09 June 2016 Remain! The muddle after Brexit. By John Watson Personally I enjoy a little lowbrow family comedy and the excellent series “My Family”, starring Robert Lindsay and Zoe Wanamaker, is always good for a laugh. A lot of the jokes, of course, are old ones and a recent episode centred on the contrast… Continue reading Issue 57: 2016 06 09: Remain! (John Watson)
Tag: Boris Johnson
Issue 56: 2016 06 02: Week in Brief: UK
02 June 2016 Week in Brief: UK EU Referendum IFS ON BREXIT: The Institute of Fiscal Studies has warned that Brexit would force ministers to extend austerity for a further two years to achieve a budget surplus. Lower GDP growth would hit government finance by between £20bn and £40bn by 2020, they said. IMF ON… Continue reading Issue 56: 2016 06 02: Week in Brief: UK
Issue 56: 2016 06 02: The Rise And Rise Of Mr Khan (John Watson)
02 June 2016 The Rise And Rise Of Mr Khan Are we looking at a future prime minister? By John Watson On Monday I watched the news on television. That isn’t something I always do. Normally I pick up what’s been going on from all sorts of different sources: the press, websites, the car radio,… Continue reading Issue 56: 2016 06 02: The Rise And Rise Of Mr Khan (John Watson)
Issue 54: 2016 05 19: Week in Brief: UK
19 May 2016 Week in Brief: UK Queen’s Speech MEASURES INCLUDED: the Queen’s speech included: a legal right to faster broadband (although residents in the remotest properties may have to contribute); restrictions on access to porn sites; measures to encourage driverless cars; a streamlining of planning; measures to make it easier to switch banks and… Continue reading Issue 54: 2016 05 19: Week in Brief: UK
Issue 51: Freedom of Speech (Lynda Goetz)
28 April 2016 Freedom of Speech Have we lost the understanding of what this means? by Lynda Goetz Free speech is generally understood to be fundamental in a democracy. It has been enshrined in international and regional human rights law, although it has a long history which predates such legislation. Most would probably consider ancient… Continue reading Issue 51: Freedom of Speech (Lynda Goetz)
Issue 49: 2016 04 14: Week in Brief: UK
14 April 2016 Week in Brief: UK EU REFERENDUM: Among this week’s points: Brexit campaigners are angry that the government is spending £9.2 million pounds on a pro EU leaflet to be delivered to 27,000,000 homes. Although the government claims that the leaflet merely responds to poll indications that the public want further information, the… Continue reading Issue 49: 2016 04 14: Week in Brief: UK
Issue 45: 2016 03 17: Week in Brief: UK
17 March 2016 Week in Brief: UK HEALTHCARE: In a speech at Lancaster house, the Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, announced measures designed to enable the NHS to learn from its mistakes. Modelled on the system for enquiring into airline accidents, there will be a review of all hospital deaths and a new investigation branch which… Continue reading Issue 45: 2016 03 17: Week in Brief: UK
Issue 42: 2016 02 25: News in Brief Financial
25 February 2016 Week in Brief: BUSINESS AND THE CITY HEAVY POUNDING: The pound sank against all major currencies on Monday, though perhaps not as much as exciteable headlines suggested, after Boris Johnson announced his intention to campaign for a British exit from the European Community. Boris cannot take all the blame (or credit) for… Continue reading Issue 42: 2016 02 25: News in Brief Financial
Issue 42: 2016 02 25: Week in Brief – UK
25 February 2016 Week in Brief: UK SUGAR: An investigation has found that hot flavoured drinks sold in outlets such as Starbucks and Costa Coffee contain very high levels of sugar – as much as 25 teaspoons which is the equivalent of 3 times the amount in a can of Coca Cola. Both companies said… Continue reading Issue 42: 2016 02 25: Week in Brief – UK
Issue 42: 2016 02 25: In or Out? (John Watson)
25 February 2016 In or Out? The start of the race. by John Watson So at last we know. The starter’s gate opens in April and the finishing line will be crossed on 23 June. The great Europe referendum, the apogee of David Cameron’s term as prime minister, is finally in the sporting calendar. The… Continue reading Issue 42: 2016 02 25: In or Out? (John Watson)
Issue 41:2016 02 18:Trouble at the Folgate (J.R. Thomas)
18 February 2016 Trouble at the Folgate by J.R.Thomas If the second Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, was hoping to exit the office he has graced for the last eight years to roars of acclamation and waving bicycle helmets, he may be disappointed. It is far too early to write any considered view of his… Continue reading Issue 41:2016 02 18:Trouble at the Folgate (J.R. Thomas)
Issue 38: 2016 01 28: Labour’s Lessons From Defeat (John Watson)
28 January 2016 Labour’s Lessons from Defeat What we expect from Mr Corbyn. By John Watson The closure of Kellingley colliery may represent the end of deep mining for coal in the UK but the reader certainly has to do a lot of digging to extract from Margaret Beckett’s report “Learning the Lessons from Defeat”… Continue reading Issue 38: 2016 01 28: Labour’s Lessons From Defeat (John Watson)
Issue 35: 2016 1 07: The Glorious Struggle Begins
07 January 2016 The Glorious Struggle Begins by J.R.Thomas Finally the long awaited battle of London has begun; the two Mayoral candidates have at last emerged from the silent shadows, preparing their inspirational manifestos and polishing their searing rhetoric. The gloves are off and the press microphones set up for the opening salvos. Zak Goldsmith… Continue reading Issue 35: 2016 1 07: The Glorious Struggle Begins
