Ismail Mulla

Over the past couple of weeks the dye will have been cast for many young people when it comes to their immediate future. Last week, thousands of students received their A-Levels and yesterday thousands of children were either celebrating or being commiserated following their GCSE results.

It’s that time of the year again for children. The summer holidays are drawing to a close, a new school year is about to begin. Some will be dreading the idea of having to return to the enclosure of a classroom, others will be excited.

The other day on the bus back home from work, there was a group of rowdy young children running up and down the aisles, kicking seats and screaming at the top of their lungs. I like to sit and read on the commute so in order to concentrate I stuck a couple of earbuds in to try and damp down the commotion.

There is often a tendency to look at issues in a binary way with little room for grey areas. It is not until it's too late that we begin to realise the importance of those shades when it comes to policy.

Nostalgia is a potent drug. Just like anyone else, I enjoy a good trip down memory lane. History was one of my favourite subjects at school and I’ve maintained an interest throughout my adult life in the past. So when the Arcade in Dewsbury town centre reopened earlier this month, I decided to wander down and have a nose around.

Devolution isn’t the “silver bullet” and the success of mayors depends on them being given clear responsibilities and the money to deliver, former mayor of the West Midlands, Sir Andy Street has warned.

How refreshing it is to finally have a Prime Minister who understands that there is life north of the Watford Gap. If there is one thing that Andy Burnham cannot be accused of it is not knowing about the North and the challenges that it faces.

Confession, I am a Liverpool Football Club fan. It’s an inheritance from my father who grew up watching the likes of King Kenny, John Barnes and Ian Rush delight fans every weekend. When I started watching them in the mid 90s, Liverpool were a shell of their former self.

Britain has no choice but to confront some of the cold realities that this country faces. Successive governments have failed to remedy the systemic issues that are not only holding the country back economically but potentially threaten to drag Britain down into a deep, dark, abyss.

Travelling on public transport can tell you a lot about the state of society. If buses and trains are kept clean and run on time, then it’s a clear indicator of not only well run services but also of the civility of passengers.