15 December 2016 Thinking Forward Britain’s immigration offer. by John Watson Is he Remoan? Is she from the headbanging wing of Leave? Reading the popular press you might think that these were the pivotal questions of British politics. It is a relief, then, to be reminded that beneath the rhetoric and position-taking, serious thought is… Continue reading Issue 84: 2016 12 15: Thinking Forward (John Watson)
Tag: John Watson
Issue 83: 2016 12 08: Draining the remuneration swamp (John Watson)
08 December 2016 Draining The Remuneration Swamp Using sunlight as a disinfectant. By John Watson That part of the Government’s Green Paper “Corporate Governance Reform” which deals with excessive remuneration makes rather depressing reading. Although it manages to identify the main issue easily enough, it is much less successful in finding a solution. That is… Continue reading Issue 83: 2016 12 08: Draining the remuneration swamp (John Watson)
Issue 82: 2016 12 01: Renewing the EU (John Watson)
01 December 2016 Renewing the EU Is Mr Verhofstadt beginning the thinking? By John Watson Just suddenly, between the gathering crowds, a shaft of light. Some will think that Guy Verhofstadt’s suggestion that British Nationals should be able to belong to the EU by paying an individual subscription, much like belonging to a club I… Continue reading Issue 82: 2016 12 01: Renewing the EU (John Watson)
Issue 81: 2016 11 24: When Racism Stalks The Streets (John Watson)
24 November 2016 When Racism Stalks The Streets Time for a message. By John Watson The cricketers call it Hawkeye. I am not sure what the equivalent term is in tennis but in any case the principle is much the same. If it is hard to tell whether a ball would have hit the stumps,… Continue reading Issue 81: 2016 11 24: When Racism Stalks The Streets (John Watson)
Issue 80: 2016 11 17: Why 2016? (John Watson)
17 November 2016 Why 2016? What has triggered the “interesting times”? By John Watson Some children want to become engine drivers. Others want to become political pollsters. But those inclining to the latter career have traditionally been put off it by their parents. You need to be good at maths, for one thing. You need… Continue reading Issue 80: 2016 11 17: Why 2016? (John Watson)
Issue 79: 2016 11 10: Enemies Of The People? (John Watson)
10 November 2016 Enemies Of The People? What Mrs May needs to do now By John Watson For those who thought that there was a limit to the amount of nonsense that could be talked over a few days, the reaction to the Divisional Court’s decision in the Article 50 case must come as a… Continue reading Issue 79: 2016 11 10: Enemies Of The People? (John Watson)
Issue 78: 2016 11 03: The Nissan Deal (John Watson)
03 November 2016 The Nissan Deal Driven by the Devil. By John Watson It would be nice, of course, to be Jehovah but as vacancies do not often arise in the divine sector, perhaps it would be better to go for the rather more modest post of Business Secretary. Not quite as good in the… Continue reading Issue 78: 2016 11 03: The Nissan Deal (John Watson)
Issue 77: 2016 10 27: The Baleful Role of the SPAD (John Watson)
27 October 2017 The Baleful Role Of The SPAD An accelerant we cannot afford. By John Watson There has always been a tension between the needs of politics and the needs of good government. Faced with even the best plan, politicians will seek to make political capital and if that means having to choose between… Continue reading Issue 77: 2016 10 27: The Baleful Role of the SPAD (John Watson)
Issue 76: 2016 10 20: The Brexit Debate (John Watson)
20 October 2016 The Brexit Debate Should we have one? By John Watson To scrutinise or not to scrutinise, that is the question. Should the Government have to publish a White Paper setting out its strategy for the Brexit negotiations? To keen Europhiles like Mr Clegg, discussion in Parliament represents a braking mechanism, something which… Continue reading Issue 76: 2016 10 20: The Brexit Debate (John Watson)
Issue75:2016 10 13:Damaging Britain’s trading position(John Watson)
13 October 2016 A shot in the foot? The proposals for penalising advisers by John Watson Ok, so what’s the big deal? Sure, Monday was the final day for responses to the HM Revenue and Customs Consultation Paper “Strengthening Tax Avoidance Sanctions and Deterrents”, but what has that got to do with the Shaw Sheet? … Continue reading Issue75:2016 10 13:Damaging Britain’s trading position(John Watson)
Issue 73: 2016 09 29: Time To Rat (John Watson)
29 September 2016 Time To Rat The plight of the Blairites. By John Watson “Poor Tom’s a-cold” cries Edgar in Lear, but he isn’t the only one. Following Corbyn’s emphatic endorsement by the membership of the Labour party, Blairite MPs too must be feeling the draughts of oncoming winter. Of course it is all meat… Continue reading Issue 73: 2016 09 29: Time To Rat (John Watson)
Issue 71: 2016 09 15: Grammar Schools (John Watson)
15 September 2016 Grammar Schools A difficult choice. By John Watson The saddest thing about Mrs May’s proposal to remove the ban on the creation of selective schools was the speed of the reaction to it. Perhaps inevitably, much of the initial reaction was Pavlovian. “For or against grammar schools, it’s a question of principle”. … Continue reading Issue 71: 2016 09 15: Grammar Schools (John Watson)
Issue 70: 2016 09 08: The Bounce Back In Activity (John Watson)
08 September 2016 The Bounce-Back In Activity A revival, or just maths? By John Watson Supporters of the England cricket team are entitled to celebrate its triumph over Pakistan in the Fifty Over version of the game. Records have fallen; the numbers are terrific; open the champagne! Despite the self-satisfied smiles on the faces of… Continue reading Issue 70: 2016 09 08: The Bounce Back In Activity (John Watson)
