Few get to choose their manner of exit October 2, 2019 At least one of the corporate titans to announce their departure yesterday had been thinking about it for some time. Martin Gilbert told this newspaper nearly a year ago that picking the moment for a smooth exit is tough. “When things are going well,” he said, “you don’t want to leave — and when they’re [...]
More heat than light in Thomas Cook debate September 29, 2019 One Thomas Cook was bailed out last week. Thanks to the generosity of friends, family and the Linden Princess Hotel in Rhodes, Thomas Cook’s wedding to Amelia Binch went ahead last Friday. The couple feared all was lost after the travel operator, with whom they had booked a wedding package, collapsed in spectacular style. More [...]
The Labour party is unfit for anything but protest September 27, 2019 These are heady days for political junkies, what with Supreme Court rulings, the hasty return of MPs to Westminster and, through it all, the spectacle of party conference season. The Tory party conference is up in the air since MPs decided yesterday not to allow for a mini-recess that would let the Tories gather in [...]
This is no time to turn fire on the judiciary September 25, 2019 The decision of the Supreme Court to find Boris Johnson’s conduct unlawful was truly momentous and will have consequences not just for immediate political considerations but for the future understanding of our constitution. The judgment itself also allowed those who would seek it to find some perspective, relying as it did on a court ruling [...]
McDonnell sets out his plans for a superstate September 24, 2019 August, 2023. You had hoped to be on holiday, but you’re still waiting for your regional Workers’ Leisure Committee to allocate you some days. Still, at least you have a three-day weekend coming up. Of course, every weekend is three days long now, which took a bit of getting used to but seems to have [...]
Roll up, roll up for the Labour circus of chaos September 22, 2019 Boris Johnson’s top adviser Dominic Cummings, had planned to disregard the Westminster convention that sees political parties maintaining a respectful silence during each other’s party conferences. There’s always a bit of a noise, but generally it’s considered fair play to let each party have the field to themselves for a couple of days a year, [...]
The ‘disaster capitalism’ Brexit conspiracy that goes right to the very top September 13, 2019 Confirmation bias: the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one’s existing beliefs or theories. We’re probably all guilty of it in our private thoughts, but the sin is magnified when it results in an “exclusive” piece of journalism making outrageous claims about corruption and market manipulation at the very top of government. But [...]
It’s tempting, but the devil’s in the details September 12, 2019 The Stockholm Stock Exchange, the Toronto Exchange, Germany’s Deutsche Boerse, Australia’s Macquarie and the American giants Nasdaq and ICE have all danced the dance with the London Stock Exchange at one time or another. Deutsche Boerse has been the most persistent and the Americans have kept an eye on Paternoster Square. And who can blame them? [...]
If nothing else, the Lords at least offers some good debate September 6, 2019 Watching a debate in the House of Lords can lift the spirits. Admittedly, this isn’t always the case. After all, the place is so rammed with political cast-offs and the dregs of quangoland that following its proceedings can often feel like a punishment. However, during moments of great constitutional or legal significance it is to [...]
Brace yourself, this is going to get ugly September 4, 2019 Jacob Rees-Mogg described last night’s successful attempt by MPs to seize control of today’s parliamentary activity as “constitutionally improper” – which is as close as he gets to a foul-mouthed outburst. As leader of the House of Commons it is his job to navigate legislation through parliament, but he has been temporarily sidelined in favour [...]
