Samir Jeraj

London

Reporter at Freelance

Policy Correspondent at The New Statesman

Commissioning Editor at Hyphenonline

Reporter and author. Writing on policy for @newstatesman. Special correspondent for @onlinehyphen.

Articles

The National Trust explores its Islamic history

1 week ago | hyphenonline.com | Samir Jeraj

In 1818 John Barker was stationed in the city of Aleppo as consul for the Levant Company, which was chartered by the crown to manage trade with the Ottoman Empire. During his time in the ancient commercial hub, which now lies in the north of modern-day Syria, he sought out books and other artefacts that would appeal to his friends back home in England. One day, Barker saw an Arabic manuscript on “the tactics of the lance”, detailing Ottoman cavalry battle plans.
Local government is adopting AI, but careful thoughtis needed

2 weeks ago | newstatesman.com | Samir Jeraj

Artificial intelligence is already being widely used across local government to deliver services. These involve everything from customer service chatbots to writing paperwork to preventing damp. Central government is currently piloting a set of AI tools for local government. Other councils are working with commercial AI providers. Somerset Council was one of the first local governments in the UK to join Microsoft’s Early Access Program for AI.
How could regulation of NHS managers work-and will it happen?

2 weeks ago | bmj.com | Samir Jeraj

What is the current status? A government consultation on regulating managers in the NHS in England closed in February.1 This was the latest in a series of efforts over several years to grapple with the question of how to raise standards of management in the NHS while ensuring these non-clinical roles remain attractive to talented people. There is no comprehensive unified system for regulating NHS managers.
The history of garlic: a true underground hit

1 month ago | hyphenonline.com | Samir Jeraj

One of my dad’s favourite snacks is something he calls a garlic ladwa, also known as lasan ja ladu. They are made from leftover rotlo — millet flatbreads — crumbled into a hot oil or ghee and mixed into a paste with young green garlic, then cooled and shaped into balls. Traditionally served with yoghurt or mashed aubergine, they are usually eaten for breakfast.
Muslims are least likely group in England and Wales to become judges

1 month ago | hyphenonline.com | Samir Jeraj

Muslims are three times less likely to become judges and coroners in English and Welsh courts than members of other faiths, according to research published by University College London, amid warnings that a lack of diversity could weaken public trust in the judiciary. Muslims comprise 6.5% of the English and Welsh population, according to the 2021 census, but only 1.8% of salaried judges, 2.2% of fee-paid (part-time) judges and 0.6% of coroners.
Child poverty is Britain's ongoing, forgotten crisis

1 month ago | newstatesman.com | Samir Jeraj

Mary remembers when she became homeless. She was in year four at school and her family “hopped” around different friends’ houses for a year. During that time, she stopped going to class for months, which led to the school stepping in. Mary is one of the millions of young people in the UK who grew up in poverty, a number that has now grown to 4.5 million. Living in a low-income family meant Mary could never afford school trips or school meals – even her school uniform required months of saving up.
Promises to fund mental health services at the same level as physical health have yet to be kept

1 month ago | newstatesman.com | Samir Jeraj

Georgia-Leah was a student at drama school when she started to develop difficulties with walking. Eventually she had a seizure and fellow students dialled 999. She was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder (FND), where there are problems with how the brain receives and sends information to the rest of the body. Georgia-Leah’s past experiences of poor healthcare for a previous mental health condition meant she was wary of services, and of asserting her rights.
Right to rent: peers to discuss scrapping anti-immigrant policy

1 month ago | hyphenonline.com | Samir Jeraj

Peers are expected to discuss scrapping the “right to rent” duty on landlords as early as next week, in a move to end a decade-long hostile environment policy accused of leaving Black and Asian renters less able to find a home than their white counterparts. The duty, created by the 2014 Immigration Act, requires prospective tenants to prove they have the right to be in the UK — and imposes fines and even prison sentences on landlords who let to anyone without legal migration status.
UK has deported eight offenders to Afghanistan since Taliban takeover

2 months ago | hyphenonline.com | Samir Jeraj

At least one person serving a jail sentence of less than six months has been deported by the UK to Afghanistan since August 2021, when the Taliban took control of the country. They were among eight offenders sent by the Home Office to Afghanistan in that time, according to records obtained by Hyphen through a Freedom of Information request.
The story of saffron, from ancient Persia to Essex

2 months ago | hyphenonline.com | Samir Jeraj

When I was growing up, my family and I often visited Saeed, an Iranian friend of my dad. Even more than the novelty of watching the recently launched Channel 5 at his south London flat, I remember the delicious food he always prepared for us. The dish that sticks in my memory most is tahdig — a unique scorched rice dish that is of central importance to the Persian table.