John Oliver reviews the UK’s general election clusterf*ck and the implications for Brexit. “The United Kingdom, the country that’s been saying ‘yas queen!’ for centuries, held a national election this week. There wasn’t actually due to be one for three … Continue reading
The reciprocal closeness in the relationship between journalism and power is a prominent feature of British political history. In times of war or national crisis, media organisations are expected more often than not to behave as if they were an … Continue reading
As the Brexit debate deteriorates in quality at an alarming rate, it appears that any hope of Britain returning to its democratic senses is receding fast. The most recent cases include Ian Duncan Smith dismissing Kier Starmer, shadow Brexit minister … Continue reading
Within hours of taking office, the UK’s new prime minister Theresa May picked one of the most undiplomatic people in modern British politics to serve as the United Kingdom’s diplomat-in-chief. The surprise announcement that former London mayor Boris Johnson is … Continue reading
Andrea Leadsom’s decision to withdraw from the Conservative Party leadership contest dramatically concluded the search for Britain’s next Prime Minister. But as Theresa May prepares to enter 10 Downing Street it’s worth reflecting on the levels of scrutiny now facing … Continue reading
Channel 4 News reports that the Home Office & Cabinet Office have ‘discovered’ a cache of new files relating to VIP child rape. The two folders, each containing several letters accusing politicians and diplomats of abusing children, include devastating evidence … Continue reading
First broadcast in 1997, this Granada TV documentary examined allegations made by a man named only as ‘Edward’, that videos have been made in Amsterdam in which young boys are sexually abused, tortured and killed, and that convicted paedophile, Warwick … Continue reading
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you will be familiar with the Conservative party’s attempts to mislead the public about the nature and effect of their policies. You will also know that Lynton Crosby, Grant Shapps, Iain … Continue reading
For the tens of thousands of abuse survivors and current victims of abuse seeking justice, 2014 may yet turn out to have been the critical time when politicians and the judiciary began to take the plague of widespread child abuse seriously. With a few notable … Continue reading
Rt Hon Theresa May MP, Home Secretary, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF Dear Theresa May As survivors and associated professionals, we were very much hoping to take up the invitations to engage with your Ministerial Officers to discuss the … Continue reading
On 14 October, Labour MP Jim Hood used parliamentary privilege to accuse former Home Secretary Leon Brittan of ‘improper conduct with children’. This ought to have been the final nail in the coffin of Fiona Woolf’s disgusting attempt to cling on … Continue reading
The Australian tobacco lobbyist, Lynton Crosby, is the Conservative party’s political PR ‘guru’ and his spin machine is out of control. His strategy to win an election involves drumming-up hatred of immigrants and the poor and ‘managing’ the news agenda to … Continue reading
In former Tory MP Michael Dobbs‘ novel, House of Cards, chief whip Francis Urquhart uses the dubious personal information that party whips gather on MP’s to blackmail them into complying with the government’s (and his own) agenda. Dobbs’ (fictional) account describes … Continue reading
All three of Theresa May’s appointments to lead the British government’s child abuse reviews can be criticised on the grounds of a perceived lack of independence. However, the choice of Baroness Elizabeth Butler-Sloss is especially dubious given the clear need to gain … Continue reading
Theresa May has announced two more reviews into child abuse in the UK which can now be added to the pile of more than a dozen reviews or inquiries being run by the home office, the NHS, various police forces, … Continue reading
I Am Incorrigible 