Reinventing the dole: a history of the Unemployment Assistance Board 1934-40
This previously unpublished material for a book by Tony Lynes, based on official papers from the time, describes the origins and history of the Unemployment Assistance Board, the central government department which came into existence in July 1934 to administer means-tested assistance to the unemployed. The material is published in full here under a Creative Commons licence.
Our Pensions
Our Pensions: a policy for a Labour Government, by Tony Lynes, was first published as a pamphlet in August 1996. You can read 'Our Pensions' here updated in 2001, complete with a foreword by Paul Flynn MP. Alternatively, download the whole pamphlet as a text file
Author Archives: Tony Lynes
First Tony Lynes Annual Memorial Lecture
The first Annual Memorial Lecture in honour of Tony was held on 7th October 2015 at William Booth College, Denmark Hill. The speaker was Paul Flynn MP, on the topic of ‘Abolishing sin’. With thanks to Mayor Dora Dixon-Fyle for … Continue reading
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Tony Lynes 1929-2014
Tony sadly died after being hit by a car in Herne Hill on 12 October 2014. This site is maintained by his family. Professor Jonathan Bradshaw wrote an obituary in The Guardian on the 22nd October An article about Tony was … Continue reading
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Event to celebrate the life of Tony Lynes, 23rd October 2014
An event celebrating his life was held on Thursday 23rd October, at the Conway Hall. A recording of the event can be found below:
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Southwark pensioners explore local history
Twenty-six people, including Southwark’s distinguished historian Stephen Humphrey and local pensioner activists Tony and Sally Lynes, attended a meeting held on 4th September 2013 to discuss the formation of a Local History group at Southwark Pensioners Centre in south-east London. … Continue reading
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Below you will find Tony Lynes’s comments, views and research findings on the following subjects: Music: public library charges illegal? (11.9.13) Single-tier pension – but not for today’s pensioners? (24.2.13) Child benefit – a better way of sharing the cost. … Continue reading
Music: public library charges illegal?
Public library charges for lending printed music This article presents the results, up to September 2013, of ongoing research by Tony Lynes on behalf of Making Music. It summarises the legislation relating to local authorities’ duty to provide a music … Continue reading
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Single-tier pension – but not for today’s pensioners?
At present, people under pension age pay national insurance contributions which entitle them to two kinds of state pension – flat-rate and earnings-related. Those whose employers provide an earnings-related pension scheme can be “contracted out” of the state earnings-related pension, … Continue reading
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Child benefit – a better way of sharing the cost
Figures given in reply to a Parliamentary Question on 15 November offer a much simpler and much fairer alternative to the Government’s widely criticised plan to withdraw child benefit from higher rate taxpayers. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, … Continue reading
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Adult education
In the House of Commons on 3rd June, Andrew Percy, Tory MP for Brigg & Goole, asked John Hayes (Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation & Skills): “Does he agree that the success and value of adult education is … Continue reading
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