Shaun Ennis
Bio
Shaun from Manchester. I love to write. When I find the time, I write about politics - my passion and my job - and occasionally history - my escapism.
Expect to find thoughts on the housing crisis, political reform and Ancient Egypt.
Stories (9)
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Fair Starts & Fair Futures
There’s a tired refrain in British politics that “we can’t be Scandinavia.” The taxes are too high, the state too big, the culture too different. Yet the truth is this: Britain can’t afford not to learn from Scandinavia — and particularly from Denmark, where social liberalism has built one of the most trusted, efficient and humane welfare states on earth.It’s a country where taxes are high but widely accepted; where the social contract rests on reciprocity, not resentment; and where a century of reform has created a system both generous and sustainable.
By Shaun Ennis3 months ago in The Swamp
Houdini Housing
Across England, a quiet injustice is taking place that more Liberal Democrats should be talking about. A growing number of Labour-controlled councils are choosing to remove thousands of people from social housing waiting lists by scrapping the lowest-priority bands.
By Shaun Ennis5 months ago in The Swamp
Music in need of medicine?
It's been another unsurpassed weekend for Glastonbury Festival. The tens of millions that have turned out or tuned in to watch the world's most eclectic mix of talent are only matched by the tens of millions of pounds pouring into Somerset and the wider UK economy as a result. In particular, the British acts on show have dazzled and swaggered. From Raye to The 1975, Skepta to Snow Patrol and countless other class acts, it’s tempting to bask in the glory of Britain’s cultural riches. But does the UK music industry get a fair deal in 2025? As the lights go down on Glastonbury a more sobering reality returns. The UK music industry, despite its global prestige and economic might, continues to be underfunded, undervalued, and overlooked by government policy as the UK stumbles into its seventeenth summer of austerity.
By Shaun Ennis7 months ago in Beat
Hatshepsut
“I have commanded that my rule abide like the mountains” attributed to Pharaoh Hatshepsut In the dusty sands and the daunting splendour of Ancient Egypt, a woman once stood at the pinnacle of power—an audacious ruler in a world where the throne was the province of men. Pharaoh Hatshepsut, the fifth ruler of Egypt’s Eighteenth Dynasty, carved out an extraordinary reign between 1479 BC and 1458 BC that transcended the norms of her time. Hers was a reign of daring ambition, monumental architecture, and an unwavering determination to cement her place in history. As a female pharaoh, Hatshepsut's legacy invites a deeper exploration not only of her impact on the Ancient Egyptian story but also of the role women played in a society that often relegated them to the background. Was Ancient Egypt, in its acceptance of women in power, more progressive than the modern West? Were there special circumstances surrounding Hatshepsut's rise that made it uniquely possible for a woman to ascend to power? Can we look back on Hatshepsut’s reign and draw lessons about the intersection of gender, leadership, and societal expectations that still resonate today?
By Shaun Ennisabout a year ago in History
Trump’s America is not Britain’s Friend
The United Kingdom stands at a precipice. As the shadows of a second Donald Trump presidency loom over the United States, the spectre of right-wing populism waits in the wings here at home. The victory of the new Labour Government on barely a third of the popular vote offers only momentary, threadbare respite. The next election will be fought in the most politically fragmented climate in our nation’s modern history. Labour are in from the cold. Keir Starmer’s party may well enjoy themselves, but it’s later than they think.
By Shaun Ennisabout a year 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 Ennis5 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 Ennis6 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 Ennis6 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 Ennis7 years ago in Education
