Cover Page, 22 November 2018, Issue 179 Welcome to our new issue. We hope you enjoy our articles and the other features. If you do, we ask that you please forward them to, and recommend us to, any contacts of yours who would be interested. If you can persuade them to register for our weekly
22 November 2018 Lens on the Week UK GOVERNMENT: As Mrs May carries on courageously the forces besieging her government move closer to the walls. Her allies in the DUP regard the draft withdrawal Agreement as unacceptable because the backstop arrangement would impose EU standards on goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the
22 November 2018 TINA The key to the Brexit choice. By John Watson Guilt has no place in decision-making. It biases the judgement towards outcomes which justify steps taken in the past. It distracts from what is important, with its emphasis on what happened previously. Look at the great decision-makers from chess players to military
22 November 2018 Bad Times for Capitalism Trouble in the executive car park. By J R Thomas If you think the political pages are gloomy reading, and the international news fails to cheer, then, whatever you do, refrain from turning to the business sections of our national broadsheets. It’s not so much the stock market
22 November 2018 Post-Wonga Rainy Day Solutions Could sidecar savings be the answer? By Frank O’Nomics How much money do you have set aside for “emergencies”? For over a quarter of the UK working age population the answer to that question is – nothing. For 42% the sum available is less than £500. The result
22 November 2018 “It’s going to be a nightmare.” New French Revolution? By Richard Pooley “Ça va être un cauchemar” my French neighbours said in unison. I was leaving their house having just watched France’s rugby team being beaten in the 86th minute by South Africa. Hugues was not in the best of moods but when
22 November 2018 Diary of a Corbynista Rapporteur Schmapporteur? by Don Urquhart 15 November Last night I read 50 pages of the Draft Withdrawal Agreement. Unlike Chequers it was very precise and legalistic. My understanding of such things is as nugatory as Chico’s in Night at the Opera. Groucho explains. You know the sort of
22 November 2018 Brexit Conspiracy Far-fetched or not? By Lynda Goetz Well, this has been a long and extraordinary week in politics. Whichever side you are on it seems that few were keen on the Prime Minister’s Withdrawal Agreement. Yet, in some bizarre way, as the days have gone by Theresa May’s position seems increasingly
22 November 2018 Prime Ministers In Trouble No, not you, Mrs May. By Neil Tidmarsh Cheer up, Mrs May. It could be worse. And indeed it is worse for your fellow prime ministers Binyamin Netanyahu of Israel, Andrej Babis of the Czech Republic and (ex-prime minister) Nikola Gruevski of Macedonia. Much worse. A potential leadership
22 November 2018 The Withdrawal Agreement A short guide. By John Watson What can we do during the transitional period? Just what has Northern Ireland to do with it? For those who feel the need for a quick revision course follow this link for a very brief summary posted on the internet by Dutch based
