In all the media frenzy which followed first Hackgate and then the tragic Oslo killings, one event has passed with perhaps less coverage than it should have had. A week ago, a speech by Enda Kenny, Taoiseach of Ireland, directly and firmly criticised the Vatican for its handling of the child abuse scandal which has done… Continue reading Enda Kenny, we salute you
Author: robert.marchant
All who oppose quotas are not knuckle-scrapers
Sexism is undoubtedly alive and well in modern-day Britain. Wherever it is to be found, it is a blight on our society; it lowers people’s horizons and expectations. An indisputable social evil. Obviously not like it was a hundred, or even twenty, years ago: but there. Arguably, its most persistent manifestation is in the workplace:… Continue reading All who oppose quotas are not knuckle-scrapers
The stitch-up in Berlin…and the shame in Spain
Further to my last post on the Euro-zone debt crisis, a couple of important developments for some of the protagonists: First, in yesterday’s summit, “Eurozone leaders draw up radical plan to safeguard Euro” says the Guardian contentedly. Really? Well, they must be talking about a different plan, because all I can see is a band-aid… Continue reading The stitch-up in Berlin…and the shame in Spain
Britain convulses, but Europe burns
“Los indignados” demonstrate in Madrid We cannot ignore the weighty events going on around the Murdoch empire, which are at least starting to wobble, if not rock, the foundations of the British Establishment. But these are heady times. We – and it seems, even the European media, also obsessed with NewsCorp – have rather taken… Continue reading Britain convulses, but Europe burns
A response to Richard Burden MP on racist extremism
Following up on my previous post about extremism in the Labour Party and the racist preacher Raed Salah… On Friday 15 July, Harry’s Place ran an article on Richard Burden MP’s without-irony call for, at the same time, banning unpleasant Christian preacher John Hagee, while defending unpleasant Islamist preacher Raed Salah. When I retweeted this… Continue reading A response to Richard Burden MP on racist extremism
King Rupert Tudor: the power of Murdoch
Prompted by a discussion on the Labour Uncut version of my last post, and not really finding the information in the press, I thought I’d take a peek inside the NewsCorp annual report, to see exactly how much this “little local difficulty” bothers him financially. 2010 figures: Annual gross revenues NewsCorp … Continue reading King Rupert Tudor: the power of Murdoch
Two kinds of brave
The Indie’s Steve Richards, it seems like an age ago but in reality only last Thursday, defended yesterday’s Labour politicians from the easy criticism that they should have acted against Murdoch (as my business friends would say: Harry Hindsight – the greatest trader of them all). Oh how Blair and Brown bowed and scraped, some are… Continue reading Two kinds of brave
Blair on Labour’s debate: and the Darwinism of ideas
Sitting listening to yesterday’s Blair speech at Church House, what was notable was not the robust defence of his government, which has already given rise to a few headlines (although, frankly, it contained very little that has not already been said in A Journey). No, it was, as is sometimes the case with the polished performer,… Continue reading Blair on Labour’s debate: and the Darwinism of ideas
The Lazy List, part I
Now as regular readers will know, I like to debate (I like to argue, some would say. It’s a fair cop). But my strong preference, heaven help me, is to debate on the issues. Yes, I’m afraid so, rather than using certain stock words or phrases in a kind of game of Top Trumps, thinking… Continue reading The Lazy List, part I
Our tolerance of extremism will do for us
Let me tell you about Raed Salah. Or, rather, let him tell you about himself in the following quote: “You Jews are criminal bombers of mosques,Slaughterers of pregnant women and babies.Robbers and germs in all times,The Creator sentenced you to be loser monkeys,Victory belongs to Muslims, from the Nile to the Euphrates.” Yes, he is… Continue reading Our tolerance of extremism will do for us