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Author Archives: Stephen Shellard
George Monbiot: I once admired Russell Brand. But his grim trajectory shows us where politics is heading
George Monbiot’s Guardian article is definitely worth a read if at some time previously you thought, as I did, that Russell Brand was someone of great originality, clever, funny, articulate, worth listening to despite his occasional missteps and his rejection … Continue reading
Shirin Neshat, This Cultural Life
John Wilson’s interviews for This Cultural Life on Radio 4 are always interesting, often with people I have never heard of. This one, for example, with Shirin Neshat, an Iranian artist. Commenting on the recent unrest in Iran arising from … Continue reading
Expansion Reduction
Originally posted on Bog Myrtle & Peat:
Upper Glenkens towards Carsphairn I’ve often felt uneasy about the expansion of forestry in Galloway. When I’ve written to explore that sense of unease, readers have agreed; the massive increase of commercial woodland…
Native: Life in a Vanishing Landscape
I spotted Patrick Laurie this morning, just outside Dumfries at Loch Arthur farm shop and cafe. Having never previously seen him in person, I paused for a moment wondering had I got the right man, but where others were enjoying … Continue reading
Giving Keir Starmer a (gentle) shove…
You may have noticed that the recent Labour Party conference debated electoral reform with a proposal to remove the First Past the Post system for elections to the Westminster Parliament and replace it with Proportional Representation. 80% of the party … Continue reading
Sunlit uplands: a vision for the renewal of electoral and party politics
The UK parliament: the journey to a universal adult right to vote; a critique of the electoral and party system; the first draft of a reform proposal. Main article, approx 4300 words. It is a relatively recent idea that the … Continue reading
Postcards from Afghanistan
“As the chaos unfolds in Afghanistan, Jack Blanchard speaks to three politicians who devoted many months of their lives to trying to secure and rebuild the war-torn nation…..” As in my previous post on the subject, the forty minute podcast … Continue reading
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Tagged "Dan Jarvis", "Larisa Brown", "Rory Stewart", afghanistan, Blanchard, Tugendhat
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Afghanistan. I’d like to support Joe Biden, but it’s hard to argue with Rory Stewart.
At just under 30 minutes, this interview of Rory Stewart by the New Statesman’s George Eaton is well worth a listen. I don’t think you’ll find a more informed commentary on the current situation in Afghanistan. https://www.newstatesman.com/world/2021/08/rory-stewart-interview-why-afghanistan-marks-end-liberal-interventionism
The centre cannot hold: Scotland and the future of the Union
The counting is done and it is clear that the SNP, together with the Scottish Green Party, have a mandate for a referendum on the question of Scotland’s independence from the United Kingdom. Whilst there may be some in the … Continue reading
Carruchan 
Outgrow the System
A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT TRANSITIONING TO A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC SYSTEM With thanks to Reel to Real Cinema, the Stove Network and the Climate Kitchen Dumfries for providing the opportunity to view and discuss this film. There is no argument with the … Continue reading →