Let’s suppose my university likes talking about the future. They might do fancy powerpoint presentations, with artists’ impressions of shiny buildings and other infrastructure, together with charts showing How It’s All Going To Be Great. Looks wonderful, I might think. But how do we get there, I might also think. And then it might turn […]
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“I think they agree with me on immigration… You see what’s going on throughout the world with immigration… I think that’s why Brexit happened.” The most noticeable thing about Trump’s visit will be the protests. For many of the attendees, the symbolism of an orange man-baby, hoisted on hot air above Whitehall, provides an apt […]
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At times this week it’s been hard to tell whether the flapping sound one can hear is that of England trying to avoid the build-up of excessive expectations, or of hard Brexiters fanning the flames of their ire.* Since Friday’s Chequers meeting, numerous individuals have been working themselves up into states of apoplexy about things […]
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Perhaps the most infuriating questions to ask a young child is “what you do what to be, when you grow up?” Well, I found it infuriating, at least. The question supposed that you knew what the options might – did I even know that ‘social media pundit’* was a thing back then? – and that […]
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As we await the European Council with something other than baited breath, I provide the regular update on progress in Article 50. More accurately, there isn’t any real progress, notwithstanding the joint statement produced a couple of weeks ago, which is more a declaration of resolve than evidence of advance on the key outstanding issues. […]
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Perhaps the least remarked aspect of this week’s Parliamentary shenanigans has been the distraction from the loss of another week of time to reach an Article 50 deal. Important as a meaningful vote in Parliament is, it does not intrinsically produce an increased chance of a deal being reached. Indeed, the confirmation of a push-back […]
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