Society

The British electoral system stinks.  Millions of voters in constituencies that are “safe” for one of the major parties are effectively denied a vote.  Despite this, millions prefer to cast a “lesser of two evils” vote rather than abstain; while a plucky few continue to cast their votes for minor …

In November 1942 following the battle of El Alamein, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill told an audience at London’s Mansion House: “Now this is not the end.  It is not even the beginning of the end.  But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” Although viewing the situation in …

Having spent the past three years trying – and failing – to rewrite the outcome of the 2016 election, the US Democrat Party have finally woken up to the fact that there will be another election next year; and that the best way of getting rid of Trump is to …

Roughly as many (c. 65,000) French and British civilians died in World War Two as a result of aerial bombing.  This is not obvious given the way the war unfolded.  France was not subjected to aerial attack during the “phoney war” period between September 1939 and May 1940.  Moreover, the …

Just after midnight on 6 June 1944, Germany’s top spy in Britain – codename: Arabel – began transmitting from the bedroom of a quiet semi-detached house in the suburbs of London.  In the course of the next hour the agent disclosed to his handlers in Berlin the complete battle order …

More people signed that viral petition calling for a second Brexit referendum than voted for pro-remain parties in last week’s unplanned EU election.  Just to remind you what the outcome of the petition was – it resulted in the Tory Leader of the House, Andrea Leadsom responding that when the …

It is a tribute to Theresa May’s stubbornness that she managed to hang on as long as she did.  Lesser mortals would have run away in shame after recording the biggest defeat in parliamentary history.  Not only did May not do so, but she engineered the third worst defeat in …

The defenders of green capitalism have been quick to portray any criticism of their attempt to deplete the planet in order to save the planet as synonymous with a denial of the crisis itself.  This has been made easier, of course, by the hysterical screaming of climate change denying right …

Yesterday – we are told – Chancellor Phillip Hammond and Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell held meaningful talks about the way ahead on Brexit.  Everyone – we are assured – is taking the cross-party talks seriously.  None – they tell us – wishes to allow petty personal or party concerns to …

Ebbw Vale is back in the news again thanks to a fleeting visit from émigré Guardian journalist Carole Cadwalladr in preparation for a TED talk that is currently doing the rounds on social media.  Her aim was to copy the US Democrats in claiming that their political decline can be …