18 June 2015 A Question of Trust by John Watson It is certainly appropriate that the report by David Anderson QC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, on how surveillance powers should be reformed should be entitled “A Question of Trust” – because trust is the key political issue when powers are to be given… Continue reading Issue 7: 2015 06 18: A Question of Trust
Author: Neil Tidmarsh
Issue 7: 2015 06 18: Troubled Bridge Over Water
18 June 2015 Troubled Bridge Over Water by J R Thomas Ms Joanna Lumley is a National Icon. Beautiful, intelligent, a great wit, a fine actress, a harrier of governments over bad behaviours, hero first class of the Ghurkhas, a proper person, and, in short, a model to us all. But we live in an age… Continue reading Issue 7: 2015 06 18: Troubled Bridge Over Water
Issue 7: 2015 06 18: Week in Brief: UK News
18 June 2015 Week in Brief: UK NEWS LABOUR LEADERSHIP: Alastair Campbell has indicated that he will not back anyone for the leadership of the Labour Party but will “happily lead the charge” against the new leader if he or she fails to perform. Following the nomination process, the shortlist is Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper,… Continue reading Issue 7: 2015 06 18: Week in Brief: UK News
Issue 7: 2015 06 18: Homes For All
18 June 2015 Homes For All by J R Thomas Ten years ago it looked as though the hot potato which is the UK’s housing policy had finally been nicely mashed. The introduction in the 1980’s of a free market in new residential lettings had greatly widened the availability of places to rent, and ensured… Continue reading Issue 7: 2015 06 18: Homes For All
Issue 6: 2015 06 11: Peeling the Union
11 June 2015 Peeling the Union by J R Thomas The unexpected surprise of the Queen’s Speech at the State Opening of Parliament was the proposal to introduce an “opt-in” rule in regard to trade union political levy systems. The political levy (readers will not be surprised to learn) is used by the trade unions… Continue reading Issue 6: 2015 06 11: Peeling the Union
Issue 6: 2015 06 11: Something fishy about Chinese beef
11 June 2015 Something fishy about Chinese beef by Chin Chin It is never nice to come face to face with a huge gap in my education but last month it was genetics. Of course I have been conscious of my ignorance of the subject for some time; indeed I have tried to remedy it… Continue reading Issue 6: 2015 06 11: Something fishy about Chinese beef
Issue 6: 2015 06 11: Exams – a bipartisan approach is needed
11 June 2015 Exams – a bipartisan approach is needed by John Watson It is that time of year again. The summer is the exam season and it is also the time for new proposals regarding the examination system. This time it is Tristram Hunt, Labour’s education spokesman who says that, had Labour taken power,… Continue reading Issue 6: 2015 06 11: Exams – a bipartisan approach is needed
Issue 6: 2015 06 11: Week in Brief: UK NEWS
11 June 2015 Week in Brief: UK NEWS TONY BLAIR: Mr Blair is to become chairman of the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation, an organisation which works to oppose anti-Semitism and campaigns for laws to criminalise denial of the Holocaust. IMMIGRATION: The ending of transitional restrictions on migrants from Romania and Bulgaria in January… Continue reading Issue 6: 2015 06 11: Week in Brief: UK NEWS
Issue 6: 2015 06 11: Promises, Promises
11 June 2015 Promises, Promises by J R Thomas Mr Cameron, now safely tucked up in Downing Street again, may in the deep watches of the night be contemplating how to deliver some of his pre-election promises. The latter stages of the election campaign edged towards an auction of increasingly rash hostages to fortune as… Continue reading Issue 6: 2015 06 11: Promises, Promises
Issue 5: 2015 06 04: The Fifa Affair
4 June 2015 The Fifa Affair: a test of moral courage by John Watson We don’t have a quote of the week competition at the Shaw Sheet, but if we did, Chris Bryant, the shadow culture secretary, would have won it last week with his question “Is it not a bit embarrassing?” He was referring… Continue reading Issue 5: 2015 06 04: The Fifa Affair
Issue 5: 2015 06 04: Week in Brief: UK News
4 June 2015 Week in Brief: UK NEWS TONY BLAIR: Tony Blair has given up his role as Quartet representative in the Middle East. The Quartet, comprising the UN, the EU, the USA and Russia, was mandated by the United Nations in 2002 to mediate for peace in the Middle East and to support the development… Continue reading Issue 5: 2015 06 04: Week in Brief: UK News
Issue 5: 2015 06 04: Towering Over Us
4 June 2015 Towering Over Us by J R Thomas The news that Anthony Horowitz has being given permission by the Ian Fleming estate to write a sequel to “Goldfinger”, perhaps the towering height of the James Bond book and film franchise, draws remembrance of another towering Goldfinger – Erno, the modernist architect of the… Continue reading Issue 5: 2015 06 04: Towering Over Us
Issue 5: 2015 05 28: Droning on
4 June 2015 Droning on by Chin Chin Perhaps you offended them. Maybe they felt unwelcome when they came round to dinner, or they heard that joke you made about them through your mutual “friends”. There has to be some explanation for the gift. No one could give one of those things to an eight-year-old boy… Continue reading Issue 5: 2015 05 28: Droning on
