Times are tough. The economy's back in recession. It's an age of austerity. So far, so familiar.
But Oxfam's new report on UK poverty tells us two important things that we hope will shift a few perceptions. First, people in poverty are being hit hardest. Indeed, the number of things hitting at the same time are why we're describing it as a 'perfect storm'.
Second - and no less important - is that this is...
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Sir Tom Hunter isn't the only person who passes judgement on people he doesn't know. We all do it occasionally.
But Sir Tom is rich and successful.
So people listen when he says the welfare state has created 'pampered, dependent people who expect what others strive and graft hard for'.
But there is a risk here.
If we base policies on assumptions, myths and stereotypes, we can end up harming...
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A new Oxfam supported book, Be Outraged: Austerity isn't working, is looking at alternatives to current European austerity drive.
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A friend once asked me what makes Haiti so different from other Caribbean countries. My response was "the struggle."
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Caroline Gluck retraces her steps and finds that the challenges many people in Haiti faced in the wake of the 2010 earthquake continue to persist - as does their hope for change.
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