The Joy of Six 1499Alexandra Hall Hall warns that Donald Trump's Iran war is bringing the post-war international order to breaking point. "The UN has been completely sidelined in this conflict. The US, who helped design the institution after World War 2, no longer pays either its dues, or even lip service to its founding charter, including the requirement to resolve international disputes by peaceful means." "The cumulative effect is an ecosystem that looks, from the outside, exactly like what it is: a set of institutions that have come to prioritise their own stability over their original purpose. Outsiders do not see idealism when ... (more) |
Observations of an Expat: Nuclear QuestionsThe nuclear deterrent must be at the centre of Europe's security policy. For nearly 80 years that deterrent has been in the hands of the US through its membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Britain and France have also had nuclear arsenals. But they do not come close to countering the stockpile of Russian weapons. Their purpose is to give heft to the political power of the two former European colonial powers. That is changing. It must change. Trump's repeated threats to withdraw have made it necessary. The most recent is the most worrying. The US president went ... (more) |
Latest voting intention and leadership ratings opinion pollsWelcome to my summary of the latest national voting intention polls for the next general election, along with the latest MRP projections and party leadership ratings. If you'd like to find out more about how polls work, how reliable they are and how to make sense of them, check out my book, Polling UnPacked: the History, Uses and Abuses of Political Opinion Polls, or sign up for my weekly email, The Week in Polls: General election voting intention polls PollsterConLabLDGrnRefLab leadFieldwork Find Out Now 18% (nc) 15% (-1) 10% (-2) 20% (nc) 26% (+2) -11% (4th, vs Ref) 1-2/4 GB ... (more) |
The Kardomah GangThe Kardomah Gang, Kardomah Boys, or Kardomah Group was a group of bohemian friends - artists, musicians, poets and writers - who, in the 1930s, frequented the Kardomah Café in Castle Street, Swansea. Regular members of the Gang included poets Charles Fisher, Dylan Thomas, Bert Trick, John Prichard and Vernon Watkins, composer and linguist Daniel Jones, artists Alfred Janes and Mervyn Levy, the broadcaster Wynford Vaughan-Thomas, Mabley Owen and Tom Warner. As Wikipedia says the café was located opposite the offices of the South Wales Evening Post newspaper where Thomas and Fisher worked. This was where the group drank coffee: ... (more) |
Norman Baker: Royal Mint, National DebtThe former Liberal Democrat MP and minister talks about the subject mattere of his recent book on the opaque financial arrangements of the Royal Family. Like everyone these days, Norman has a Substack. "Gawd bless 'im!" (more) |
How could ~I have learned so much and understood so little of your innate grace (more) |
ALDC by-election report, 2nd AprilThere were four principal council by-elections this week, of which all but one had a Liberal Democrat candidate on the ballot. One council seat was being defended by us. North Devon Council, Fremington In North Devon, the Liberal Democrats gained a seat from the Independents in Fremington. It should be noted that in 2023, both seats were won by Independents, before Councillor Frank Biederman joined the Liberal Democrats. The by-election was triggered by the sad passing of his ward colleague, who remained as an independent. Without any independents standing this time, it would seem there was a lot of unknowns ... (more) |
Good Friday in ShropshireFrom The Folklore of Shropshire by Roy Palmer: Until the 1860s, when the well was drained, it was the custom on Good Friday to dip one's hand in the water, deemed good for weak eyes, of St Margaret's well at Wellington. Much more recently, comfortably into the 20th century, the congregation of Lords Hill Baptist Church met at Snailbeach in the afternoon and perambulated the area, pausing to sing hymns to the accompaniment of a brass band. Until the 1930s, most places of work closed on Good Friday. People traditionally spent the time in their gardens, and this was considered ... (more) |
Clanger stolen 50 years ago recovered after deathbed confessionThe Telegraph wins our Headline of the Day Award. And for some reason, the judges were pleased to note, the story has escaped its paywall. (more) |
Cost of Living crisisNever a day goes by, or so it seems, without mention of the cost of living crisis and programmes on the television helping people to make their money go further. And yet according to the new Forbes billionaire list Elon Musk added $373.5billion dollars (or £373.5billion) to his fortune in just one year. That is £3.5bn more than the £370bn it was estimated the entire COVID pandemic cost the UK. And according to the Equality Trust, this is the biggest ever increase in one year with Elon Musk's total worth now the 22nd largest economy in the world, beating Belgium. ... (more) |