Dissent, Protest, & Justice Series 004 Originally posted on Facebook 15 March 2021 The policing of the Sarah Everard vigil caused me to fall into two traps. Firstly allowing my view of the policing to be driven by my sympathy for the cause. Secondly thinking that the main problem was

Dissent, Protest, & Justice Series 003. Originally posted on Facebook 25 Jul 2020 George Floyd, General Flynn, Ghilsane Maxwell, and Portland rioters are reminders that rights must apply to all people, not just people we approve of, or even just ‘good’ people. In the old west, people could be designated

Dissent, Protest, & Justice Series 002 Originally posted on Facebook 8 June 2020 By the end of the month, BLM protestors may have liberated us from lockdown. If there is not a huge spike in serious cases, the new normal might be able to look far more like the old

Dissent, Protest, & Justice Series 001. Originally posted on Facebook 6 Jan 2016 In the eighteenth century Britain was the monarchy, and the new USA passionately democratic. Today the US emperor-president rules by fiat, imposing laws without congressional approval, while the UK is tentatively rediscovering direct democracy. The juxtaposition of

Originally posted on Facebook 2 Oct 2021 At first glance, the NI protocol seems to be political-lying-as-usual: Boris promises no Irish sea border, then signs up to a deal creating one, and, when it comes into effect, blusters, asks for flexibility, and tries to change the subject. The reality is

Self Determination Series 002. Originally posted on Facebook 22 Sep 2017 Madrid has chosen the Maoist 'political power comes from the barrel of a gun' approach, rather than try to win the hearts and minds of Catalonia. It is a useful reminder that force mobilised to 'protect

Self Determination Series 001. Originally posted on Facebook 18 Sep 2014 As a Scot whose family have lived in England and India for three generations, I have always had warm feelings about the Union. It has seemed natural and right. But now, Scotland’s secession could be even better. For

Immigration Series 001. Originally posted on Facebook 21 June 2016 I am generally in favour of immigration. In 2004, when the EU expanded east, because the UK did not impose the transitional restrictions on migration adopted by Germany, France, etc, we attracted vast numbers of bright & motivated people, and

Chapter 9 of 'There are no grown ups' Since the city of London and Wall Street became hooked on hiring ‘Rocket Scientists’ in the 1970s, hundreds of different derivatives have been invented. Some are ‘path dependent’, the financial equivalent of betting that Manchester United will be at the

Chapter 8 of 'There are no grown ups' Most professional fund managers measure performance relative to ‘The Index’: a collection of major stocks in the market concerned.  Each major market has its own index: the CAC in France, DAX in Germany.  Larger markets may have several.  The UK