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Author: CycleFree

Thoughts from a Big Beast

Thoughts from a Big Beast

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On Monday evening, Ken Clarke, described by Intelligence² as a Big Beast of British politics, was being interviewed by John Humphreys, though even Humphreys was scarcely able to get a word in, as Ken opined, entertainingly and at length, on Brexit, Boris, elections and a life in politics. The following comments he made are worth noting as relevant, not just to the election, but to politics thereafter:- Communicating with voters The challenge now for politicians was how to talk to voters,…

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Foxes and Hedgehogs – a tale of tactics without strategy

Foxes and Hedgehogs – a tale of tactics without strategy

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“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” (Sun Tzu). Something those Remainer MPs behind the Benn Act would do well to reflect on. However successful it was in stopping a Halloween No Deal exit and, arguably, forcing Boris to negotiate a Withdrawal Agreement he could sell to his party, its effect has been to put the Tories in a strong position as they embark on their General Election campaign. How so? It allows Boris to say that he:- Got the Withdrawal Agreement…

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The People Will Speak

The People Will Speak

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There are, broadly, two groups supporting Brexit. First: people who feel that globalisation has gone too far, the cards stacked for far too long in favour of the rich, the well-connected, the mobile, the “citizens of the world”. They want more attention paid to those valuing home, the local, the familiar, the traditional, the markers of belonging: a flag, anthem, a shared history, a sense of “us” and “our story”. Conservative – in the sense of not wanting too much…

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Welcome to the Looking-Glass

Welcome to the Looking-Glass

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“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.” “The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.” “The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master – that’s all.”  Has Humpty (oops, sorry, the PM) gone and done it? Has he actually got Britain a deal to Brexit before 31 October? Well, it appears he…

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The Tyranny of Low Expectations

The Tyranny of Low Expectations

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It is generally a good idea, when facing severe criticism from an inquiry, to concede with as much good grace as possible, to keep your immediate thoughts about the idiocy of the judge to yourself and not to try and justify the behaviour which has been criticised. No good will come of it: you will look like someone paying lip service to the findings who really thinks you’ve done nothing wrong. It is advice which the Metropolitan Police singularly failed…

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The Dogs that Haven’t Barked (Yet)

The Dogs that Haven’t Barked (Yet)

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Public schoolboys should never underestimate girly swots (Joanna Cherry QC, Lady Hale, Gina Miller). Nor should Tory Ministers, though judging by their reaction since the judgment, they seem to be doing everything possible to show they still don’t believe the law applies to them. Rees-Mogg, a man without any legal training and author of an execrable history book, has reportedly informed Cabinet that the decision is wrong and a constitutional coup. Gove has suggested that some judges in lower courts…

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Wasting Time? How the Article 50 extension has been used

Wasting Time? How the Article 50 extension has been used

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As we await the Supreme Court decision reflections on what’s happened since it was agreed in early April When the last Article 50 extension was obtained on 10 April, Donald Tusk said: “Please do not waste this time.”   So how has Britain used the 167 days since then? Well, it has certainly been busy. There has been no shortage of activity to keep even the most jaded of political journalists interested:- The then Prime Minister entered into discussions with the…

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A Very English Vice

A Very English Vice

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Where would we be without hypocrisy? It may have been described (by a Frenchman, unsurprisingly) as “the tribute vice pays to virtue” but a life of complete virtue would be, frankly, intolerable. So let’s enjoy the various hypocrisies our leaders have served up to us in recent weeks:- Mrs May honouring her former press secretary, Robbie Gibb, with a knighthood having, rather nastily, attacked Cameron’s press secretary, Craig Oliver, for his own. However hard poor Sir Robbie worked, a good press…

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