Category Archives: UK
How I’ll Remember Gary Speed
Match-goers understand that it’s those life-lasting ‘I-was-there’ moments that keep you going back week-in, week-out despite the dross. You’re lucky if you get even one a season. Real fans know these snatched moments-in-time don’t just mean cup finals or last-day … Continue reading
Hurrah For Weekly Bin Collections
Eric Pickles is Coalition marmite. His bluff northern manner oozes the kind of ‘tell it like it is’, ‘no-nonsense’, ‘wont suffer fools gladly’ demeanour that the traditional Tory faithful love. Those who don’t love him will instead perceive him as … Continue reading
Filed under UK, UK Politics
Those Tiresome Attempts to Justify the Tottenham Riots
The riots in Tottenham are hooliganism pure and simple. For the British commentariat that is far too simple an analysis to be allowed to stand. Cue, thousands of column inches attempting to frame last night as an inevitable expression of … Continue reading
Filed under Center right, Class, Crime, UK, UK Politics
The best arguments for and against AV
The public ‘debate’ on the referendum for the alternative vote has been shameful. Red herring and dishonest arguments have been pushed by both sides. I’d have rather they kept the debate on the following terms: The best case for the … Continue reading
Filed under Election, Politics, UK, UK Politics
Interns: The Whole System is Wrong
One of the more worrying American imports in recent years is the so-called ‘internship’. Nick Clegg launched an attack on them yesterday, and has opened himself up to ‘hypocrite’ charges as a result. For anyone with no idea what a … Continue reading
Filed under Economy, UK, UK Politics
The Daily Cost of Servicing Our Debt
This diagram graphically represents the size of our daily spending on servicing our debt in comparison with our daily spend on other areas. It is a sobering reminder ahead of today’s budget of why eliminating the structural deficit must … Continue reading
Filed under Economy, UK, UK Politics
“1.6 Million Children in the UK Live in Severe Poverty”. Erm. Really?
Today there has been an alarming headline that 1.6 million children in the UK live in ‘severe poverty’. Examples of the reportage can be seen at the BBC and Guardian. Every now and again a news stat sets off … Continue reading
Filed under Center right, Centre Right, Economy, Politics, UK, UK Politics, Uncategorized
Ed Balls: The Return of Brownite Economics
Let’s face it: Ed Balls was to Gordon Brown as Laurel was to Hardy. His return will no doubt lead to ‘another fine mess’. This surprise reshuffle does change the calculus of Labour’s electability. When Ed Milliband decided not … Continue reading
Filed under Economy, Politics, UK, UK Politics
Oldham & Saddleworth Result: Thoughts
So that’s that then*. A solid result for Labour. A hold with an increased majority. I think the result was about as expected – you could, I suppose, argue the Tories did slightly worse and Lib Dems slightly better than … Continue reading
Filed under Election, UK, UK Politics, Uncategorized
Tuition Fees D-Day: Final Thoughts
There will not be a single Coalition MP went into politics to triple tuition fees. Yet here we are. A depressing truth of wielding power is often-times the only responsible choices boil down to picking ‘the least worst thing’. I wont repeat in … Continue reading
Filed under Centre Right, Education, UK, UK Politics
