Cover Page, 3 December 2020, Issue 258 Welcome to our latest edition. This week we lead with a novel suggestion for the home nations – see Scottish Devolution by J R Thomas. We also consider free speech, Russia, French accents, Boris Johnson, a Corbynista’s week, football, UK equities, a revelation about Liverpool in tier 3…
03 December 2020 Nicking it from the Nats Pressure from the Highlands. By J R Thomas Just occasionally Boris does it hit it right, squarely, precisely, on the head. Not that anybody will give him credit for getting anything right at the moment. But let us be kind and generous, as we are so often
3 December 2020 Lies, Damned Lies and Coronavirus The Liverpool myth. By David Chilvers As forecast last week*, politicians have been quick to claim the impact that their policies have had on controlling the spread of COVID-19. There has been particular refence to the success of Tier 3 and mass testing in Liverpool, so much
03 December 2020 Johnson? Too early to know. By John Watson On Friday, The Times contained a cartoon by Peter Brookes which showed the Prime Minister dressed as a clown standing beside a noticeboard announcing the tiers with a virus bouncing off him. It was well drawn, of course, but did not make any particular
03 December 2020 Eton Mess Woke or broke? By Lynda Goetz Woke didn’t make it to be the 2019 ‘Word of the Year’ for either the Oxford, Cambridge or Collins dictionaries. It was, though, the word of the year for Global Language Monitor. “In progressive-based language, ‘woke’ describes an epiphany-like experience, where one is awakened
03 December 2020 Russia in Winter Has the Bear gone into hibernation? By Neil Tidmarsh The most recent conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh has ended in what looks like defeat for Armenia, with devastating losses inflicted on the Armenian forces and chunks of the disputed territory captured and retained by Azerbaijan. In Libya,
03 December Qu’esseuh-que ça veut direuh? Will the French stop glottophobie? By Richard Pooley Does the British establishment discriminate against fellow citizens who don’t speak “proper” English? Certainly, in the past, it did. It was almost impossible to get to the top of any profession if one didn’t speak “Queen’s English” or “Oxford English”. Indeed
3 December 2020 Buy Britain! New hope or false dawn for UK equities? By Frank O’Nomics As recently as late October the IMF warned that financial markets were at risk of a sharp correction, with the UK considered particularly susceptible given the added uncertainty of Brexit. Since that report FTSE has had its best month
3 December 2020 Diary of a Corbynista Rishi not so dishy. By Don Urquhart 25 November The Chancellor presented his Spending Review. To a certain extent it was a George Osborne tribute act. Certainly his reference to Difficult Decisions was a cover version of one of his predecessor’s greatest hits. His backing group of Tory
3 December 2020 View from the Cotswolds Simply the Best By Paul Branch Let’s take a break from our national pastime of Boris-baiting and look instead for interest in the sporting world, and in particular in the direction of association football, triggered by recent departures of the great and the good. Non-football aficionados might as
