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Francis Beckett

Francis Beckett is a writer and journalist and editor of the book Prime Ministers Who Never Were.

Latest posts

Why I Have Got To Cancel My RSA Subscription
Steps to privatisation

Francis Beckett planned to attend a sensible debate on education, but was instead met by a lecture on privatisation.

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Does Oxford Discriminate Against Comprehensive School Pupils?
An Oxbridge Obsession?

Francis Beckett questions whether Oxford University discriminates against bright comprehensive school kids.

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Why We Shouldn't Go Back To The 1950s
Back to the 50s?

Francis Beckett argues that some of the reactions to the riots have been knee jerk and simplistic.

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About Francis Beckett

Francis Beckett is an author, journalist and playwright. His recent books include The Prime Ministers Who Never Were, a series of counterfactual essays (Biteback), What Did the baby Boomers Ever Do For Us (Biteback) and Marching to the Fault Line (Constable and Robinson.)

His first two plays, Money Makes You Happy, and The Right Honourable Lady, are published by Samuel French, a third, Claim and Shame (about the MPs expenses scandal), had its first outing at Theatre 503 last year. He writes for the Guardian and New Statesman, and many other publications, most frequently about education, and he edits a national magazine published by the University of the Third Age.