Author Archives: Karen Wilkinson

We need to go into the next election with a different strategy

By Karen Wilkinson | Sun 25th June 2017 - 12:55 pm

The key issue for me in the leadership debate is our strategy for the next election. My take is based on feedback from electors.

On the whole, our manifesto is sound (although I can’t help adding a quick pitch for the addition of the term time attendance policy for tourism constituencies & to exemplify our trust in people over government/commitment to family life). There are just two huge, key exceptions.

Ditch the referendum on the deal.

Nothing in recent history, from the AV referendum to Brexit to the Scottish Independence Reernedum, gives cause to trust referenda. The electorate had already learned that …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged brexit and future strategy | 44 Comments

Opinion: Parents want a say on school attendance policy

By Karen Wilkinson | Mon 2nd March 2015 - 4:00 pm

View image | gettyimages.com

I’ve written previously (here and here)about school attendance policy. Following the hand in of a 127,000 strong petition to the Department for Education (DfE) in October 2013, Craig Langman and I co-founded the independent campaign group “Parents Want A Say” (PWAS). Craig’s petition called for the reversal of the term time absence regulations and has now grown organically to over 220,000. The group is chaired by John Hemming MP, obtained an extremely well attended Westminster Hall debate in February 2014 and is supported by Liberty, such is the extreme nature of some decisions being made by schools under the new rule. We enjoy significant support in the media due to the feedback from audiences.

The DfE continues to misinterpret the statistical evidence base for the policy, as in Nicky Morgan’s misleading statement last weekend. Professor Stephen Gorard of Durham University confirms this. The attendance and attainment debate is far more complex than Nicky Morgan apparently believes and Heads and parents are deeply concerned at this simplistic approach.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged Parents Want a Say and school attendance | 13 Comments

Opinion: We are enablers not dictators

By Karen Wilkinson | Fri 4th July 2014 - 10:16 am

My brother has been battling cancer for just over a year, I asked for a week last October to take my children out of school as while he was having a break from his long going chemo treatment as we wanted to go as a family, it was denied even with the detailed letter attached , sadly my amazing wonderful 26 year old brother died this April , thanks to the stupid government rules I will never get to go on holiday with my brother again

Posted in News and Op-eds | 38 Comments

Opinion: Campaign against school attendance policy update

By Karen Wilkinson | Sat 18th January 2014 - 9:30 am

With the fining of Stewart & Natasha Sutherland this week, an update on the campaign to reverse the changes to the attendance policy (see my previous article).

Emma Whiting’s e-petition to 10 Downing St gained almost 50,000 signatures and closed before most parents were aware of the forthcoming changes. Craig Langman, finding himself unable to sign it in September, put up a members’ petition on 38 degrees and it went viral, gaining 127,000 signatures within a few weeks without any media coverage or promotion by 38 degrees. It now has 190,000 signatures. We delivered it to a nervous …

Posted in News | Tagged attendance policy and education | 41 Comments

Opinion: New policy on school attendance is illiberal

By Karen Wilkinson | Sun 21st July 2013 - 8:46 am

I owe Labour an apology for labelling the push a few years ago to reduce Heads’ discretion on family holidays as ”Nanny State”: no consultation with parents, just an assumption that only the state & education system could be trusted with a child’s best interests. There was a parent rebellion at our local primary school.

Nanny has now been replaced by the Patriarchal State in an approach that implies “As some pupils have been skiving, the whole school will be kept in.”

As of this September, approval of all family holidays during term time is banned other than in “exceptional” circumstances. …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged education and schools | 38 Comments

Opinion: Aspiration exasperation

By Karen Wilkinson | Sat 9th February 2013 - 9:22 pm

I love Friday nights. They keep me grounded and motivated simultaneously, they’re the week’s reset button. The fact they usually involve the pub and a reasonable amount of alcohol is completely coincidental.

I’ve been um-ming and ah-ing for ages over an article for LibDem Voice along the lines of “Aspiration Exasperation”. Politicians talk about aspiration easily enough but it bothers me. Aspiration for what? What I take from it – and I would be delighted to hear I’m wrong on this – is that they mean aspiration …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged aspiration | 9 Comments

Opinion: The hidden costs of pushing parents to conform

By Karen Wilkinson | Thu 31st January 2013 - 2:00 pm

I heard odd things yesterday. Talk of getting women back into the workplace by subsidising childcare for all parents – and this after means testing child benefit.

Then someone proposed that all child carers should have good GCSE Maths & English whilst increasing ratios! How did the human race survive before academic qualifications? Here we have another narrowing of work opportunities for people who are not so hot at academic stuff.

To add to my indignation, I heard someone say on the radio that only working parents provide a positive role model for children and that “non-working” parents don’t contribute to the …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged community and parenting | 14 Comments

Opinion: Formulaic differentation of the Lib Dems?

By Karen Wilkinson | Mon 10th December 2012 - 4:34 pm

In the never ending quest to differentiate the LibDems , I’ve developed the following formula for use in the pub on a Friday night, whilst chatting over the veg in the local shop, or wherever else the question arises (my previous longer-winded attempt on a beach is here):

Labour = social conscience plus authoritarianism

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged liberal democrats | 22 Comments

Opinion: Conference showed Liberal Democrat heart, soul and backbone

By Karen Wilkinson | Wed 3rd October 2012 - 11:26 am

I joined the Liberal Democrats in 2009 in the fug of the expenses and media scandals. The media wasn’t giving me a window, just leading me into a maze of distorted mirrors. With a slap to the forehead, it finally dawned on me that democracy is not something we wait to have thrust upon us at an election every 4-5 years, but something which we do. If I wanted to find out what was going on, I would have to go and look for myself. And if I wanted to change any of it, I would have to put my …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged liberal democrat conference, nick clegg and steve webb | 17 Comments

The stimulus of applying for low-carbon community funding

By Karen Wilkinson | Mon 16th January 2012 - 12:23 pm

Today will see the announcement of the successful applicants to the first round of LEAF funding from the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC). Congratulations to all!

I’m involved in a bid to be submitted on Friday, so I appreciate the work it took to get the bids in on time. We’re undertaking three months’ work in as many weeks, I’m told.

LEAF is the “Local Energy Assessment Fund” – a.k.a. loose change DECC found in its trousers pockets before the year-end wash. It was announced in December with two bid rounds. It’s £10 million for …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged carbon emissions, community politics and energy efficiency | 1 Comment

Opinion: Legal Aid – the new NHS?

By Karen Wilkinson | Sun 25th September 2011 - 2:45 pm

The aspect of Conference I most value is the opportunity to hear first hand from Ministers, MPs and Lords the thought processes and details of what we are doing in Government and to see them listen to the feedback from those who are delivering the relevant services on the ground.

A fringe debate on the NHS I attended this week was a great example of that – an open, constructive, intelligent exchange of differing views which left a clear sense that our party in government is listening and acting and has a plan.

Contrast that with the fringe meeting convened by

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged legal aid | 6 Comments

Opinion: What’s your prism?

By Karen Wilkinson | Sun 11th September 2011 - 11:55 am

The perennial question cropped up again the other day, on the beach this time: “What do the LibDems stand for?” I replied that the Tories and Labour view British society through the same prism of class or socio-economic groups, but that the LibDems see individuals.

We don’t believe that your gender, the colour of your skin, religion, social background, the number of parents you have, your weight or body shape or ability, your education level or bank balance say anything at all about your compassion, your willingness to get involved in your community, your intelligence, your wisdom, your sense of humour, …

Posted in Op-eds | 11 Comments

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Author Archives: Karen Wilkinson

We need to go into the next election with a different strategy

Opinion: Parents want a say on school attendance policy

Opinion: We are enablers not dictators

Opinion: Campaign against school attendance policy update

Opinion: New policy on school attendance is illiberal

Opinion: Aspiration exasperation

Opinion: The hidden costs of pushing parents to conform

Opinion: Formulaic differentation of the Lib Dems?

Opinion: Conference showed Liberal Democrat heart, soul and backbone

The stimulus of applying for low-carbon community funding

Opinion: Legal Aid – the new NHS?

Opinion: What’s your prism?

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