Martin Kettle

The government is operating in an unforgiving time and lacks capital with voters. It will be crucial to address that, says Guardian columnist Martin Kettle

The pianist delivered the thundering arpeggios and glittering octave runs of Ferrucio Busoni’s prodigiously difficult 1904 piano concerto with total authority

This paper describes the design, delivery and evaluation of a module on decision making for senior managers as part of a master's programme for current and aspiring Chief Social Work Officers (CSWO). Scotland is unique in having a statutory duty that requires local authorities to appoint a CSWO to provide strategic and professional leadership in the delivery of social work services. The CSWO also has certain statutory decision-making responsibilities and as a key decision maker is responsible for decisions that affect individual rights and liberties to an extent that other services do not. This paper describes the key decisions CSWO's are required to undertake before describing the pedagogical approach to developing and delivering the module. Rather than seeking to teach decision making the focus of the module is on raising awareness of factors that impact decision making, shifting from intuitive to active decision making and reflecting on the decision-making process. Results are presented from a thematic analysis of a post-completion survey of participants about their learning. The results highlight the isolation and vulnerability of the role, the weight of responsibility, the complexity and challenges of decision making and how the module supports managers to engage in analytical decision making.

A whole raft of tired assumptions collapsed today. Britain must be realistic about America now – and our so-called ‘special’ relationship, says Guardian columnist Martin Kettle

The prime minister has finally grasped that Downing Street must control the narrative, says Guardian columnist Martin Kettle

The 97-year-old conductor led the Philharmonia – on exceptional form – in one of the finest performances of Mahler’s epic Ninth Symphony one is likely to hear.

Natalya Romaniw brings vulnerability and depth to Tosca and, in the pit, Eun Sun Kim conducts with subtlety and delicacy in this revival of Jonathan Kent’s staging

Ministers are right to want to reform the state: it’s crucial to their project. But simply telling civil servants to work harder won’t achieve it, says Guardian columnist Martin Kettle

Richard Jones’s 2017 staging returns to Covent Garden with a young and light-hearted group of bohemians. In the pit Speranza Scappucci keeps things moving musically

Angela Rayner’s white paper on reform in this vital area is well-intentioned. The problems will be funding and sabotage, says Guardian columnist Martin Kettle