British agriculture won’t survive any more wind changes from Westminster November 8, 2022 It is still 2022, we’ve got a third new prime minister, but there’s still no end to the economic chaos or U-turns in Westminster. It’s no wonder individuals and industries are impacted. Above all, there’s one common denominator when so many governments replace each other: uncertainty. Rishi Sunak initially signalled he wouldn’t be attending the [...]
Explainer-in-brief: Guess who’s back, back again – it’s the Online Safety Bill November 4, 2022 The online safety bill is back in Parliament this month. Rishi Sunak has vowed to make substantial progress with it before Christmas. The nub of his plan is to scrap the “legal but harmful clause” on the basis that it might impinge on free speech. It was also the more contentious element of the laws. [...]
Explainer-in-brief: Politicians dalliance with the celeb limelight November 3, 2022 The scandal of the week seems to be Matt Hancock having the Tory whip removed after announcing he would appear on the reality TV show “I’m a Celebrity”. The ex-Health Secretary is not the first politician to appear on the show – Nadine Dorries went on in 2012, famously eating kangaroo testicles. Boris Johnson’s father [...]
Explainer-in-brief: The Black Sea grain deal is in jeopardy after Russia’s exit November 2, 2022 Three more vessels carrying grain left Ukraine yesterday – despite Russia’s withdrawal from the deal that was allowing stocks to leave through the Black Sea. Russia has exited the deal claiming Ukraine is using the safe corridor to attack its ships. Ukraine, the UN and Turkey are left with coordinating new shipments, in the hope [...]
Opinion-in-brief: Suella Braverman’s justifications ring hollow once again November 1, 2022 The omnishambles at the Home Office culminated in Suella Braverman’s statement in the Commons yesterday, where she defended herself saying she’s on the side of the “law-abiding, patriotic majority of British people” who think Channel crossings are “unnecessary”. She barely mentioned the security breach for which she was forced to resign under Truss. She spoke [...]
How London could become a 15-minute city, without leaving its centre behind November 1, 2022 It was 2020, and Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, was launching her re-election campaign. Paris was “capable of inventing a new history without forgetting its past”, she said back then, while introducing the concept of the “15-minute city”. Fast forward two years, and Hidalgo is still the mayor of an increasingly green, accessible Paris. [...]
Explainer-in-brief: Why does Cop27 seem to be the party no one wants to go to? October 31, 2022 Rishi Sunak’s decision not to attend Cop27 was heavily criticised last week. The PM will be focusing on “other pressing domestic commitments”, according to Downing Street. The new environment secretary Therese Coffey and last year’s Cop26 president Alok Sharma will be attending the conference in Egypt. The news that Sunak won’t go came as a [...]
Explainer-in-brief: A cabinet rift in the shape of Qatar October 28, 2022 The new government is only days in, but a potential Cabinet squabble is already shaping up following foreign secretary James Cleverly’s request for gay football fans to “be respectful” to host country Qatar during the World Cup. Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar. “With a little bit of flex and compromise at both ends, it can [...]
As Gove returns to the toxic housing seesaw, inflation will become his worst enemy October 27, 2022 After Monday’s reshuffle, and the new prime minister’s promise to fix the mistakes of his predecessor, can we expect some much needed stability in politics? Perhaps that’s wishful thinking, given the psychodrama that has rocked the Conservative party for the past year. But for those who are looking for some measure of consistency, there might [...]
Explainer-in-brief: Tinder throws itself at university students October 26, 2022 Young professionals who have recently joined the job market often complain that it was easier to meet a partner at university. Parties, student societies, and even the library have been places where to find love for many. According to Tinder’s research, 53 per cent of UK graduates met their current or previous partner while they [...]
