Tag Archives: United Kingdom

I was in the barbers last week talking about a recent visit to the South of France.   I was asked where I would most like to live.  I said “not the South of France” – much too hot in summer nowadays, the beaches are skirted by major roads, the …

As the outline of a revised deal begins to become public, it is important to consider carefully the extent to which an amended backstop or “alternative arrangements” still pose a threat to our union. The key landing zone seems to surround the idea of an all-Ireland regulatory area along with …

On Monday 11th March 2019 we celebrated the 70th anniversary of the London Declaration , a moment when nations of the Commonwealth agreed to move forward together as free and equal members to foster co-operation towards social, political and economic development in an inclusive as well as sustainable manner. Over …

Trade and Free Immigration Agreements Around the world most geopolitical partnerships are regional because at times of peace, those in close-proximity are usually the most culturally and hence politically aligned. In order to move politically forward the political differences between the neighbouring countries needs to be addressed so that they …

Like many of you, I have friends and family in both camps Remain and Leave and in the interests of friendship the subject of Brexit is studiously avoided. However I got into a conversation about it with one of them and with great foreboding he asked why I voted Leave …

Another day, another cave by Theresa May. Today, it appears that Theresa May is willing to keep the entire UK bound in perpetuity to the EU Customs Union.  It also appears the Prime Minister has plans to betray her allies in the DUP and Northern Ireland by having EU regulations …

There is an interesting scenario that Scottish nationalists haven’t thought about. Let’s imagine sometime in the future there is a referendum on Scottish independence and the Leave side wins. There would then be negotiations between the United Kingdom and the representatives of the soon to be independent Scotland. The negotiations …

It’s easy to mock those Scottish nationalists who spend their time looking around supermarkets for Scottish produce labelled as coming from Britain. There are other Scottish nationalists who want various vegetables to be called by their Scottish rather than by their English name. I imagine some want to go round …

Apparently the Scottish Parliament has just refused to consent to Brexit. The Lib Dems, Labour, Greens and SNP all joined together to thwart the plans of those wicked Tories to undermine the powers of the Scottish Parliament. There is a peculiar logic going on here. There are various issues that …

I have been finding contemporary politics dull and uninspiring. It is above all for this reason that I’ve been struggling to write about recent events. We know that at some point there will be another election struggle between a rather daft, but reinvigorated Labour Party and a worn out Tory …

For those of us who may not have remembered, today is Battle of Britain Day, the day in 1940 the battle swung decisively in favour of the UK, Commonwealth and Free European Allies. It’s a day to celebrate victory over Nazi Tyranny and to remember the sacrifice paid by all …

A couple of weeks ago, I listened to an interview of Jacob Rees-Mogg by James Delingpole on YouTube. Mogg asked Delingpole who he felt the UK’s best Prime Ministers had been when Delingpole slighted career politicians. Upon responding with the standard Thatcher and Churchill, Mogg replied by asking ‘What about …

Britain’s contribution to World development has often been tarnished and diluted by those on the left who may want to pollute the brilliant work Mother Britannia has done in an effort to promote socialism.  Then there are those who attempt to create a narrative of horror and despair by describing the …

Politicians frequently say their General Election is the most important of their lifetime. Most of the time, they are lying or exaggerating. The General Election of 2001 was, for instance, not a particularly important election. This time however, is likely the most important General Election in a generation, if not …

“The UK will have to rebalance trade if they are going to grow their economy and the Commonwealth would be the first natural outlet for their goods” – South African High Commission A central tenet of any discussion or proposal for a post-Brexit economy focuses on trade and trading partners. …

The Labour Party’s genius plan to “unite the nation” by further Balkanising the United Kingdom The Labour Party and the British Left in general just don’t get it. With the honourable exception of a few Cassandra-like voices warning that the Left must learn to re-embrace patriotism in order to reconnect with …

Scots will have to face going through a second independence referendum and the sooner this is accepted the better. The vast majority of those who voted No in 2014 naively believed that the 2014 referendum would be a genuine once-in-a-generation event that would conclusively settle the constitutional question for a good 30 years …

Where are the zealots of democracy, the fanatics of liberty, the taliban of the rule of law, pounding the internet and social media with their passion and selfless dedication to their cause – democracy and freedom, equal rights for women? These ideals are hopefully common across most nations. The distinctions …

Sometime in prehistory a group of people arrived on our island from Europe. They were Celts. We know next to nothing about them or the people who lived here before they arrived. All that is left of them are the monuments they left behind, places like Stonehenge and Scara Brae. …

Introduction The main feature of living in a modern democracy is that nearly everybody gets to vote. As John Donne once said in a rather different context an election “comes equally to us all, and makes us all equal when it comes”. At one point only people with a certain …