Hugh McDermott for Prospect

By Zach Davis-Hancock

When a third political party gets the chance to govern, there are often dire political consequences. The latest example of this phenomenon is the 11% local government swing against the UK Liberal Democrats who are in a power-sharing coalition with the Conservatives.

by Hugh McDermott

Globalisation is an important and vital element of the new world economy.  Not only does it allow companies to access competitively priced labour markets, it redistributes employment opportunities and can provide significant economic benefits to workers in emerging markets.

by Kimberley Ramplin

In previous posts on the state on NSW politics, I largely focused on what I knew best – the decade I had spent as a Labor staffer.  Today, I turn my attention to the O’Farrell government, because today, my worst fears about the crushing victory Premier Barry O’Farrell secured in March 2011 have been realised.

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

There's a great scoop by Rachel Sylvester in The Times (£) today, about plans for Progress and others associated with New Labour to publish a "Purple Book" of modernising ideas, similar to the Lib Dem "Orange Book" once published by those around Nick Clegg. But whatever you do, don't call these people "Blairites" - this seems to be an attempt not only to rebrand New Labour ideas without Blair attached to them, but also to reframe New Labour for the 21st century.

By Richard Hyman

‘There can be no return to business as usual’: this was the unanimous trade union response to the global crisis. For a time in early 2009, the legitimacy of capitalism was itself questioned in unexpected quarters