21 April 2016 The Treasury Paper Now at last we have something we can debate. By John Watson At long last the referendum battle seems to be joined. Until this week the points were all coming from the Brexit camp and the only riposte seem to be the government’s rather unimpressive and very expensive leaflet. … Continue reading Issue 50: 2016 04 2: The Treasury Paper (John Watson)
Tag: EU
Issue 49: 2016 04 14: The Best of Both Worlds? (Richard Pooley)
14 April 2016 The Best of Both Worlds? Why the French think we’d be mad to leave the EU. by Richard Pooley I spent some of my time in the early 1980s teaching English to foreign businesspeople in London. Nearly all of them were German, Swiss, Italian, Spanish, French or Japanese. One of the things… Continue reading Issue 49: 2016 04 14: The Best of Both Worlds? (Richard Pooley)
Issue 47: 2016 03 31: Betting Against Brexit (John Watson)
31 March 2016 Betting Against Brexit The UK should remain in the EU. By John Watson “Ultimate authority”; “Our priorities”; “Take back control”. The heady words glitter on the “Vote Leave” pamphlet which dropped through my letterbox. No more European Court of Justice imposing EU law. No more European Court of Human Rights. Let’s… Continue reading Issue 47: 2016 03 31: Betting Against Brexit (John Watson)
Issue 46: 2016 03 23: IDS Falls on his Sword (John Watson)
24 March 2016 IDS Falls On His Sword A look at the whys and wherefores. By John Watson Being Chancellor of the Exchequer must be like trying to steer a raft on a stormy sea. You do your sums. They all seem to add up nicely and then, suddenly, horror of horrors, you are knocked… Continue reading Issue 46: 2016 03 23: IDS Falls on his Sword (John Watson)
Issue 44: 2016 03 10: Week in Brief: UK
10 March 2016 Week in Brief: UK CANCER VACCINE: Scientists at King’s College London and the Biomedical Research Centre at Guy’s and St. Thomas’s NHS Trust have developed a vaccine that may eradicate cancer. The vaccine works by introducing the immune system to a small piece of a biological threat so that it could recognise… Continue reading Issue 44: 2016 03 10: Week in Brief: UK
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 40: 2016 02 11: Week in Brief: UK
11 February 2016 Week in Brief: UK EU NEGOTIATIONS: Debate has begun over the terms which David Cameron has negotiated with the EU. However, the terms are still only in draft form and may not represent the final conditions which EU institutions and countries will be prepared to agree. The draft has already sparked debate… Continue reading Issue 40: 2016 02 11: Week in Brief: UK
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 34: 2015 12 24: Sovereignty in a Stable
24 December 2015 Sovereignty in a Stable Ultimate authority is not born in palaces. By Neil Tidmarsh This week, President Xi of China addressed world leaders at the World Internet Conference at Wuzhen, calling for state censorship of the internet in the name of ‘internet sovereignty’. Let’s think about that word ‘sovereignty’ for a moment.… Continue reading Issue 34: 2015 12 24: Sovereignty in a Stable
Issue 34: 2015 12 24: Week in Brief: International
24 December 2015 Week in Brief: INTERNATIONAL AFGHANISTAN: Isis-affiliated groups continue to fight the Taliban for ground and influence along the border with Pakistan. The town of Sangin, in Helmand province, is under siege by the Taliban. British and US special forces are helping efforts to break through to the reportedly poorly-supplied Afghan army defending… Continue reading Issue 34: 2015 12 24: Week in Brief: International
Issue 33: 2015 12 17: An Agreement From Paris
17 December 2015 An Agreement From Paris Will the process succeed? By John Watson My favourite clause of the Paris Agreement is article 7.5 which runs as follows: Parties acknowledge that adaptation action should follow a country-driven, gender-responsive, participatory and fully transparent approach, taking into consideration vulnerable groups, communities and ecosystems, and should be based… Continue reading Issue 33: 2015 12 17: An Agreement From Paris
Issue 28: 2015 11 12: Week in Brief: UK
12 November 2015 Week in Brief: UK SHARM EL-SHEIKH: Although the action of the British government in promptly grounding flights in and out of Sharm el-Sheikh was initially condemned by Egypt as being unwarranted, it has been justified by the conclusion of the investigating authorities that the destruction of the plane bound for St Petersburg… Continue reading Issue 28: 2015 11 12: Week in Brief: UK
