ith them. They’re people like you. They’ve had enough, and, rather than waiting for permission, they’re rolling up their sleeves, getting together with friends and neighbours, and doing something about it. Whether they start small or big, they’re finding that just doing stuff can transform their neighbourhoods and their lives.
The Power of Just Doing Stuff argues that this shift represents the seeds of a new economy – the answer to our desperate search for a new way forward – and at its heart is people deciding that change starts with them. Communities worldwide are already modelling a more local economy rooted in place, in well-being, in entrepreneurship and in creativity. And it works.Praise for The Power of Just Doing Stuff
“Once upon a time it was tempting to mock the idea of a ‘Transition town’ or even transition itself. Rob Hopkins is a truly original thinker who has not only given that concept meaning but has put it into practice in a way that now influences individuals and communities in many parts of the world. The essential proposition is not only that we have to adapt our way of life to meet the enormous environmental challenges that we face but that it is quite possible – and no less practically to the point – a stimulating and enjoyable process as well. IF ever there was an idea whose time has come, this is it. Rob Hopkins’ book is a truly unique piece of work that anyone who cares about our future in this densely populated and threatened world should read. It offers original thought and clear analysis. It also combines realism and hope”.
Jonathan Dimbleby, writer and broadcaster.
‘From What Is to What If’ reviewed in Times Educational Supplement
He asks us: “What if school nurtured young imaginations?” Of course, we’d all love to believe that imagination is fostered within the classroom, yet, as Hopkins highlights, “26 percent [of children] feel as though they do not need to use their imagination for their study or schoolwork”. He then provides numerous examples of where imagination is being fostered and nurtured, such as in The Green School in Copenhagen or the School of the Possible in France. By the end of the book, the “utopian ideal” that was set out in Hopkins’ introduction seems somewhat less distant, somewhat more achievable, and all it really takes is a bit of imagination.
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not give it the power to force Remain or a second referendum, or to rule out no deal. Sir David Natzler, Clerk of the House of Commons, has confirmed that “There’s no House procedure that can overcome statute. You’ve passed the European Union Withdrawal Act and you can’t overturn that by a resolution of either House or even both Houses… If the House passed a resolution that said we are going to stay in the European Union, would we stay in the European Union? No, not as a result of that resolution.”
After losing the vote, the government has 21 days to come back with a statement on what they plan to do. Grieve’s amendment lets MPs propose amendments to that statement, telling the government what they want it to do. But the statement cannot be mandatory. The European Union Withdrawal Act, which will take us out of the EU in March, can only be overruled by statute. The opposition cannot introduce and pass a Bill to do this – it has to be done by a government.
If the government ignores Parliament’s wishes, the remedy is a vote of no confidence, which the DUP might support and bring down her government. The Tories then have 14 days to elect a caretaker leader and win a second vote of confidence. They will probably do pretty well anything to avoid an election with such a divided and defeated party – even elect someone they don’t really like or want. Anyone but Corbyn.
A new Tory leader could repudiate May’s deal, which keeps the disadvantages of being in the EU without gaining the advantages of leaving. The EU would be outraged, but the new leader could offer an FTA, and focus on urgent preparations for no deal. Parliament would squeal but the Tories would have to support their new leader or bring down the government and face an election.The DUP have already said that they would support a new leader. In the unlikely event of the EU agreeing to go for an FTA, WTO rules allow for a transition period of zero tariffs while an FTA is being negotiated. Failing that, no deal would give us most of what we want from leaving the EU, and be far better than any deal May could negotiate.
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