The reality of playing politics with PIP

The reality of playing politics with PIP

The piece below was written in February 2025 and entered into the 2025 Curae Prize, which is for writers who are also unpaid carers. It hasn’t made the shortlist, but I remain proud of it so am sharing it today (1 May 2025). Congratulations to everyone who has...
Scratching a seven year itch.

Scratching a seven year itch.

One of the greatest players of all time, Diego Maradona once said that “football isn’t a game, nor a sport; it’s a religion” which might at least partially explain why I was sitting on a train to London, alone, last Saturday. Regular readers will already be aware that...
Graduation: where both the MA and friendships became real

Graduation: where both the MA and friendships became real

My name is called, and almost 2,000 people applaud. The Presiding Officer smiles warmly at me from across the stage and I’m suddenly acutely aware not just of my surroundings, but that there are a lot of people waiting to do what I am about to. I take a breath and...
On writing, even when you think you can’t

On writing, even when you think you can’t

Last time I published a blog online, it was reflecting on my first full year as an unpaid carer. Since then, I’ve let the virtual cobwebs gather, which for someone who writes because they need to is a problem. But, as I noted last December, I am incredibly busy these...
The sun sets on 2024

The sun sets on 2024

At about 5:45am on New Year’s Eve, it occurred to me that 2024 has been the first year since I became of ‘working age’ in which I haven’t done any paid work. There are, of course, numerous reasons for this. My own health is fragile, but my wife and son’s support needs...