Politics is too important to leave to politicians
"The Archbishop's platitudes do far more to divide the country than unite it" wrote the Telegraph's Charlotte Gill in a piece headed: 'Justin Welby has no business using his sacred…
Brexit
Conservative Manifesto for a Merry Brexmas (and a Happy Lesser Evil)
The Conservative Party Manifesto is infused with the status quo and brimming with measured increments of steady-as-she-goes. It isn't so much a vision by which the people shall not perish, but a play-safe blueprint for winning a majority to "get…
An Advent General Election won’t be a time of peace and goodwill toward men
A General Election has been called for 12th December. There are three possible, even likely outcomes: a Conservative majority, permitting Boris Johnson to bolster freedom and push his Withdrawal Agreement…
Brexit is in limbo: a nation is bored
EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has refused to accept any blame for the current Brexit impasse: the "original sin" lies with the UK, he said. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has…
Brexit postponed (again): tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope
It is tempting to move to the rivers of Babylon, sit down and weep. Boris Johnson said he would rather "be dead in a ditch" than request another extension to…
Abortion in Northern Ireland: the disabled speak out
On 10th July 2019, the UK Parliament voted in favour of an amendment to the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill which would liberalise abortion legalisation in Northern Ireland. The Act,…
Bishops urge Boris to get on and deliver Brexit
It has been a while in coming: the Bishops and Archbishops of the Church of England have to-and-froed on the Referendum result, and blown hot-and-cold on Brexit, and wax-and-waned on…
Lawfare — politics is now waged through the Courts
There is one enduring feature of all functional democracies – that of balance. Over-mighty monarchs, barons, presidents or workers' councils do not make for happy societies. If the definition of…
The United Kingdom is no longer a Constitutional Monarchy
The unanimous judgment in the Supreme Court that Parliament is not and never has been prorogued, and that the advice of the Prime Minister to the Queen was "unlawful, void…
The Legislature has become the Executive, and there is no mechanism to call them to account
Now that the Yellowhammer document has been placed in the public domain, one understands why there might reasonably have been a reluctance to do so by any responsible government at…
Operation Yellowhammer: political advantage trumps right to privacy
The end of prolonged conflicts can be both brutal and swift. The American Civil War ended with Sherman’s brutal 'March to the Sea' and the First World War ended with…
Man plans and God laughs: resist all you want; Brexit will happen
Church of England Bishops in the House of Lords voted against the Government and in favour of Hilary Benn's Bill to force Boris Johnson to beg Brussels for another extension…
Welby to Remainers: “stop whingeing.. the majority voted Leave.. that is democracy”
Following the open letter on Brexit (doom and gloom) signed by 60% of Diocesan Bishops, the Archbishop of Canterbury has called for Remainers (including Bishops) to "stop whingeing", accept the…
Brexit: open letter reveals Bishops split 60:40 on Government’s approach
The open letter on Brexit published yesterday by a group of Diocesan Bishops is interesting on a number of levels, not least of which is the fact that it is…
Brexit Citizens’ Assembly – Welby plays a blinder (all shall be well)
When the Times revealed on Monday that the Archbishop of Canterbury was "in talks" to chair a 'Citizens' Assembly' in order to avert a 'no deal' Brexit (that is, a…
Boris, feet, table… Do not judge by appearances
A photograph of Boris Johnson putting his feet on a table in the Elysée Palace has circled the world. How crass, boorish, discourteous and bullish, they all cried. Thing is...…
Boris Johnson nails his Brexit Theses to the door of Brussels Cathedral
As we countdown to 31st October, the date upon which the UK is set to leave the European Union; the day which happens to be by happy coincidence (if not…
Sovereignty: why is it good for Kashmir and Hong Kong, but bad for the UK?
News from Hong Kong and Kashmir has continued to dominate the news, and then the Labour Shadow Chancellor and Deputy Leader John McDonnell sowed a degree of discontent in the…
Brexit Derangement Syndrome: the contagion reaches the Bishops
Every profession seems to have been infected, and within each there is notable carrier who is especially unwell. Brexit Derangement Syndrome is spreading like the Plague of Justinian, and there…
Theologian John Milbank advocates violence to stop Brexit
The founder of Radical Orthodoxy has imparted his most radically unorthodox revelation yet. Professor John Milbank of Nottingham University is of the view that Brexit must be stopped "by almost…