LTI is a niche carmaker, employing over 450 people to hand make 2,800 taxis annually. Although I don’t intend on working in manufacturing on graduation, the factory tour was insightful as many operations management theories (six sigma, lean manufacturing, etc) can be applied to supply chains, warehousing and the service sector.

We now have to write a 2,000 word assignment on the extent to which knowledge about an operation can be derived from a single plant tour. Not the most riveting assignment of the course! Still, the factory tour was good fun and informative.

Camden Council imposed new licence conditions in response to 23 complaints from local people for the 2006 concerts, resulting in the season becomming lossmaking. As a result, English Heritage has just announced that these concerts will no longer continue in future years. It is notable that the majority of the complainants moved to the area after the concerts begain 55 years ago.

English Heritage has started an online petition to Camden Council, which I would urge you to sign.

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been to formal dinners in King's College, Darwin College and Hughes Hall. These collegiate events are something quite unique to Cambridge and Oxford and a great opportunity to socialise with students from other parts of the university.

I went to a debate entitled “Fairtrade is a moral obligation as it supports producers in developing countries” at King’s College this evening. Heading the proponents was Liz Dodd of Trade Craft Association whilst Dr Madsen Pirie, Director of the Adam Smith Institute, led the opponents.

The proponents argued that Fairtrade helps lift farmers in developing countries out of poverty by raising their income and helping them develop in order to bring about sustainable improvements. The opponents mirrored the arguments presented recently in The Economist, that prices of such commodities are too low because of overproduction and Fairtrade encourages more production – the opposite of what the market needs.

Whilst neither set of speakers were particularly compelling, one statistic did grab my attention: A typical cow in the European Union receives a government subsidy of over $2 a day. The average person in sub-Saharan Africa lives on less than $1 per day. I suspect the abolition of the Common Agricultural Policy could achieve more to reduce poverty in developing countries than Fairtrade ever could.

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