Book Review: What Happened – by Hillary Rodham Clinton
- 20 Sep 2017
“What makes me such a lightening rod for people’s fury? I’m really asking. I’m at a loss.” So asks Hillary Clinton in What Happened, her new book that tries to analyse and explain the result of the Presidential Election that saw the campaign of the favourite for the White Hous...
Charles and Boris share similar frustrations and both are going about achieving their goal in the wrong way
- 17 Sep 2017
The story is as old as time itself. This weekend we have been treated to two versions of it. The heir apparent to a big job grows increasingly impatient for the top job. Instead of keeping their head down and being a good team player the next in line succumbs to the beguiling ...
Brace yourself for the 2019 Brexit Deal General Election – and yes Theresa May will lead the Conservatives into it
- 1 Sep 2017
Asked if she would lead the Conservative Party into the next General Election Theresa May said yes. Of course she did. What else could she say? It is one of those non-story stories. Ben Wright, the sharp and experienced BBC journalist, asked the Prime Minister a question to wh...
New generation of politicians will run Britain after Brexit
- 31 Aug 2017
Brexit, Brexit, Brexit. British politics is dominated by Brexit. Coverage, in whatever medium, of British politics is dominated by the subjects. Comments and views are coloured at every turn by whether they are a Brexiteer or a Remainer. The worst insult on one side that can b...
Britain is entering a new era as a major sea power
- 16 Aug 2017
As the sun rose over the Solent Britain’s biggest ever warship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, made her first entrance into her home port at Portsmouth. Towering over the historic port she slid gracefully alongside the specially built jetty, close to Nelson’s flagship, HMS Victory. It a...
Farewell and thank you
- 2 Aug 2017
Today, after 70 years of official Royal duties, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, retires from public life. Fittingly his last engagement is a military review, with the Royal Marines. For him and for us it is a moment for pause and reflection. It is the end of an era, a moment...
David Cameron set a dangerous precedent when he interfered with the Church of England
- 28 Jul 2017
Just before she went on holiday, the Prime Minister gave an interesting and noteworthy interview to the broadcaster Iain Dale. First, she displayed a relaxed and humorous side. She radiated confidence. Her new Communications guru, Robbie Gibb, has made a sure-footed start. Sec...
Brexit still provides opportunities – if we are willing to seize them
- 24 Jul 2017
The Brexit process, like the long debate that preceded it, nearly always generates more heat than light. The process, like the debate, has continued to cause bitter division, but slowly a considered and thoughtful approach is emerging. Most of the public focus has been on B...
The ship has been steadied and the warring Cabinet big beasts need to grow up
- 20 Jul 2017
Parliament rises for the summer recess this week and MPs and Peers will go off for a much needed break from the hothouse atmosphere of the Palace of Westminster. It has been barely six weeks since voters delivered the surprise General Election result, and still only just over ...
Has democracy had it?
- 18 Jul 2017
Edward Luce’s book, “The Retreat of Western Liberalism” is an ambitious and well-informed attempt to provide us with a handbook for understanding the strange state of Western politics in the second decade of the 21st century. When the book was penned, the General Election i...