A referendum on the EU treaty: bad idea
My letter in today’s Times argues that the risk of losing a referendum on the EU treaty, with catastrophic consequences for the UK, is one no responsible government should take [More >>>]
Brian Barder's website and blog Brian Barder's website and ephems
Rendition, the Movie
New US film ‘Rendition’, about the illegal CIA practice of kidnapping a terrorist suspect for interrogation in a country practising torture, deserves to be seen both for its political message and as excellent cinema, notwithstanding some misconceived criticism in some of the UK media [More >>>>]
A sparkling musical at the Landor theatre
See a marvellous musical at the Landor theatre in south London before it closes on 20 October 07 [More >>>]
Threatening public service pensions
A government threat to stop an erring public servant’s pension might prove to be bluff, but few of us could afford to risk challenging it [More >>>]
The Telegraph on the gagging of ex-diplomats by the Foreign Office
The Daily Telegraph (10/10/07) reports the FCO gag on retired diplomats. Read here my comment, of which a lightly edited version is on the Telegraph website [More >>>]
The Marseillaise
The words of the French national anthem, to sing along at the Rugby World Cup semi-finals [More >>>]
Snap election? Put a stopper in all the ‘bottling’ (with update 22:00 6 Oct)
The current cliché of the commentariat invariably describes a decision by Brown not to call an early election “bottling it”, apparently meaning chickening out, whereas actually it will require courage, not cowardice. Decision not to call election brave and right, but overall a damaging week for Brown [More >>>]
David Cameron’s tour de force: thanks, but no, thanks
David Cameron’s conference speech: dazzling presentation, the usual reactionary substance. Examples. [More >>>]
Government gags retired diplomats
A retired former British high commissioner has revealed that the Foreign Office is now preventing its diplomats from publicly expressing personal political views after retirement, a gag for life, in apparent breach of the Human Rights Act and Convention [More >>>]
Jottings after an absence
Random comments after three weeks away on: Gordon Brown’s conference speech, meritocracy and equality of outcomes, the election date fever, the new flawed case for the attack on Iraq, Blair’s limited new job, and the latest folly of the Foreign Office censors [More >>>]