Politics Archives - Page 14 of 37

Democracy Matters

As you probably know, there will be a presidential election in the United States on the first Tuesday after 1st November. Four years ago my friend Ned misread the runes. He’s more than welcome to have another go this year.

Passport to Hammersmith

The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham will shortly be enforcing restrictions on non-EU citizens entering the borough. The borough does not accept the UK’s secedance from the EU. It’s not clear if they respect the right of UK citizens to live in the borough but as the holder of an Irish passport I should… Continue reading Passport to Hammersmith

Coronavirus Chronicle XI

The times they are a-changin’ as Bob Dylan puts it so idiomatically. I used to offer visitors a choice of three gins: London, Plymouth or Cork; rather pretentious and these days gin is distilled all over the place; from Deerness on Orkney to Westward Farm in the Isles of Scilly. Even Co Louth has a distillery… Continue reading Coronavirus Chronicle XI

X

It does not come as a complete surprise that the FCO is ‘re-evaluating our elections monitoring strategy to see how we can maximise our impact’. That reads to me like saving money by not sending me on anymore Election Observation Missions – rats and double-rats.

Coronavirus Chronicle IX

It’s a strange world in the UK. Covid restrictions, although only guidance, are repressive – with any luck of the virus.

Més que un chess club

If you know a finer clubhouse for chess aficionados, tell me. This is the Nuovo Circolo Degli Scacchi in Rome. It’s almost worth playing chess to belong but I can pop in as a reciprocal member and have done so.

Two Tossers

Can you see me in the picture? Well, actually, I haven’t got the job – yet.

The Coincidence of Novembers

As it’s Sunday let’s start with an extract from a Sermon given by Patrick Nairne at the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford, on 30th October 1983.

Woolton Pie

When Margaret Thatcher, as she then was, made Irwin Bellow a Life Peer in 1979 he wanted, unsurprisingly, to be known as Lord Bellow. This was not allowed by the College of Arms which, I suppose, means Garter as he might be mistaken for Lord Bellew.

An Assumption

London will be deprived of an Old Etonian mayor next year (Rory has pulled out) but we have an articulate and intelligent Prime Minister, a classicist, and an OE. Another OE, an even more intellectual member of the Establishment, has not minced his words. If you do mince them it is an anagram of sword… Continue reading An Assumption

M	T	W	T	F	S	S
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30