Category: journalism
YP Obama Wins (The defenders of Middle Earth beat back the orcs): What will not happen now
published in the Yorkshire Post 8 November 2012 In Democratic party committee rooms in Manhattan, I watch a television flash that Barack Obama has taken Ohio and secured re-election. Wild cheers ring out, as four years ago, but this time overlain with relief: the exhausted defenders of Middle Earth have beaten back the orcs. The […]
YP US Campaign Finance … Because American Government Is Still Worth Paying For
pubished in the Yorkshire Post 6 November 2012 During the 1992 US elections, I was privileged to observe the campaign of Congressman William Natcher in Kentucky. Mr Natcher disdained all modern media and employed no staff. He campaigned entirely through personal appearances on the steps of each court house in his district, where he […]
YP Mitt Romney’s Tough Love
published in the Yorkshire Post 25 October 2012 As I write these lines, in the United States, it is almost certain that some American child is suffering from neglect, cruelty and abuse in a private residential facility for which his or her parents are paying thousands of dollars each month. Over the last thirty years, […]
YP Ed Balls doesn’t need to be nice….
published in the Yorkshire Post 1 Oct 2012 All this year, the Shadow Chancellor, Ed Balls has been pursuing a dogged charm offensive with Britain’s voters. At regular intervals, he has been telling the media about things which make him cry, or about what a dab hand he is in the kitchen. He should forget […]
Ten Good Reasons Why Religion Should Get No Favours From The Tax Man
published on politics.co.uk 10 Sept 2012 The Charity Commission has a new chairman, the author and journalist William Shawcross. He is not afraid of controversy, which is good because he needs to take on quickly a highly controversial task – deciding what it means to be a charity. A would-be charity must establish that it […]
Romney: a candidate so unappealing he may do real damage to his party (YP)
Published in the Yorkshire Post 29 August 2012 Reacting to the election of Calvin Coolidge as American President in 1924, H L Mencken said: “it is as if a hungry man set before a banquet prepared by master chefs and covering a table an acre in area should turn his back on the feast and […]
MPs should serve more than their wallets (YP)
published in the Yorkshire Post 25 August 2012 The whole nation should be grateful to Mr Mark Field, the Tory MP for the Cities of London and Westminster. He has unintentionally renewed a long debate about the nature of political service in our country. Defending his outside interests, which earned him nearly £100,000 last […]
Times letter on “casino banking” (unfair to casinos)
published 3 July 2012 in the Times of London Sir, The term “casino banking” is very unfair to Britain’s casinos. They are much better managed and regulated than Britain’s banks. Their operators and staff have to meet stricter standards of character and conduct than bank traders, and they need a precise understanding of the risks […]
Why Bother With Gnats On A Windscreen When We Stand On The Edge Of An Abyss? (YP)
published in the Yorkshire Post 11 June 2012 As I write these lines, the economies of Europe, including our own, are on the edge of a black hole. Entire nations face the prospect of bankruptcy and barter, financial institutions could founder (again) and a major world currency could disappear in its present form. No business, […]
Revised Bill to prohibit sale of supernatural interventiion
Sale Of Supernatural Or Spiritual Benefit (Prohibition) Bill 2012 Revised to make sure of catching the Mormons An act to prohibit the obtaining of anything of value in exchange for procuring or avoiding any form of supernatural intervention or religious or spiritual status, and for connected purposes (1) it shall be an offence for any […]
Will UKIP Sting David Cameron Into Greatness?
published in the Yorkshire Post 7 May 2012 The UK Independence Party have lodged themselves like sea urchin spines in the soft flesh of David Cameron’s Conservative Party. UKIP’s advance in the local elections is far more painful to Cameron than Labour’s. He can comfort himself that Labour did not win over many Tory voters: […]
Leave us alone, Tony Blair
published in politics.co.uk 7 May 2012 In 1956 Britain’s prime minister took this country into an unlawful and unprofitable war in the Middle East, and misled its parliament and people about its origins and purpose. Anthony Eden’s Suez adventure was the first time I went on a political demonstration. As an eight-year-old, I heard […]
A Liberal Wimp Against Mormon Mitt by Harry Beresford
My friend Harry Beresford, a retired American businessman, published this piece in Tribune magazine, London, England, May 18-31 2012. Passages in square parentheses were cut from his original draft: we like them so we have restored them. He is indebted to the work of a leading ex-Mormon, Richard Packham, whose own list of essential questions […]
Tax Returns Are A Good Start But Let’s Have The Full Story Of Politicians’ Money
Published in the Yorkshire Post 16 April 2012 The Americanization of British politics took a big step forward when David Cameron and his Cabinet promised to publish their personal tax returns. Cameron was following an ancient rule of American politics: do the right thing when it makes your opponent look bad. He clearly aimed to […]
Wartime lessons on the deficit (how to cure it, but why bother?)
Published in politics.co.uk 29 Feb 2012 During the sadly regular economic crises of the 1970s Denis Healey, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, would receive frequent letters with small gifts of money – not for himself, but to help out the nation. (The senders always received a thank-you and a Premium Bond of equal value to […]
The Saviour of British banking – send for Captain Mainwaring
published in politics..co.uk 11 March 2012 Another “day of shame” for Britain’s banks, yelled the Daily Mail on Saturday (March 10) – and with plenty of reasons. Barclays’ chief executive, the ever-more-aptly named Mr Diamond, collected a package valued at over £25 million, and over 200 of his executives had million-pound bonuses. (These awards followed […]
YP An Honours System Mired In The Goodwin Sands (3 Feb 2012)
pubished in the Yorkshire Post 3 Feb 2012 It is hard to feel sorry for ex-Sir Fred Goodwin but no one should be penalized for being unpopular. The newly-created mister was arrogant and incompetent. His bad decisions destroyed people’s jobs and savings and cost the taxpayer billions of pounds. But the same is true of […]
Greece deserves a better empire than the eurozone
Published in politics.co.uk 21 Feb 2012 Yesterday evening I came across some old photographs of a family Disney-centred holiday in Florida. This is us at the Magic Kingdom… this is us at Typhoon Lagoon… this is us at the Epcot Centre, having lunch at the World Showcase. This section gave me the Eureka Moment which […]
Our forces deserve much more than pieties and platitudes from their Parliament
published in politics.co.uk and on Yahoo Weds 11 January 2012 “Mr Speaker, I am sure that the whole House would wish to join me in paying tribute to Private John Everyman of the Midshire Regiment who was killed in an explosion in Afghanistan. He was a very brave and dedicated soldier, deeply respected by all […]
New Year Advice to Ed Miliband: Own The Future
published in politics.co.uk and on Yahoo 3 Jan 2012 Dear Ed, You are probably sick of advice on how to lead the Labour Party. But it goes with the job and remember that most of it comes to you free from people who really want you to win the next election. In that spirit, here […]
YP Four new alcohol policies
Published in the Yorkshire Post on Wednesday 11 January 2012 FOR the last 30 years, governments of all parties have tried to persuade the British people to drink less, culminating with MPs asserting that drinkers should give themselves two alcohol-free days a week. They failed. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, alcohol […]
Politicians and their money 3: Blair has sold himself to a foreign power
published in politics.co.uk 13 November 2011 It could become a pub quiz question: who was the first British Prime Minister to sell himself to a foreign power? But it might be too easy to guess the answer – Tony Blair, who recently signed a multimillion pound contract to advise President Nazarbayev ofKazakhstan. He has […]
Politicians and their money: 1 ACOBA
Published in politics.co.uk on 4 November 2011 with italic passages deleted I am incurably inquisitive about Peter Mandelson’s money. I knbow I shouldn’t be but I am. The condition has lasted since 1997 and just when I think I have overcome it, some new story makes it revive. The latest is his reported offer for […]
Autumn Statement: economically irrelevant but sticking to a political script
published in politics.co.uk 29 November 2011 Some years ago I was flying in an airliner when suddenly one of its engines began to sputter and cough. Anxious passengers understandably began to carry on rather than keep calm. The captain’s voice cut in to assure us: “there is no cause for unnecessary alarm.” I was reminded […]