Peter Dowson

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Articles

This One London School Offers a Beacon of Hope for Transforming Our Education System

2 months ago | compassonline.org.uk | Peter Dowson |Neal Lawson

There are moments in life when you’re lucky enough to stumble across something amazing. I give you the New School in Croydon. It’s amazing because it’s trying to do education in a different way for different ends. It’s a story of determination and innovation. Against the odds and despite the mainstream education system, it’s doing a priceless service.
Keir Starmer’s Shallow-Rooted Political Project Is Already Starting to Topple

2 months ago | compassonline.org.uk | Peter Dowson |Neal Lawson

The revelations in the Sunday Times and Times this week about the Labour’s leadership in-fighting, backstabbing and contempt for each other, makes terrible reading for anyone who thought the ‘grown ups’ were really back in charge. Any successful political project needs deep ideas, or strong relationships. Preferably both. It’s looking like Labour’s leaders have neither. For the last few weeks, I’ve been asking people whether you can be politically competent in the absence of ideas.
Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves Must Abandon Their Trumpian Obsession with Economic Growth

2 months ago | compassonline.org.uk | Peter Dowson |Neal Lawson

On Wednesday the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, will set out her latest plans for boosting growth in the UK. It will be a familiar message. If the mantra that got Keir Starmer’s Labour Government elected was ‘change’, then the overwhelming message since then has been about ‘growth, growth and more growth’. Not since ‘Get Brexit Done’ has there been such a single-minded purpose to an administration.
A Simple Ban on Political Lying Could Radically Transform Our Politics

2 months ago | compassonline.org.uk | Peter Dowson |Neal Lawson

Imagine for a second that under pressure from a coalition led by Compassion in Politics Keir Starmer’s Government suddenly, and surprisingly, backed a bill to ban lying and deception by politicians. Imagine that this decision followed the lead of the Welsh Government, who themselves had already committed to introduce legislation to prevent deliberate factual deception by politicians and candidates. Breaches would lead to disqualification from, or barring from standing for, elected office.
Keir Starmer Must Join a Progressive Alliance for a Fairer Voting System or Get Steamrollered by a Reform-Conservative Pact

2 months ago | compassonline.org.uk | Peter Dowson |Neal Lawson

It is surely a good thing that the political parties review their general election campaigns for lessons for the future. The Liberal Democrats have just completed theirs and the main conclusion seems to be that they think they were right not to enter into a formal ‘progressive alliance’ with other centre left parties. For the future of progressive politics and our country, this ‘conclusion’ needs to be reviewed.
Compass Board Meeting - 30th October 2024

Nov 22, 2024 | compassonline.org.uk | Peter Dowson

Here are the notes from the Compass Board Meeting on 30th Oct. Key updates were shared regarding board activities and financials, revealing a current surplus of £70,000 and a forecast surplus of £12,349 for the year. Membership levels and income are steady.
LIVE UPDATES - General Election 2024

Jul 4, 2024 | compassonline.org.uk | Peter Dowson

Compass Local Groups have endorsed 41 progressive candidates who support electoral reform and have been working tirelessly over the last few weeks to get them elected. When these candidates become MPs, they will form the core of our caucus in the next parliament who back PR. Here, we’ll be updating you throughout the night on who has made it over the line, as well as our first reactions to the results. Below is our list of endorsed candidates, which we will be filling in as results come in.
A New Settlement

Jun 10, 2024 | compassonline.org.uk | Peter Dowson

The New Settlement project from Compass hopes to address the growing need for a new politics to build a new society. Set within the context of the moral and evidential failure of neoliberalism, it seeks to establish the guiding principles and building blocks of a New Settlement that is much more equal, democratic and sustainable.
An election to change elections

May 23, 2024 | compassonline.org.uk | Peter Dowson |Neal Lawson

This election is a huge opportunity – not just to change the leadership of our country, but to change its politics. It’s our chance to get rid of the Tories. A tired and mean politics that doesn’t deserve to represent our brilliant country and people any longer. But Sunak has called the election now to give him and his party the best possible chance of winning as many seats as possible. Like 1992, 2015 and other big change elections – things can swing wildly.
David Marquand 1934-2024: Our Intellectual Compass

Apr 26, 2024 | compassonline.org.uk | Peter Dowson |Neal Lawson

David Marquand, who died aged 89 earlier this week, was probably the most influential intellectual in terms of how Compass thinks and what we do. He was one of the signatories to our founding statement in 2003 [link] and his 2010 Annual Lecture for us, A Realignment of the Mind [link], previewed and pushed our 2011 vote to open membership up to people beyond the ranks of Labour. From that point on Compass didn’t just see red, but green and yellow and every progressive political shade.