Real republicanism is about reconciliation and inclusiveness – not violent separatism
The tragedy of the present impasse in Northern Ireland is that the great majority of people, whether unionist or nationalist, are, or appear to be, decent , sensible, well-intentioned women and men who want to get on with their lives and with their neighbours. But is that really true? How come that picture does not […]
A Brexit sparked general election in the UK would be political suicide
Company-keeping used to be condemned by the Catholic Church . It placed those who kept each other’s company in the way of temptation, sin and hell-fire. Young girls (i.e. nineteen year olds and upwards) were regularly instructed that company-keeping without an intention of early marriage was gravely sinful. Worse still, needless to say, was company-keeping […]
The sunny optimism of Davos is similar to that trumpeted at the height of the economic cycle
The well-justified furore about the Presidents’ Club function in the Dorchester Hotel in London, a fundraiser which turned out to be an annual, highly organised, secretive, sleazy grope-fest for the wealthy and their hangers-on, coming as it did in the same week as Davos, naturally provokes the witty to draw parallels between the two events. […]
Trump’s presidency is the collective shame of the American People
This coming year will be eventful and the prospects are a looking a little scary. Donal Trump’s presidency, just one year old, is the gift that keeps on giving to his opponents. Quite apart from the hair-raising (and I use that word advisedly) revelations now being published about the grotesque chaos in the White House, […]
Brussels must learn from Merkel’s failure to bring her people with her
As coalition talks between Germany’s CDU, CSU and SPD parties have cleared the first hurdle, it looks likely that Angela Merkel will end up heading a grand coalition government in the next eight weeks. Including Martin Schulz in the government will inevitably raise questions about his recent proposal for a new EU treaty leading to […]
Adams and Foster have brought about an easily offended polarisation of politics north of the border
One dispiriting aspect of our times is the somewhat schizophrenic desire of a goodly number of people to be simultaneously accorded the right to anonymously abuse others in social media and in comment boxes in on-line publications while objecting vigorously to being subjected to, or even being made aware of, statements by others which they […]