The format of last night’s BBC leadership debate was wrong. It was clever but it did not work. A debate without an audience becomes an argument and arguments are frustrating things to watch. Emily Maitlis did her very best, but too often everybody was shouting and nothing could be heard. Superficially Hunt, Gove and Javid […]
Since the days of the US hostages I have felt the West’s approach has been rather lacking in imagination when dealing with Iran. More recently there has been some divergence between the Trump administration and the EU. The US policy is a mixture of fawning over the Saudis, obeying Israel’s commands to dump the Palestinians, […]
Apart from the constitutional affront in the process of having members of one party electing de facto a new prime minister of a minority government, already explored at length in previous posts, the most alarming aspect of the election is the rubbish talked by the contenders. Only Rory Stewart has the brains for the job […]
Parliament has rejected the Labour led attempt to prevent a No Deal Brexit. Good. Many readers who have read previous posts will recall I rejoiced when the Supreme Court ruled the the government could not proceed with Article 50 without the approval of parliament. Well, I have changed my mind. Parliament cannot govern. It can […]
Has Farage been put back in his box? Everybody thought the Brexit Party was on a landslide cruise to an easy victory at Peterborough. He promised a shock for British politics. In the event Farage was the one to be shocked by Labour’s surprise win. But when you think about it, this was no surprise. […]
It comes as no surprise that Trump has intervened, against diplomatic protocol, in domestic UK politics, by backing Boris for PM. Nor that John Bolton wants the UK out of Europe. The US is short on Western allies at the moment. Having the UK detached from Europe and back under US dominance would be handy. […]
I am up here taking a family break, but keeping an eye on what is going on. I have some thoughts, more questions really, than answers. But I think they are worth sharing. BREXIT I do not see how it is possible in a democracy, even with our unwritten constitution, to remove from the EU […]
First of all refer to previous posts for an explanation of why tinkering with our constitution has made the government dysfunctional on the major issue of the day, Brexit, which in turn has sucked the oxygen out of the Tory government’s ability to do anything. Next understand the importance in democratic politics of a left, […]
There is something odd about the current US policy in the Middle East. It pays lip service to the notion of a peace deal for Israel and the Palestinians, but its actions make that ever less likely. It is mobilising formidable forces to confront what it describes as an Iranian threat, but by scrapping the […]
It seems now clear to everyone that the days of the May government are coming to an end. It is widely reported that May wants to see the first part of Brexit, the actual withdrawal, complete before she goes. This is not going to happen. The numbers are just not there to get her deal […]