Category Archives: Uncategorized

Tusk’s ‘Flextension’

I’m still a Eurosceptic – a doubter, that is, rather than an opponent; as I try to be about more or less everything. (I’m an academic, after all.) The word is often used misleadingly, which is what makes it difficult … Continue reading

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Brexit and the British Empire

Working on a new edition (the 6th!) of The Lion’s Share. A young American historian has been signed up to revise the existing text, but I’ll be contributing a chapter on ‘Brexit and the Empire’. At first glance there seems … Continue reading

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The Mob

This (if the link works) is what a pro-Brexit demonstration looks like. https://www.facebook.com/veryBrexitproblems/videos/416953239065093/UzpfSTEwMDAwMDc4Nzg3NTM0MjoyMTI1OTEzNTc0MTExNTUx/?notif_id=1553981741697960&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic. People have been contrasting it with the entirely peaceful and indeed good-humoured conduct of the million-plus strong pro-Remain march that thronged the streets of London the week … Continue reading

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No Place to Hide

If I had hoped to get away from Brexit by flying to Sweden, I’d have been disappointed. It has been the major item in the Swedish newspapers and TV News for days now: on the front pages many days (here … Continue reading

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Theresa’s Nemesis

Thursday 28 March. Well, it looks as if she will be going soon, although she has an odd way of going about it: ‘back my Brexit deal or I stay’. Still, it seems inevitable. Within a few weeks, or even … Continue reading

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Parliament

Another exciting week coming up. As a politics junkie, I have ‘Parliament’ on my TV all day. Unfortunately on Thursday, when we might see the climax – (May resigning? Her deal getting through? No deal? The sort of compromise – … Continue reading

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Bright Boys

I’ve been getting some amusing letters – entirely unsolicited – from sixth-formers at a school in Hertfordshire. Here are a few. From Alex Rudin, February 25, 2019 at 1:22 pm. Hello Bernard, As a student in Higher Education, I was a big fan … Continue reading

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Humour v Violence

Over the past few weeks I’ve been rooting for Jeremy Corbyn’s ‘Common Market Mk 2’ solution to the present impasse – that is, Britain in the single market, a bit like Norway; but only because of my natural penchant for … Continue reading

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How Did This Happen? By Jonathan Pie

This just about sums it up (from around 2 minutes on).

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Hapless

I’ve always especially despised those who take on positions of responsibility without having any of the necessary qualities for the job. I include myself in this category: I should have known how hopeless I would be as a Head of … Continue reading

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