Before we judge the worth of the marginal growth in the economy in the second quarter we must consider two factors. Before the crash a good deal of economic activity was heavily leveraged and driven by debt; therefore in part it did not truly exist, any more than wealth devalued by massive debts. It is […]
Another night of wanton civil disorder because Orangemen are not allowed to march past the homes of those whom they wish to humiliate, provoke and offend is an unacceptable exhibition of prejudice within the borders of the United Kingdom and it is now critical the the Coalition, especially its Tory majority, round on Unionist politicians […]
This Blog has never favoured the Protestant Unionists of Northern Ireland and after last night it favours them even less. The Orange Order is a shocking throwback into historical conflict which infects each new generation with a virus of prejudice and intolerance, which gives its members and the mobs who trail them a licence to […]
Clearly things are getting out of hand in Egypt. It is still possible for tension to diffuse, not least because Egyptians are not an ethnicly divided people living in a country whose borders cross tribal boundaries and were set by historic agreement between colonial powers, as is the case with Syria and Iraq. Egyptians are […]
The international community needs to keep a low profile in its response to the revolutionary problems in Egypt. Above all the West must avoid strident calls for an immediate return to democracy, as this will only lead to further failure. At present Egypt does not have in place the balanced political structures to enable democracy […]
The Labour Party is the political arm of the Labour movement. It was formed by the trade unions as their political force in Town , County and Parliamentary government. It would be difficult to separate them. It would also be pointless. because in spite of the snags it brings strength to both. Moreover both learned […]
This blog predicted a military takeover in Egypt in my post of June 27th and this has now come to pass. To the majority of Egyptians this is a cause for celebration, but to a sizable minority it is an attack upon democracy. The reality is very complicated not only in Egypt but everywhere and […]
Revolutions are never as straightforward as at first they appear. There was an excessive expectation that the fall of Mubarak was the opening of a fresh dawn and that a vibrant new Egypt was about to burst onto the world scene as both one of the oldest civilisations and newest democracies. It is now clear […]
This is a difficult time to be in Government, as the trailing Tories can testify from their opinion poll ratings. It is also a difficult time to be the Opposition, as the narrowing lead enjoyed by Labour also testifies. The government is boxed in by political and financial possibilities and has the responsibility to deliver. […]
This Blog has been a persistent critic of the foreign policy of the West, post the Arab Spring. Coming on top of the clear failures in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Arab Spring provided an opportunity to show a less ideological and partisan approach to affairs in the Middle East. At the beginning the Americans held […]