Melissa Benn

Take a look at this very interesting link.

With the Tories apparently converting to all-ability schools, despite internal opposition, the debate on academic selection seemed one argument that had run its course, despite the continuing existence of 165 grammar schools, that no government dares touch. Not so. The argument rumbles on, boosted by recent publication of Alan Milburn’s study on social mobility: the [...]

From time to time in this blog I hope to celebrate some of the most impressive women and men of contemporary politics. Below,  a profile of one such woman that appeared in this week’s Guardian. Katherine Rake: Feminism’s calm champion Katherine Rake has led The Fawcett Society, the UK’s leading campaign for human rights, for [...]

Below, an opening extract from the Guardian news report today, on the Fawcett report, ‘Not Having it All: How Motherhood Reduces Women’s Pay and Employment Prospects’ and the link to the rest of it. ‘Women with children earn about 22% less than their male colleagues, according to a new report that explores the “devastating” impact [...]

Six months after paperback publication, One of Us continues to remain on both the VIntage and Richard and Judy bookclub bestseller lists. Vintage also continue to recommend the novel as one of its essential fiction reads. BBC Audio books have recently recorded a full, unabridged length CD of the novel – playing time 10 hours [...]

Listen to Melissa on A Good Read, Radio Four’s book programme, Tuesday at 4.30 and repeated on Friday at 11 pm.

Further to my post yesterday, I think Keith Flett in today’s Guardian has a point, about Gordon Brown, the Guardian -and other papers’ – use of the Flint picture, and what he calls the ‘amalgam technique’ in politics. Below the full text of his letter today: “As a socialist I have no time for the [...]