By-passing parliament: the blogs got there first
An open e-mail to Daniel Finkelstein for being the first to air nationally the scandal of a Bill empowering ministers to make new laws without troubling parliament [more >>>]
Brian Barder's website and blog Brian Barder's website and ephems
The Queen’s personal prerogative powers and a federal Britain (dream on)
Proposals: transfer the Queen’s remaining personal prerogative powers to an independent commission; finish the half-completed task of making the UK a proper federation — evidently too radical to be given an airing (except here)… [more >>>]
Contact facility restored
I can again receive messages sent to me from the ‘contact’ facility of the website, after an interruption of service [more >>>]
Bush priorities: defence up, health down
‘Bush puts stress on defence’ and cuts health — Financial Times [More >>>]
Muslims and the west: a notable television debate
Anyone with broadband who missed the BBC TV Newsnight debate about the Muslim protests over the Danish cartoons and their global implications on 6 Feb should watch it on the BBC Newsnight website while it’s still available [more >>>]
Those cartoons: support the Danes!
It was silly to exercise the undoubted right to publish those cartoons, but the hysterical reaction across the world has been an outrage, and we should give far more support to our Danish friends and partners [More >>>]
Wild Duck at the Donmar: a treat
A splendid version and performance of Ibsen’s ‘The Wild Duck’ at the Donmar Warehouse ends its run on 18 February and is sold out every night until then [More >>>]
Hamas and the prospects for a settlement
Israeli brutality is rightly condemned, but with Hamas as government of Palestine there seems no longer any basis for a settlement with Israel and little chance even of a truce [More >>>]
New threat to Blair from Microsoft and the Chancellor
The Financial Times reveals that the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Microsoft have ganged up to drive Tony Blair from office — official [More >>>]
Who wrote that FCO advice to No 10 on rendition?
Internal evidence suggests the hand of the CIA in the FCO’s advice on rendition to No. 10 [More >>>]