3 August 2023 Water, water everywhere By Paul Branch In the news again for various reasons is water. Life’s great supporter along with oxygen. Nature’s gift to lush British gardens. A treat for foreigners visiting our damp shores as they try to escape the worst excesses of global warming. We are truly blessed to have… Continue reading Water, water everywhere
Article Category: Comment
China
3 August 2023 China Could you rule it? By Robert Kilconner Imagine, for the moment, that you ruled China. No, not the Victorian China of the emperors, but the modern China we read about in our daily newspapers. Of course, if you happen to be President Xi reading this you will not have to do… Continue reading China
Sunak’s Sweet Spot
6 July 2023 Sunak’s Sweet Spot Only a beginning. By John Watson Many of us have spent time over the last few weeks listening to the first test matches of the Ashes series and those who have will know that, when a batsman comes in, the commentators discuss his strengths and weaknesses. “Ah, he has… Continue reading Sunak’s Sweet Spot
A Botched ‘Gotterdammerung’
6 July 2023 A Botched Gotterdammerung Prigozhin misreads Wagner’s score. By Neil Tidmarsh On 5th April 1531, a chef was boiled to death at Smithfields, the prime venue for public executions in medieval London. The chef – one Richard Rouse – had been found guilty of murder. He’d tried to poison the Bishop of Rochester… Continue reading A Botched ‘Gotterdammerung’
Sack the Governor!
6 July 2023 Sack the Governor! by J.R. Thomas A reader of this organ, a distinguished City figure, told me of a visit he once made to, as some rags might put it, a leading City banker. Our man was shown up to the executive floor, and then into the chairman’s outer office, through the… Continue reading Sack the Governor!
So What Now?
6 July 2023 So What Now? Our restricted future. By Lynda Goetz From a personal point of view, June has been a wonderful month: the weather has been fantastic; the garden has never looked so good; my long term-partner and I had a magical wedding; my first grandchild is due in September; and we have… Continue reading So What Now?
Corbynista Rides Again
6 July 2023 Corbynista Rides Again Sickness and Nonsense by Don Urquhart 3 February 2023 We were visited by young Norman last week. Like many friends and relations he blames us for the current state of the country because we voted for Brexit. Norman and I often engage in vigorous political discussions i.e. he shouts… Continue reading Corbynista Rides Again
Exit Stage Right
6 July 2023 Exit Stage Right By Paul Branch With far right populist groups again on the rise across Europe, we bid a fond farewell to possibly the modern daddy of them all, one of the great performers of world politics, a legend in his own lifetime now sadly come to a close. Silvio Berlusconi… Continue reading Exit Stage Right
Car Traps
6 July 2023 Car Traps And what to do about them. By Robert Kilconner As Ned Ludd could have told you, progress is not always a good thing. In his case, of course, the concern was that the introduction of machinery would cost jobs – a cost borne by those on the supply side. Nowadays,… Continue reading Car Traps
Wackford Reeves
1 June 2023 Wackford Reeves Loopy loopholes. By Robert Kilconner Biff, Bang, Wallop, Thrash. Dickens’s anti-hero Wackford Squeers certainly had his theories of education. Rachel Reeves follows the same model but in her case the biffing, banging, walloping and thrashing is of the private educational sector rather than of the pupils. Still, there is a… Continue reading Wackford Reeves
The Nephew Also Rises
1 June 2023 The Nephew Also Rises by J.R. Thomas In the latest episode of “Succession – White House” a shock manoeuvre against President Joe sees his son Hunter stand against his father for the Presidential nomination. Can he win? Joe rings Kamala to ask her views – but Kamala has gone out. Maybe back… Continue reading The Nephew Also Rises
Keeping Sane
1 June 2023 Keeping Sane The advance of AI. By John Watson Competition leads to extremes and the fiercer the competition the harder it is to restrain the tendency. Take phone hacking as an example. At a time of dwindling newspaper readership, intrusive reporting boosts circulation so, guess what, each round of hacking and spying… Continue reading Keeping Sane
Fat
1 June 2023 Fat is more than a feminist issue. By Lynda Goetz The other day I was sent a two-frame cartoon which made me laugh. The issue it raised, like many things which make us laugh, is serious. The first frame showed a male figure, clearly intended to be a father, (I do hope… Continue reading Fat
