UNTIMELY MEDITATIONS
some thoughts on history and politics
A blog on various political issues from a historically informed perspective
George W. Bush: a marvellous re-invention
So the former President is rehabilitating himself as an advocate of pluralism and tolerance. I suppose that most people appear to be...
'Moving on' from Brexit ; or, the return of the repressed in Northern Ireland (and Scotland)
The seasoned expert in opinion polling, Peter Kellner, has some interesting data about the vicissitudes in public opinion in England on...
Reflections on futurology ; or, the perils of 'presentist' punditry
Two months ago, a dear friend asked me to write about my predictions concerning possible futures for the Republican Party. The result was...
Shirley Williams vs. Alexander de Pfefell: a noxious double standard
Commentary on Shirley Williams in the past few days has often referred to her being the object of extremely unfair and hypocritical...
Shirley Williams (1930-2021): an appreciation ; and some thoughts on the history of education
In the words of Julia Langdon's obituary in the 'Guardian', Shirley Williams 'exuded reasonableness'. This, together with her warmth,...
Some more anxious reflections on Biden ; or, the possible breakdown of international order
It is still possible to feel such relief at the (temporary) passing of Trump from the political scene that one overlooks the fact that...
The United States (and Britain) are leaving Afghanistan: why ?
Biden and Blinken have announced that the United States and Britain are leaving Afghanistan. Reason ? 'Mission accomplished', apparently....
An unasked question about Mr. Greensill
Many questions have been asked, and rightly so, about the role in government of the Australian financier Lex Greensill. However, a rather...
An argument with some leftists ; or, reflections on the nature of the international system
As a reaction against the many crimes and hypocrisies of American foreign policy, a number of people on the far left (notably...
Some anxious preliminary reflections on Biden
Barely two months in to his presidency, commentators (such as Jonathan Freedland in 'The Guardian' the other day) have already begun to...
The pandemic in historical perspective ; or, will we forget it ?
It is notable that some pandemics (for example, those of bubonic plague from the 14th century onwards ; and those of cholera in the 19th...
The Conservative Party and the fate of public transport in Britain since 1945
The mayor of the metropolitan region of Manchester, Andy Burnham, has announced that public control of the bus services in the area will...
The Conservative Party and the history of shopping in Britain since 1945
The Conservative Party has always proclaimed itself to be the party of the entrepreneur and the 'small businessperson', against the...
A year on
A year on, people are talking about the necessity of 'moving on', of 'getting back to normal', of the advantages of this period, from the...
There is no 'institutional racism' in 'Global Britain': that's official
Many commentators with far more expertise than I possess have picked many holes in the Sewell Report. I will not reiterate their...
Why is the BBC not talking about Brexit ?
Businesses are tearing their hair out ; people are losing their livelihoods ; the replacement of Erasmus by the Turing scheme deprives...
Greed, capitalism and the vaccine ; or, another misconception of Alexander de Pfeffel
It has been reported that Alexander, in a speech to the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers, has claimed that greed and...
Missiles, drones, flags and statues ; or, the politics of performative posturing
It is notable that the government has started to insist on the greater public visibility of the Union flag at the moment when the...
Cigars and pipes ; or, politicians' props
Winston Churchill's fondness for cigars has often been remarked upon. Less often noticed is the fact that three British prime ministers...