14 September 2017 Money And Spires Are vice chancellors being paid too much? By John Watson Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, just when it was going on so nicely for the vice chancellors of British Universities, the politicians have to jump in and spoil the party. And what a lovely party it was too.… Continue reading Issue 120: 2017 09 14: Money And Spires (John Watson)
Tag: John Watson
Issue 119: 2017 09 07: A Celebration of Statues (John Watson)
07 September 2017 A Celebration of Statues Bobby Lee in Charlottesville? By John Watson One of the advantages of going on holiday is that you do not have to keep on top of the news so that you never discover how some of the stories which were current when you left, actually ended. Now the… Continue reading Issue 119: 2017 09 07: A Celebration of Statues (John Watson)
Issue 118: 2017 08 17: Tyranny (John Watson)
17 August 2017 Tyranny The reason to hang on. By John Watson With Mugabe at 93, Jacob Zuma at 75, and the constitution of Rwanda being altered so that President Kagame can remain in power until 2034, it is worth reflecting on why it is that people cling to power long after their main political… Continue reading Issue 118: 2017 08 17: Tyranny (John Watson)
Issue 117: 2017 08 10: Charlie Gard (John Watson)
10 August 2017 Charlie Gard A reminder of the other issues. By John Watson The Charlie Gard case leaves different images with each of us. Some will simply see the parents’ anguish, their hopes for a miracle cure being dashed by the medical evidence. Others will see the team from Great Ormond Street hospital prepared… Continue reading Issue 117: 2017 08 10: Charlie Gard (John Watson)
Issue 116: 2017 08 03: Flexible Government (John Watson)
03 August 2017 Flexible Government The need to bring the other parties on board. By John Watson Remember Napoleon as he stood with his victorious officers before the tomb of Frederick the Great at Potsdam: “Hats off, gentlemen. If he were still alive we would not be here”. No soldier has ever received a better… Continue reading Issue 116: 2017 08 03: Flexible Government (John Watson)
Issue 115: 2017 07 27: Pay At The BBC (John Watson)
27 July 2017 Pay At The BBC Apples and Pears? By John Watson What a change from Brexit! Most of us get lost fairly quickly if the conversation turns to the economic effects of trade treaties, market access and restricted immigration; however, put a glass in the right hand and everyone is an expert on… Continue reading Issue 115: 2017 07 27: Pay At The BBC (John Watson)
Issue 114: 2017 07 20: The Price Of Politics (John Watson)
20 July 2017 The Price Of Politics What do we get? By John Watson What are our politicians for? We, the British public, pay the salaries of 650 MPs at £74,000 a throw, and that is before expenses, the salaries of assistants, accommodation and all the rest of it is taken into account. In the… Continue reading Issue 114: 2017 07 20: The Price Of Politics (John Watson)
Issue 113: 2017 07 13: Who Owns The Enquiry? (John Watson)
13 July 2017 Who Owns The Enquiry? Chairing the enquiry into Grenfell Tower. By John Watson Tragedies have stakeholders, and if you need evidence for that, just look at the protests against the appointment of Sir Martin Moore-Bick as the chairman of the public enquiry into the Grenfell Tower disaster. Let’s begin by identifying some… Continue reading Issue 113: 2017 07 13: Who Owns The Enquiry? (John Watson)
Issue 112: 2017 07 06: week in Brief: UK
06 July 2017 Week In Brief: UK Government AUSTERITY: The government’s austerity policy has come under renewed pressure with demonstrations against the 1% limit on increases to public sector pay and cuts to the real education budget. The 1% pay cap has been in place since 2013, before which time there was a freeze on… Continue reading Issue 112: 2017 07 06: week in Brief: UK
Issue 112: 2017 07 06: Entryist Politics (John Watson)
06 July 2017 Entryist Politics The knives of McDonnell. By John Watson The Ides of March are still many months off but, if the press are to be believed, Mrs May would do well to keep an eye out on her visits to the Palace of Westminster. It would be nice to think that those… Continue reading Issue 112: 2017 07 06: Entryist Politics (John Watson)
Issue 111: 2017 06 29: Scholar’s Sleeves (John Watson)
29 June 2017 Scholar’s Sleeves The recognition of talent. By John Watson There are bad things which I am only too happy to believe of the University of Oxford. It selects top foreign oarsmen to pack its boat race crews for one thing. It seems to be above where one would expect to see it… Continue reading Issue 111: 2017 06 29: Scholar’s Sleeves (John Watson)
Issue 110: 2017 06 22: Debt (John Watson)
22 June 2017 Debt Disaster waits in the wings. By John Watson If you go by the newspapers, you will probably think that the central issue of British public life is how to carry through Brexit; how to strike the right balance between our need to participate in European markets and the public’s anxiety to… Continue reading Issue 110: 2017 06 22: Debt (John Watson)
Issue 109: 2017 06 15: The need for a new leader (John Watson)
15 June 2017 The Need For A New Leader The Conservatives need to move on. By John Watson It is hard to know how to take Teresa May’s decision to remain Prime Minister. Is this just an interim step while the Conservative party considers behind closed doors who should lead it next, or does she… Continue reading Issue 109: 2017 06 15: The need for a new leader (John Watson)
