The start of 2011/2012 academic year is well underway along with the changes the government is proposing for education. The introduction of the ‘Free Schools’ system is looking to give fewer restrictions to schools and, just this week, we have now learnt of the plan to give heads the power to fire teachers who are struggling to meet standards, within a month. Understandably, some are upset by these proposed changes and it can be a daunting fact for prospective teachers. Especially as the government plans to change the National Curriculum by 2014 and give the new ‘Free Schools’ the option to...

Have you been one of the people buying promotional banners, branded flags and other printed noise making equipment? If yes, maybe you were one of the many evicted peace protesters who have been camping in Parliament Square since May.   Last week the Court of Appeal rejected an application by demonstrators at the camp, dubbed the Democracy Village, who wanted to be allowed to remain. Bailiffs and police moved in at about 0100 BST, although a handful of activists tied themselves to scaffolding and trees. They have now been removed and a fence has been put up around the square.   London mayor Boris...

We’re all up for some self promotion here, one way another, you can get your message across. It doesn’t necessarily mean it will be well received though, as the Senegalese people will tell you.   Senegal has inaugurated a new monument, higher than the Statue of Liberty, costing a bargain £18m. The 49m (160ft) Monument of African Renaissance has been unveiled in Dakar as the highlight of the nation’s 50th anniversary of independence, but has drawn huge criticism over its cost and symbolism.   The Soviet-style bronze statue, built by North Korean workers, is the idea of President Abdoulaye...

Promotional products can be of one aspect of a marketing strategy for practical any organisation. If done well, they can be a great PR tool, which will raise the businesses profile to a great degree.   However your public’s perception of you can easily be blotted! Take the Conservative party for example, with their constant stream of PR stunts they hatch (watch David Cameron at home on Youtube – great), you’d think we’d all be voting blue this May.   More than a third of voters feel the Conservative Party’s reputation has been hit by recent stories about the tax s­tatus of deputy...

The Government’s plans to reward eco-friendly households, has received a muted welcome for not being generous enough.   The clean energy cash-back plan, known as “feed-in tariffs“, offers incentives from April onwards, for those who install small scale renewable on their homes such as solar panels. The UK gets about 5.5% of its electricity from renewable sources, and in order to hit green targets in 10 years’ time, this would have to rise to 30%, which I just can’t see happening.   “Ministers have been far too timid with a policy that could make a significant...

Yesterday it was banning smoking in Finland; today there are calls for tighter labelling of alcohol here in the UK. The Tories are proposing to swap the system of using units to tell consumers how much alcohol their drink contains, for one focused on the metric volume of alcohol and the calorie content.   What I want to know is, how come dingy pubs are full of thin and weary looking men, if they’re drinking calorie packed pints every minute they are open. Anyway, the Conservatives plan to negotiate a voluntary agreement with the drinks industry should it come to power this year, as part of its...

When the Tories win the next election, millions of middle-aged workers will be forced to wait an extra year before collecting their state pension. It is certainly a bold move, which risks alienating voters currently in their 50s. Surely it is simply a matter of necessity? Something must be done to aid the countries failing finances, and that a planned rise in the pension age from 65 to 66 must be brought forward by up to a decade.   Great Britain currently runs on an eye watering deficit, while these plans will apparantly help to reduce this by £13 billion a year. Under current Government plans,...

A recent study carried out by Soc­ial Media Affairs (SMA), found 19 per cent of bloggers identified as Conservative Party supporters, compared with 16 per cent each for the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats.   With perpetual PR disasters for Gordon Brown and his cabinet, I’m surprised that the deficient isn’t double this. However Labour bloggers have refuted this claim, with one of their parliamentary candidates Lucy Powell hitting back: ‘I thought we’d moved on from social media in politics being about how much traffic one blog gets versus another and towards how we actually adapt to a...

If you’re business is looking for some printed or engraved pint glasses, then The Mugstore has recently re-vamped that section of the site, making it much more user friendly. Printed pint glasses will add a touch of class to any hotel, bar or cafe. While an engraved pint glass works well for special events, and could even become a collectors items. The Mugstore can supply every kind of printed pint or half pint glass you could wish for. Traditional printed conical or tulip pint glasses are there, as well as more European style branded lager glasses. Having your corporate pint glass, printed with...

As the well documented MP expense row continues, many peoples blood is still boiling over tax payer money being spent on everything from trouser presses and sanitary towels, to chandeliers and moat cleaning. As a nation we are understandably shocked to discover our MPs were routinely expensing claims for gardening services, swimming pool maintenance and interior decorators.   All this political sleaze has inspired me to have a little luxury of my own, and go for a corporate golf day. If your business is looking to invest in some promotional items for your next corporate golf trip, then Gift Selection...