Author Archives: bernardporter2013

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About bernardporter2013

Retired academic, author, historian.

The Russian Bear

During the last century Russia’s flaws and threats were invariably put down to her Communism, and consequently used as a potent argument against that political ideology. Historians however were aware that authoritarianism and imperialism had long been a feature of … Continue reading

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Political Education

There are three ways I can think of to repair Britain’s crippled democracy. One is a fairer electoral system than our present ‘FPTP’ one. (Here’s one way of doing it while still retaining local accountability: https://bernardjporter.com/2016/02/29/first-past-the-post/.) The second way is … Continue reading

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Ukraine: Boris’s Falklands?

What a gift for Boris this Ukraine business is! It gives him the ideal opportunity to look strong and resolute, climb into fighter jets for photo ops, talk with (or, rather, at) powerful autocrats, issue dire warnings, look Churchillian, speechify … Continue reading

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Brahms

What is it with me and Brahms? I first came to him via those French Nouvelle Vague films of the 1950s and early ’60s, nearly all of which had Brahms playing in the background. One, I seem to remember, was … Continue reading

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The Death of Hope

I’ve just turned 81. That’s well past my sell-by date, I reckon, and indeed a bit of a bonus in view of the various afflictions that have hit me over the years: nothing really serious, but two or three of … Continue reading

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Country of the Damned

If you saw these pics on a poster outside a cinema, you’d know what sort of movie you were in for, wouldn’t you? PS (for those who may not have recognised them, like the Facebook editor who declined the post … Continue reading

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Letting the Bastards Grind You Down

The depth of the present British government’s descent into lies, treachery, corruption, ignorance, clownishness, rank amorality and total discredit is difficult for us innocent children of the sunny (if only in black-and-white) post-war years to fully grasp. In the 1950s … Continue reading

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Starmer, Savile, and Truth

Do they really believe it? That Starmer was responsible for getting Jimmy Savile off? I wouldn’t be surprised if some of their voters do. After all, in America they fell for a similar slur about Hilary Clinton – running a … Continue reading

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Patriotism

This is an early sketch of a piece I hope to place in the press just before my new book comes out. ‘If people are not proud to be British, or of our flag or Queen, they do not have … Continue reading

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A View From Over the Pond

Read, mark, learn and get angry. https://eand.co/the-idiot-who-ruined-britain-a62542447f92

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