ART, literature, film and theatre have the power to stimulate our minds, to motivate us to engage and be active. Here’s three from this year that have particularly impacted on me. 

First the book, Act Now (Common Sense Policy Group, Manchester University Press, £9.99), written by a collective of leading figures from academia, politics and industry, who are utterly convincing in their argument that the time has come in the UK for real change. We need to rebuild from the ground up, not just reignite the economy but reform the whole structure of society. 

As well as exposing the huge catalogue of failures that have put many lives at the point of collapse such as healthcare, housing and child poverty, every chapter in this book provides recommendations — a series of sensible, pragmatic ideas based on an achievable vision, and practical actions for change, such as bringing privatised services back into public ownership and community control. Act Now should be a compulsory read for all MPs, in particular our newly elected prime minister.