#u3a — Public Fediverse posts

Britain’s Broken Justice System

🗓️ Start: Thu 17 Sep 2026 10:30 am
⏳ End: Thu 17 Sep 2026 11:30 am

As our long, hot summer finally comes to an end, so too has the honeymoon period for the new PM, as he confronts all those thorny issues which bedevilled his predecessors, and still remain unresolved. And one of the most intractable is the crisis in Britain’s criminal justice system, as exemplified most recently in our prisons where – not for the first time – inmates are having to be released early because of overcrowding. Quite apart from the trauma to their victims, the exercise is largely futile – statistics show that up to half will re-offend within a year. This ‘revolving-door’ model puts even more pressure on an already-stretched legal system, leading to new cases taking ever longer to come to court: even the controversial proposal to axe some jury trials would make little impact on these delays. There’s a lot to talk about, so why not join us for an hour of lively discussion on these important issues!

https://u3acommunities.org/event/britains-broken-justice-system/

Burnham’s Britain

🗓️ Start: Thu 16 Jul 2026 10:30 am
⏳ End: Thu 16 Jul 2026 11:30 am

It is now all but certain that, by next weekend, Andy Burnham will become our next Prime Minister. He may have a Messianic appeal within his party, but the man himself will be under no illusions that the government he inherits – just two years on from its historic election victory in 2024 – has lost the confidence of the voters that it can still deliver on its manifesto commitments, to change Britain for the better. So, at this meeting, we’ll consider the huge challenges that Burnham will face – economic, social and political – if he is to win over a cynical public, tired of the Prime-Ministerial merry-go-round of the last ten years. Can he do it… why not come along next Thursday and tell us what you think!

If you haven’t yet done so, there’s still time to join our mailing list, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group

https://u3acommunities.org/event/burnhams-britain/

The Welfare State: Is it Still Affordable?

🗓️ Start: Thu 18 Jun 2026 10:30 am
⏳ End: Thu 18 Jun 2026 11:30 am

In Britain today, few issues provoke more heated debate than this. On one side are those who argue, on humanitarian grounds, that the less fortunate among us deserve all the support they need in order to live with at least the most basic of human needs – shelter, food, healthcare, and the means to raise a family. Against this are an unsympathetic press-pack (pictured) who decry such people, branding them as feckless skivers, brazenly scrounging off everybody else. And in the middle – as always – are our politicians, having to make hugely difficult decisions about dividing up the national ‘pot’ in a fair and equitable manner. So, at this month’s meeting, we’ll take a look at some of the data, and consider the question of whether the welfare state is still affordable in its current form.

If you haven’t yet done so, there’s still time to join our mailing list, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group

https://u3acommunities.org/event/the-welfare-state-is-it-still-affordable/

Current Affairs discussion group: Open Forum

🗓️ Start: Thu 21 May 2026 10:30 am
⏳ End: Thu 21 May 2026 11:30 am

With so much going on at the moment, both domestically and around the world, it’s time once again to open the floor to all of you – our members – to share your thoughts on any topic you wish. Whether it’s making the headlines right now, or it’s been squeezed out by everything else, why not come along and give it an airing!

If you haven’t yet done so, there’s still time to join our mailing list, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group

https://u3acommunities.org/event/current-affairs-discussion-group-open-forum-2/

Finding the Truth in the Fog of War

🗓️ Start: Thu 16 Apr 2026 10:30 am
⏳ End: Thu 16 Apr 2026 11:30 am

For more than a month now, the world has held its breath ever since the Middle East was plunged into another deadly conflict between its most hard-line of sworn enemies. And as the cost in lives continues to mount, so has the fiery rhetoric, proving the old adage that the first casualty of war is Truth. But when none of the key players – Trump, Netanyahu, nor the Iranians – can be trusted to give it to us straight, how can we, as mere onlookers, navigate today’s multi-media minefield to get to the true facts behind the barrage of spin, disinformation, and bare-faced lies that make up the so-called ‘Fog of War’. And that’s our topic this month.

If you haven’t yet done so, there’s still time to join our mailing list, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group

https://u3acommunities.org/event/who-can-we-believe-in-the-fog-of-war/

Electoral Reform

🗓️ Start: Thu 19 Mar 2026 10:30 am
⏳ End: Thu 19 Mar 2026 11:30 am

With the Middle East in flames and oil prices soaring, a significant piece of legislation – the ‘Representation of the People’ Bill – attracted little attention when it was debated in parliament earlier this month. Among several proposed reforms, the most far-reaching would be the extension of voting rights to 16/17-year-olds. You may agree or disagree with that, but much of the commentary afterwards focussed on what wasn’t in the Bill – our electoral system itself. As Britain’s political landscape continues to fragment, our long-standing ‘first-past-the-post’ system is increasingly delivering outcomes that are ever-further removed from the true balance of public opinion in the country today. So, at this month’s meeting, we’ll be discussing the pros and cons of replacing FPTP with a more proportional voting system. For more information, take a look at these recent articles: ‘After Gorton & Denton: The case for PR’ and ‘Restoring democracy: Labour’s challenge’

If you haven’t yet done so, there’s still time to join our mailing list, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group

https://u3acommunities.org/event/electoral-reform/

The Future of the BBC

🗓️ Start: Thu 19 Feb 2026 10:30 am
⏳ End: Thu 19 Feb 2026 11:30 am

In 2027, the BBC will reach a historic milestone, having been established by Royal Charter exactly a hundred years ago. Under the terms of that Charter, its remit must be formally renewed by the Government every ten years, including a statutory period of public consultation. That process began in November, and will continue throughout 2026, but the consultation period ends next month, hence the timing of this meeting. Among the issues up for discussion are the BBC’s mission in a broadcasting environment which is constantly evolving, the services it provides, its integration of new and emerging technologies, its governance and accountability, its workplace culture, and last – but by no means least – how the BBC should be funded, going forward. Surveys repeatedly show that our demographic (the over-65’s) are the most loyal consumers of the BBC’s output, so we should take the opportunity to have our say. For more information, take a look at this helpful article from the BBC website: BBC Charter review (Katie Razzall, 16/12/25)

If you haven’t yet done so, there’s still time to join our mailing list, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group

https://u3acommunities.org/event/the-future-of-the-bbc/

Donald Trump’s Unforgettable First Year

🗓️ Start: Thu 15 Jan 2026 10:30 am
⏳ End: Thu 15 Jan 2026 11:30 am

Barely a year has passed since his inauguration, yet even the most fanciful of apocalyptic predictions about how Trump’s second term as US President would unfold, have fallen way short of the jaw-dropping reality. So, for our first meeting of 2026, we’ll be taking a look back at the extraordinary events of the last twelve months, and ahead to what may be coming next, both for Americans at home, and for the rest of us around the world. But whatever happens, one thing is certain – the ‘white-knuckle ride’ has only just begun – so why not join us for an hour of nervous crystal-gazing!

If you haven’t yet done so, there’s still time to join our mailing list, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group

https://u3acommunities.org/event/donald-trumps-unforgettable-first-year/

Current Affairs discussion group: Open Forum

🗓️ Start: Thu 20 Nov 2025 10:30 am
⏳ End: Thu 20 Nov 2025 11:30 am

For our final meeting of the year, I’m once again opening the floor to all of you – our members – to share your thoughts on anything that’s been making the headlines recently. From the increasingly fractious debate over immigration policy to the prison releases debacle, the latest round of doctors’ strikes to the crisis at the BBC, not to mention all the speculation about the upcoming budget – and the PM’s leadership – there’s plenty to choose from, so why not come along and have your say!

If you haven’t yet done so, there’s still time to join our mailing list, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group

https://u3acommunities.org/event/current-affairs-discussion-group-open-forum/

The Demographic Time-bomb

🗓️ Start: Thu 16 Oct 2025 10:30 am
⏳ End: Thu 16 Oct 2025 11:30 am

In common with many other developed countries, the UK’s birth-rate has been falling for some time, and now stands at around 1.5 children per woman, far below the so-called ‘replacement’ rate of 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population profile. If this decline is not turned around soon, there will eventually be too few working-age tax-payers to fund the ever-growing number of older people requiring costly medical and social care (let alone the workforce to provide this care). Several potential solutions have been suggested, both fiscal and societal, but most of them are either expensive, controversial, or both. So, at this month’s meeting, we’ll look at the various options, and – who knows – maybe we’ll even come up with some novel ideas of our own for the Chancellor to consider as she prepares her upcoming Budget!

If you haven’t yet done so, there’s still time to join our mailing list, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group

https://u3acommunities.org/event/the-demographic-time-bomb/

Current Affairs group: Open Forum

🗓️ Start: Thu 18 Sep 2025 10:30 am
⏳ End: Thu 18 Sep 2025 11:30 am

Since we last met in July, much has happened in the world, and yet, in many ways, little has changed. The conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine are no closer to a resolution, while at home the Government’s headaches regarding economic and social policy continue unabated in the face of popular opposition, spearheaded by Reform UK (from the right), and soon to be exacerbated (from the left) by Jeremy Corbyn’s new party.

So, for this month only, rather than a pre-arranged topic, we’ll be holding an ‘Open Forum’, which is where I open the floor to you – our members – to share your thoughts on anything that’s been making the headlines recently. All I would ask is that, if there is a topic you’d like to raise at the meeting, I’d appreciate you letting me know in advance, so I can allocate time for it on the day.

If you haven’t yet done so, there’s still time to join our mailing list, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group

https://u3acommunities.org/event/current-affairs-group-open-forum/

The Israel-Iran Crisis

🗓️ Start: Thu 19 Jun 2025 10:30 am
⏳ End: Thu 19 Jun 2025 11:30 am

This week, in a change from our previously-advertised subject, we will now be discussing the escalating conflict that has erupted between Israel and Iran. Could it have been avoided, or was a military showdown between these implacable enemies always inevitable? And with missiles now raining down on both countries, is a peace deal even possible, and if so, who (if not the UN) has the trust of both sides to mediate it? Finally, as has already been suggested by Israeli PM Netanyahu, is it realistic to hope for an uprising by the Iranian people to overthrow Supreme Leader Khamenei’s authoritarian regime, and should Western powers be more openly supportive of that objective? Lots of questions, but no easy answers!

If you haven’t yet done so, there’s still time to join our mailing list, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group

https://u3acommunities.org/event/the-israel-iran-crisis/

Freedom of Speech

🗓️ Start: Thu 17 Jul 2025 10:30 am
⏳ End: Thu 17 Jul 2025 11:30 am

“I disapprove of what you say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it”. This famous quotation, usually – but incorrectly – attributed to the pioneering Enlightenment-era philosopher Voltaire, neatly sums up that great libertarian principle of ‘Freedom of Speech’. And it shouldn’t be controversial, enshrined as it has been, for over 70 years, in the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 19). Yet even today, under totalitarian regimes the world over, it’s still too dangerous to speak one’s mind in public.

But freedom of speech is now facing challenges in liberal democracies too. From its roots in the largely benign concept of ‘PC’ (political correctness), the threat morphed into the more socially-charged ‘Woke’ culture, which has bred violence on our streets, persecution of dissenting individuals (especially academics), and culminating in the cruel sanction of ‘cancellation’ – which denies them a platform, and all too often ends their careers. Add to that the often overblown accusations of double-standards (with regard to enforcement) increasingly being levelled by pressure groups against their national Governments, the Police, and/or the Judiciary, and it’s clear that freedom of speech is in trouble. So, at this month’s meeting, we’ll examine the issues involved, and how they might be addressed.

If you haven’t yet done so, there’s still time to join our mailing list, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group

https://u3acommunities.org/event/freedom-of-speech/

The Mental Health Crisis

🗓️ Start: Thu 22 May 2025 10:30 am
⏳ End: Thu 22 May 2025 11:30 am

Here in the UK, this week has been officially designated as ‘Mental Health Awareness Week’. And if that’s news to you, you’re not alone, because domestic and global events seem to be unfolding at an ever faster pace, with which it’s increasingly difficult to keep up. That, and the unrelenting pressure, especially on young people, to manage their hectic lives, strained finances, and societal expectations, has led inevitably to a burgeoning mental health crisis across the developed world (see link [Guardian, Mar’25]. So, at this month’s meeting, we’ll explore the problem, and ask what needs to be done to save this so-called ‘lost generation’ from lives of misery and despair.

If you haven’t yet done so, there’s still time to join our mailing list, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group

https://u3acommunities.org/event/next-current-affairs-group-meeting-thurs-15th-may/

Good News Stories from 2024

🗓️ Start: Thu 19 Dec 2024 10:30 am
⏳ End: Thu 19 Dec 2024 11:30 am

As another year draws to a close, and the nights draw in, it can sometimes feel like the most significant events of the last twelve months were all doom and gloom. So instead, as the festive season beckons, let’s raise our spirits by taking a look back at some of the good news stories of 2024. Whether they’re of global, national, or even just local interest where you live, this is your opportunity to share them with the rest of us, so why not join us for an hour of uplifting conversation!

If you haven’t yet done so, there’s still time to join our mailing list, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group

https://u3acommunities.org/event/good-news-stories-from-2024/

The Middle East Crisis: Stepping Back from the Brink

🗓️ Start: Thu 21 Nov 2024 10:30 am
⏳ End: Thu 21 Nov 2024 11:30 am

A year on from the brutal Hamas incursion into southern Israel, the bloody chain of events it triggered has left tens of thousands dead across the region, and has brought Israel and its arch-enemy Iran to the brink of war. Diplomacy has failed, peace talks have stalled, and now the impending return of Donald Trump to the White House has added even more uncertainty to this seemingly intractable crisis. So is there any hope of avoiding what some are already calling a new Armageddon. What do you think? Why not join us for an hour of lively discussion about this most divisive of issues.

If you haven’t yet done so, there’s still time to join our mailing list, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group

https://u3acommunities.org/event/next-current-affairs-group-meeting-thursday-21st-november/

Assisted Dying: The End of Unnecessary Suffering, or a Slippery Slope Towards Execution of the Unwanted?

🗓️ Start: Thu 17 Oct 2024 10:30 am
⏳ End: Thu 17 Oct 2024 11:30 am

Our subject for this month’s meeting could hardly be more topical, coinciding as it does with the introduction, in the House of Commons, of Labour MP Kim Leadbeater’s Private Member’s Bill to legalise assisted dying for the terminally-ill in England & Wales. While all previous attempts, most recently in 2015, have always been decisively voted down, public opinion in favour of a change in the law has only hardened, and especially so since Esther Rantzen joined the campaign. So the outcome this time is expected to be much closer. But what do you think? Why not join us for an hour of lively debate on this most contentious of issues!

If you haven’t yet done so, there’s still time to join our mailing list, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group

https://u3acommunities.org/event/next-current-affairs-group-meeting-thursday-17th-october/

America at the Crossroads: The Battle for the White House, and Why it Matters so Much More This Time Around

🗓️ Start: Thu 19 Sep 2024 10:30 am
⏳ End: Thu 19 Sep 2024 11:30 am

By popular demand, the Current Affairs Discussion Group is up and running again, so we’re looking forward to welcoming back some of our old friends, and hopefully many new ones as well. And for this, our first meeting, the topic could hardly be more momentous. In barely two months time, Americans will cast their votes for one of two candidates whose sharply divergent opinions on how the country should be run, and its role in the wider world, are dividing the electorate perhaps more than at any other time in modern US history. Who will win is anybody’s guess, but of one thing we can be certain – whichever way it goes, the consequences for America, and the rest us, will be far-reaching. So why not join us as we look ahead – nervously! – to the outcome.

If you haven’t yet done so, there’s still time to join our mailing list, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: “Subscribe to the Current Affairs group”

https://u3acommunities.org/event/current-affairs-discussion-group-grand-re-launch-meeting/