As it seems we have been rendered pretty impotent when it comes to influencing our government’s policies on international affairs, especially the increasingly dangerous antics of Trump, Putin and Netanyahu, focusing on the news at home seems appropriate and there’s no shortage of it. Just to say, as it’s both domestic and international, the announcedContinue reading “Sunday 13 July”
Tag Archives: NHS
Sunday 18 May
Donald Trump continues to cause mayhem with what media sources euphemistically call his ‘quixotic’ policies and tariffs and the two major conflicts (actually invasions) rage on despite yet more air miles and hot air being expended in often fruitless efforts to end them. At least the India/Pakistan conflict has abated for now but of courseContinue reading “Sunday 18 May”
Saturday 15 March
For many of us the world has never felt a more unsafe place, due to President Trump’s casual destruction of the rules-based international order and the resulting fall out. From his initial executive orders, to his Ukraine/Zelensky debacle, from his absurd claims to Canada and Greenland to his massive tariffs, we barely have time toContinue reading “Saturday 15 March”
Sunday 19 January 2025
As 2025 gets underway, it feels as the last couple of weeks have been accompanied by a strong whiff of suspended animation, with endless media speculation about the responses of the combatants in the Gaza ceasefire deal and about what Trump will do when he takes up the presidential cudgels again. Agonizes one newspaper: ‘FacedContinue reading “Sunday 19 January 2025”
Sunday 1 December
‘This is a historic day’, the John Cleese character in the film Clockwise repeatedly intoned to himself as he rehearsed his speech while driving to a conference – a scene which has always stuck in my mind. Whether or not we approve of the Assisted Dying Bill passing its first reading (330 to 275 votes),Continue reading “Sunday 1 December”
Sunday 27 October
As the Middle East crisis worsens, the Sudanese civil war continues to be under-reported, as Putin boosts his flagging army with North Korean manpower and the US election is imminent, the world certainly looks a dangerous place. Meanwhile, there’s plenty going on here to occupy us but there’d be much more time and space forContinue reading “Sunday 27 October”
Sunday 6 October
Amid so much important and disturbing news, including the worsening conflict in the Middle East, it seems to me that partly due to the power of right wing media, there’s been a major and non-stop attack on Keir Starmer and his government. Said one tweeter: ‘The amount of shit being dumped on Starmer at theContinue reading “Sunday 6 October”
Saturday 17 August
Considering it’s been the traditional media ‘silly season’, maybe no such thing these days, there’s been no shortage of headline grabbing news and some getting very exercised about it. Within days of taking office the new government started talks with the junior doctors and have now put an offer to the rail unions that looksContinue reading “Saturday 17 August”
Sunday 28 July
Three weeks into the new government and as perhaps we should have expected, the media are still expecting Labour to have already cleared up the shocking mess left behind by the Conservatives. And asking how this or that would be paid for – something the media rarely did with the Tories. What’s emerging very stronglyContinue reading “Sunday 28 July”
Sunday 14 July
Just over a week since Labour’s election success and five things have been very noticeable: how many are saying they feel relieved and hopeful for the first time in years (a vitally needed mental wellbeing boost); the speed with which Starmer got his programme up and running, with a Cabinet meeting the following day, talksContinue reading “Sunday 14 July”
Politics and mental health - the missing link? 