20 April 2017 Week in Brief: UK Government GENERAL ELECTION: The government has called a general election on 8 June. Under the Fixed Term Parliament Act that had to be endorsed by a two thirds majority of the House of Commons but, since Mr Corbyn has already said that he would back an early election,… Continue reading Issue 101: 2017 04 20: Week in Brief: UK
Tag: GCHQ
Issue 96: 2017 03 16: Week in Brief: UK
16 March 2017 Week in Brief: UK BREXIT: Lord Heseltine has been removed as an adviser to Theresa May’s government after he voted in favour of an amendment to the bill which will trigger article 50; the amendment would necessitate the terms of disengagement from the EU to be approved by parliament. The amendment was… Continue reading Issue 96: 2017 03 16: Week in Brief: UK
Issue 92: 2017 02 16: Week in Brief: UK
16 February 2017 Week in Brief: UK SPEAKER: John Bercow, the Speaker of the House of Commons, is facing calls from MPs to resign after he declared that he would prevent Donald Trump from addressing MPs and peers in Westminster Hall during the proposed state visit. Diplomatic sources have said that there has been no… Continue reading Issue 92: 2017 02 16: Week in Brief: UK
Issue 88: 2017 01 19: Just Among Friends (Chin Chin)
19 January 2017 Just Among Friends Favours must be returned. By Chin Chin MI6 is “briefing both ways”, deceiving both the Russians and Americans! “MI6 officers are never ex”! The Russian commentary on the British Secret Service following the revelation of the “dirty dossier” on Trump is worthy of John le Carré. So what is… Continue reading Issue 88: 2017 01 19: Just Among Friends (Chin Chin)
Issue 79: 2016 11 10: Week in Brief: UK
10 November 2016 Week in Brief: UK Government BREXIT VOTE: The Government is to appeal against the High Court’s ruling that giving notice to leave the EU under Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon requires an Act of Parliament. The Attorney General’s argument that, because the action was under an international treaty it could… Continue reading Issue 79: 2016 11 10: Week in Brief: UK
Issue 71: 2016 09 15: Week in Brief: UK
15 September 2016 Week in Brief: UK Foreign Affairs LIBYA: A report of the House of Commons Defence Committee has heavily criticised David Cameron’s role in the 2011 bombing campaign in Libya. Stating that the then Chief of Defence Staff, Lord Richards, disassociated himself from the claim that the operation was in the national interest,… Continue reading Issue 71: 2016 09 15: Week in Brief: UK
Issue 70: 2016 09 08: Week in Brief: UK
08 September 2016 Week in Brief: UK General Politics CHILD ABUSE ENQUIRY: Dame Lowell Goddard, the New Zealand judge who recently resigned from the chairmanship of the abuse enquiry, has said that its extensive scale and size makes it unmanageable. She has suggested that her resignation presents an opportunity to remodel it with less focus… Continue reading Issue 70: 2016 09 08: Week in Brief: UK
Issue 66: 2016 08 11 :Do you know MI5 from MI6? (Tim Marshall)
11 August 2016 Do you know MI5 from MI6? Your guide to the United Kingdom intelligence system by Tim Marshall Most Shaw Sheet readers will be taking away the Chilcot report to read on holiday. It is certainly long so to make it more digestible we have decided to sketch out the various organisations which… Continue reading Issue 66: 2016 08 11 :Do you know MI5 from MI6? (Tim Marshall)
Issue 60: 2016 06 30: The Morning After (John Watson)
30 June 2016 The Morning After Reflections on the referendum. By John Watson A deep dark cloud of gloom has descended over the London Borough of Islington. Here in the citadel of Remain, in an area full of lawyers, bankers and doctors, the Referendum result has hit us like an exploding shell. How could 52%… Continue reading Issue 60: 2016 06 30: The Morning After (John Watson)
Issue58: 2016 0616: Who Are You? (Neil Tidmarsh)
16 June 2016 Who Are You? Imposters and mistaken identities. by Neil Tidmarsh Last week, a policeman in Israel offered shelter to a fleeing civilian after a terrorist attack on a market in Tel Aviv. He let the man into his home and then hurried to the scene of the atrocity. Four Israelis had been… Continue reading Issue58: 2016 0616: Who Are You? (Neil Tidmarsh)
Issue 39: 2016 02 04: Week in Brief: UK
04 February 2016 Week in Brief: UK GOOGLE TAX: The Government and HMRC have come under fire for agreeing a tax deal with Google which means the company will pay £130 million back tax over ten years. It is thought that the amount of corporation tax paid is equivalent to a rate of 3%. Criticism… Continue reading Issue 39: 2016 02 04: Week in Brief: UK
Issue 35: 2016 01 14: Week in Brief: UK
14 January 2016 Week in Brief: UK EU REFERENDUM: David Cameron has changed his mind and has said that he will allow minsters to campaign in favour of the UK leaving the EU. The effect is to suspend the usual principle of collective cabinet responsibility. DOCTORS’ STRIKE: The strike of junior doctors has started, after… Continue reading Issue 35: 2016 01 14: Week in Brief: UK
Issue 30: 2015 11 26: Weather
26 November 2015 Weather By Chin Chin I have a nasty feeling that I am under surveillance. No, it’s not that GCHQ is reading my emails. Even in that temple to prying, it would be difficult to find anyone willing to undertake such an unrewarding and tedious chore. Imagine: “My goodness, Froplinson, he’s started inserting… Continue reading Issue 30: 2015 11 26: Weather
