Shaun Ennis
Bio
Shaun from Manchester. Liberal Democrat Councillor representing Timperley Central on Trafford Council.
Stories (5/0)
The Disunited Kingdom
This is the first of two articles on the need for constitutional reform in the UK. The first discusses how over cetralisation of political power fuels various forms of nationalism. The second explores how a federalist political system would deliver real power to the nations, regions and communities of the UK.
By Shaun Ennis3 years ago in The Swamp
Homes on the Right Tracks
The British housing crisis has been brewing for several decades. It is a crisis of unaffordability that has complex ‘knock on’ effects for social mobility and inequality in our society. The solution is remarkably straightforward. We need to build more homes.
By Shaun Ennis4 years ago in The Swamp
Greater Manchester Wants Police-Free Schools
In January of this year it was revealed that the number of homicides across the United Kingdom had fallen for the first time in 5 years. Yet the perception remains that, as a nation, we face a growing threat from violent crime and in particular from knife crime. It's a perception that evokes strong reaction, especially when the human cost of carrying a weapon hits home in our communities. Even a single life lost due to carrying a knife is one life too many.
By Shaun Ennis4 years ago in The Swamp
Marching with Ghosts
This year marks the bicentennial of the Peterloo Massacre. On Monday August 16th, 1819, a crowd of over 60,000 people gathered peacefully at St. Peters Field in Manchester to hear speeches in favour of parliamentary reform. They gathered to demand fairer representation in parliament for the industrial North and the extension of the vote to more working-class men. The peaceful protest turned to horror when the 15th Hussars Cavalry were ordered to disperse the crowd. What followed was a barbaric cavalry charge on unarmed civilians, resulting in 18 deaths and over 400 injuries, amongst the dead was two-year-old William Fildes, who was knocked from his mother's arms and trampled by oncoming horses. The tragic day was dubbed ‘Peterloo’ in mock reference to the Battle of Waterloo, which was fought five years earlier. Peterloo was to become the catalyst for political reform in the early 19th century. It paved the way for the Great Reform Act of 1832, which heralded the partial extension of the vote, the creation of new MPs to represent the booming—yet neglected—industrial Northern towns and cities and laid the foundations upon which a century of struggle for democracy, fair votes and universal suffrage could be fought.
By Shaun Ennis5 years ago in The Swamp
Music Education Is Dying - But It’s Worth Saving
The UK's music industry contributes £4.4 billion to the economy every year and projects soft power around the world. The top three albums of 2017 were all made by British artists and three of the five top artists of 2016 were Brits. More than a sixth of the top 200 most streamed songs on Spotify are from the back catalogue of British artists. Despite our immeasurable contribution to pop music over the last several decades, recent governments have chosen to slash access to music education for thousands of young people leading to an impending skills shortage which will threaten not only our economy but our national well-being too.
By Shaun Ennis6 years ago in Education
