There is one aspect of betrayal that is that of our current Prime Minister who, less than two months before the referendum, gave a remarkably sensible speech on EU membership at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. On the basis of its contents she has certainly betrayed the country and probably herself, but not perhaps (yet)… Read more
Category:
Brexit
About the decision, background and process of the UK leaving the European Union.
Anna Soubry nails it: ‘Brexit was undefined and is undeliverable.’
Dominic Grieve spoke nothing more than the truth on Radio 4’s Broadcasting House [first major piece] when he said “there is no form of Brexit that is not hugely damaging to our country.” Indeed the side of this red bus appears far more informative than the one Johnson liked to arrive on: Grieve’s interview was… Read more
Police not investigating the misdeeds of Leave because of ‘political sensitivities’?
I think all of those interested in the Rule of Law should look at this ‘Open Democracy’ Article here. If the Metropolitan Police really are not investigating the misdeeds of Leave because of ‘political sensitivities’ we must consider whether or not we are in a country where the Rule of Law prevails or whether in… Read more
A ‘Peoples Vote’ is, in fact, the only way out of the quagmire
I’ve discovered that a more insidious question to which Brexit provides the answer is Tate & Lyle. Prominent sponsors of the previous Conservative Party Conference, this company seems ostensibly just a public spirited part of British culture – what with all their art galleries…. Regrettably that was much more to do with the profits of… Read more
The DUP Tail Wagging the European Dog
Introduction For those of us who grew up on the island of Ireland the DUP and their political antecedents are a known, if unloved, quantity. I met the founding father of the DUP, Dr Ian Paisley, at Stormont in 1968 on a schoolboy civics trip from St Paul’s College Raheny Dublin. He was quite charming… Read more
US regulatory food incompetence
Just in case anyone was subdued into acceptance of the idea that the USA food system functions well – never mind even better than the UK or EU systems, we should just take on board, that here is the world’s largest meatpacker recalling 6.9 million pounds of beef linked to antibiotic-resistant Salmonella. So input antibiotics… Read more
Sunderland People’s Vote March – a Personal Account
The Sunderland People’s Vote march was on Saturday 6th October. The weather was good and the muster point was Mowbray Park. The “big name” on the bill was Anna Soubry MP. I must confess to being a big fan of Anna – I never thought I would say that about a Conservative. She is one… Read more
To which questions is Brexit the answer?
After our ‘democratic’ vote in favour of Brexit, I am still struggling to understand the question to which Brexit provides the answer. I can think of two possibilities: One is to stop freedom of movement. That wasn’t on the ballot paper but the media speaks as if it it was. That means goodbye to the… Read more
Why is the UK rejecting the NI Backstop?
I seem to be obsessed with the border recently. I would love to get back to looking at new economics, Modern Monetary Theory, tax, the optimal balance between the public and private sector spending and the myriad other difficulties afflicting modern Britain. We are also way behind on Book of the Month so suggestions please!… Read more
Northern Ireland and the Humpty Dumpty World of Schrödinger’s Cats
Note: this article is a co-publication with the award winning Slugger O’Toole portal as the first in the Future Ireland series. ____________ Apparently you follow the rabbit down a hole and you emerge in a wonderland …. Ken Clarke – House of Commons “When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful… Read more