Articles by Kirsty Hughes

The leave side of the Brexit referendum had no coherent proposal or description of what sort of future relationship with the EU, the UK would have. This lack of clarity has led to many banks and other financial organisations looking to move staff and operations elsewhere in the EU.

The new chaotic variety of British politics makes it clear that no single party is going to win a majority in the 7 May elections. Who will come first, and who they may be able to form a government with is uncertain. None of this is helped by the United Kingdom's lack of a written constitution, and the increasing inadequacy of the first-past-the-post system in a time of political diversity.

"Yes" or "no", the September vote on independence for Scotland will change the face of the United Kingdom. A vote for separation will be the result of a peaceful and democratic process, and it will pose questions for what will remain of the "United" Kingdom. Will there be a push by Wales for independence? What of Northern Ireland and its porous borders with Ireland? A vote for union - which polls now say enjoys a majority but which is narrowing - will yet have left Scottish politics revitalised and will lead to greater decentralisation.

Yet another attempt by the European Union to tackle the euro crisis led to an unexpected outcome at the Brussels summit of 8-9 December: a veto by the United Kingdom that could fundamentally redefine London's relationship with the EU.

Rising unemployment, prolonged and growing income inequality, a consumerist, crass society, a cult of the deregulated private sector, a mediocre and in some cases corrupt political and media elite, the list goes on. Not all of this may explain the violent, group behaviour that characterised the English riots but it lies behind the existence of a large group of marginalised and alienated and in some cases criminalised youth, many of whom took part in the riots.