Tory chaos shakes UK unity and stirs mockery abroad

Tory chaos shakes UK unity and stirs mockery abroad

Britain’s Conservative Party won a landslide in 2019. Now the Tories and their elite are the butt of jokes overseas as polls point to possible humiliation. 10 Downing Street, the official residence and office of the British Prime Minister, in London, 20 October...

Politics can seem boring to some young people. But in Britain it is anything but. Correspondent Barry Moody takes us through the musical chairs of British prime ministers and shows how political divisions inside the British government over Brexit, taxes and the economy could lead to a breakup of the United Kingdom. 

Exercise: Create teams of five. Each team should choose one member to be prime minister. The other four students should each take on the roles of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. They should each do some basic research on their region’s current relationship with the British government. The student who is the prime minister will research and consider the importance of having these countries united into one government. Together they will create a poster that explains the individual identities of the four countries and how they benefit or are disadvantaged by their subordination to a united government.

We are giving up on COVID. But has it given up on the world?

We are giving up on COVID. But has it given up on the world?

Most nations have rolled back steps to contain COVID-19. But the virus continues to kill. Many experts are frustrated governments are not doing more. Immunization, conceptual illustration (Photo by: SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY via AP Images) Airlines have stopped requiring...

COVID fatigue is worldwide even though the virus continues to spread. In many places, restrictions have been lifted for masks, travel and testing. Vaccination targets remain largely out of reach. Since the onset of the pandemic, health experts and governments have been at odds about the best approach to beat the virus. Our inability to curb the spread of the virus begs broader questions, including whether we are up to the task of combating climate warming. How could we have better balanced health and the economy, collective responsibility and individual rights to overcome COVID sooner? 

Exercise: Ask students to debate the role of government versus individual responsibility in combating global crises such as COVID and climate change. 

Tag: COVID-19