I found out about John Pinder’s passing by chance, talking with a colleague about something else. In a way, it was fitting, for my interactions with John have been largely down to chances that I have been very glad I’ve taken. John was my supervisor for my dissertation at the College of Europe back in […]
Read more
Narrative arcs seem to be figuring in my life quite a lot at the moment. On the one hand, I’ve just started watching House of Cards and can already see the arc of Frank Underwood’s trajectory being sketched out: the initial pique, the considered revenge, the rise and – I presume – the ultimate hubris. […]
Read more
There are many paradoxes in British politics, but the one that has most struck me in recent weeks has been the one about Europe. On the one hand, we are repeatedly told that the EU – and Britain’s role therein – is a crucial matter of public interest and public concern, and that it is […]
Read more
Part of me would like to talk about Rafael Behr’s excellent piece yesterday on how an EU referendum would play in the longer-term: it’s a very summary of why a popular vote probably won’t solve anything, either way. However, I find myself returning to UKIP, and the Channel 4 programme shown at the start of […]
Read more
Tomorrow, Channel 4 is showing “UKIP: The First 100 Days“, a drama-documentary about a UKIP government. Having seen a preview, it’s instructive to consider what this is and isn’t about. Firstly, the programme starts from the premise of a UKIP government. There’s no discussion of how or why this might happen and, for the purpose […]
Read more
One of the recurring issues with UKIP’s development has been the double-edged sword that is Nigel Farage. On the one hand, Farage is an exemplary politician, in terms of his connection with people and his ruthlessness in pursuing his agenda within the party. On the other, he is but one man, and readers will be […]
Read more
Comment