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Tag Archives: Politics
From Moral Ambition to Moral Yearning
A Reflection on the Dangers of Moral Certainty Name the four US presidents who have been assassinated! That’s a challenge which one might expect in a pub quiz. Team members, such as myself, who have been roped in at the … Continue reading
Brexit Revisited
The Democratic Case for Pooling Sovereignty Although I voted to remain in the European Union in the 2016 referendum, this did not reflect an entirely uncritical view of the European project and, in particular, its democratic structures. I was interested … Continue reading
Questioning Identity
Two Tales from Wigtown In his book, Against Identity, Alexander Douglas quotes Upton Sinclair: “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.” Douglas goes on to say: “Well, try … Continue reading
The Case in Favour of Open Borders
Opening the national border to all who wish to come is an unfashionable idea. The last person I can recall advocating such a policy was Angela Merkel. “Wir schaffen das” she said with the confidence of a true leader. We … Continue reading
The Curse of Small Political Parties
How Fringe Factions Fuel Dysfunction in Israel and Beyond [1,097 words, 6 minutes read time] When Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th 2023, they massacred 1,195 people, 736 Israeli civilians (including 38 children), 79 foreign nationals, and 379 members of … Continue reading
Posted in Brexit, Comment, Electoral Reform
Tagged "Labour Party", Corbyn, elections, Gaza, israel, news, Politics, uk-politics, war-crimes
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Finding a Way Through
Basic Income, Artificial Intelligence and Reimagining Immigration Universal Basic Income (UBI) – that is to say provision of a living allowance for all citizens regardless of their employment status – is an idea that has interested me for many years. … Continue reading
Posted in Comment, Economics
Tagged ai, ArtificialIntelligence / AI, Automation / JobDisplacement, ClimateMigration, EconomicReform, Economics, FutureOfWork, GlobalChallenges, ImmigrationPolicy, news, PolicyWonk, PoliticalEconomy, Politics, ProgressiveEconomics, SocialSafetyNet, TechEthics, TechFuturism, technology, UniversalBasicIncome / UBI
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Did I Say That?…Next Question!
Arguments for Defence and Foreign Aid Spending in a Volatile World. [2130 words] I’ve spent a good part of my life arguing in favour of defusing conflict by means of unilateral disarmament and negotiation. I now find myself in the … Continue reading
On Street Fighters, Gladiators and Philosophers
When I first heard news of the spat on Elon Musk’s X between US Vice President JD Vance and former Tory politician, Rory Stewart it brought to mind the Sunday school classes I reluctantly attended over sixty years ago. JD Vance, … Continue reading
Posted in Comment
Tagged AmericaFirst, bible, Charity, christianity, ethics, faith, JD Vance, jesus, Nationalism, Politics, Populism, Religion, Rory Stewart
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The Most Beautiful Words
I have occasionally listened to radio discussions in which poets have let slip their partiality for a particular word, usually arising from some resonant quality, something mellifluous in the sound or sounds of which it is composed. I find myself … Continue reading
Posted in Comment
Tagged china, Donald Trump, Economic Policy, economy, Political Satire, Politics, Tariffs, Trade Wars, Trump, US China Relations, US Politics
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Carruchan 
Unclubbable
Political Parties. Why we need more of them—But not too many! There was a time when, despite my coming of age journey in the 1960s through the First Newry cubs, boy scouts and senior scouts, I considered myself an unquenchable … Continue reading →