived article on teenage pregnancy, STIs and emergency contraception who am I to decline an […]

I think it fair to say that one definite effect that government’s proposals for equal marriage have had, thus far, is that of flushing out a sizeable collection of unreconstructed Tory bigots, each of whom is ripe for ridicule. Yes, folk, we’re genuinely spoiled for choice at the […]

Opponents of equal marriage are, it seems, not alone in their inability to make sense of the government’s equal marriage proposals or the rationale behind the proposed ‘quadruple lock’, which is intend to ensure that religious denominations that remain opposed to same-sex marriage on theological grounds cannot be […]

I know this may sound a bit Ian Hislop, but if there are two things that I don’t watch on television its reality shows and soap operas. That’s not snobbery or being out of touch, so far as I’m concerned, its much more a matter of the value […]