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Author: CycleFree

Blind to justice

Blind to justice

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In less febrile times, the police’s behaviour in Operation Midland ought to be a national scandal: a failure to understand that the police’s job is to investigate, properly and thoroughly, allegations not announce that they are credible simply because they would like them to be true or to gain publicity or to make up for their failure to investigate other child abuse allegations; a failure to provide all the relevant information to the court when obtaining search warrants; wasting public…

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Do or Die? The trap the PM has set himself

Do or Die? The trap the PM has set himself

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In all the reactions to the Times front page about the possibility of Johnson staying on as PM even if Parliament passes a VoNC in him and prefers someone else who can command the House, two absences were notable: (1) no immediate denial by No 10; and (2) no outrage by the official Opposition at the prospect of what would seem to be an appalling breach of normally understood conventions, moreover ones which would normally benefit the opposition. After all,…

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Plus ça change …..Boris’s first few days have followed TMay’s 2016 footsteps

Plus ça change …..Boris’s first few days have followed TMay’s 2016 footsteps

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Less than a week is, of course, far too short a time to make a comparison, especially one which will infuriate Boris fans. Who cares? They have their man as PM. They can take a bit of teasing. So here goes. Our new PM seems to be following in the precise footsteps of the old PM. On ascending to No 10, speeches about unity in the country and party. A brutal and wholesale clear-out of the old guard to create…

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Lazy Summers but politics can go on

Lazy Summers but politics can go on

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In An Italian Education, Tim Parks describes the wonderfully languorous routine of an Italian summer: the shutting down of all but essential services in hot, humid cities leaving them to tourists, the departure for the coast, the gathering of the extended family, the early mornings to enjoy an espresso outside when the day is cool, the encampment at the same spot on the beach amongst the ombrelloni, neatly and beautifully laid out, la bella figura being quite as important when little…

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The current LAB/Corbyn approach raises the question: What are oppositions for?

The current LAB/Corbyn approach raises the question: What are oppositions for?

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  At the start of Francesco Rosi’s 1984 film of Carmen, there is a scene in which the bull, enraged but weakened by the fight, the loss of blood from wounds caused by lances and the many banderillas thrust into its head, is finally despatched by the toreador inserting a sword between the beast’s shoulder blades into the heart.  It mirrors the final scene when Jose, maddened by Carmen’s indifference, kills her in the same arena.  The scene does not…

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Mandate, what mandate?

Mandate, what mandate?

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Boris’s election as Tory party leader and Prime Minister is the 8th occasion since WW2 when a new PM has been chosen in between general elections. On 5 of the previous 7 occasions, it was the Tories changing leader (Churchill to Eden, Eden to Macmillan, Macmillan to Douglas-Home, Thatcher to Major and Cameron to May). Only Macmillan and Major went on to win majorities at the subsequent election. On the 2 occasions when Labour made a similar change (Wilson to…

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At this critical time reflections on “Cultivating Democracy”

At this critical time reflections on “Cultivating Democracy”

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Occasionally I have planted a gorgeous looking plant; it has flowered briefly then died.  On digging it up I find the dreaded wine weevil or roots which have made no attempt to spread into the soil and find nutrition.  It is a reminder that nourishing the hidden roots is by far a gardener’s most important task.  A plant not strong and well anchored will be blown away by the winds, destroyed by frost or succumb to malicious bugs and parasites….

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What it takes to be a good leader

What it takes to be a good leader

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At one of his RoryforLeader rallies, Rory Stewart paid a heartfelt tribute to David Gauke and the three things he learnt about leadership from him. (1) Gauke communicated his values to his team, which they respected him for; (2) he genuinely listened to them and their arguments; and (3) finally, he had courage and was willing to make tough choices. It is rare to see politicians pay genuine tribute to each other, at least while they are still practising.  Rarer…

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