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Past Columns
Latest Column Principles Without Substance
The problem with principles is that they become the de facto argument. In many cases that is entirely appropriate. Those of us who, for instance, believe that there should be a state safety net for those who fail would be hard pressed to justify it beyond a call to principles. However, too often the real principle that we believe in becomes obscured behind a cause which takes the shape of a principle in our minds, but in fact lacks the substance.
18th August 2004 Sparking a Debate
The great "how shall we generate electricity" debate has resurfaced once again. The sides are many - the nuclear lobby, the wind loving environmentalists, the nimby anti-windmill protesters. There is broad agreement that burning fossil fuels is not sustainable - if only because we will eventually run out. Beyond that, each side is content to peddle half-truths and misinformation. So, where in the midst of these arguments does a sustainable future lie?
18th August 2004 Grading the Grades
Mid-August? It must be A-Level argument time of year again. The government has launched a pre-emptive strike this time, with David Miliband attacking critics before anyone has had a chance to claim they've been dumbed down. The debate seems to be rather missing the point. Whether the exams are easier or teaching standards have improved, more pupils are getting higher grades. Which means that it is very difficult to distinguish the extraordinary students from the merely very good.
11th August 2004 When Is A Lie Not A Lie?
When is a lie not a lie? If a statement contains no factual errors, can it be a lie? If a statement can't be proved to contain factual errors, even if the statement seems highly improbable, can it be a lie? And if a statement isn't a lie, is automatically acceptable? In my break from Online Opinion I've come across a number of examples of the not-really-a-lie, most of which are, to my simple mind, well, lies.
30th June 2004 Hiding Behind the Act
Last week I received the PIN for one of these new chip and bin credit cards, kindly sent to my home by Barclaycard. Which is slightly worrying since I don't have a Barclaycard. Being a good citizen, and slightly worried that they would somehow try to hold me responsible for their mistake, I telephoned Barclaycard. Shockingly, instead of taking prompt action to block the fairly obvious security hole, the customer service team refused to do anything. Their explanation? The Data Protection Act didn't let them.
16th June 2004 Stick and Carrot Transport
Yesterday, lorry drivers attempted to bring the middle of Edinburgh to a standstill, in yet another protest over the price of fuel. I was in the capital, although I missed the protest itself. I did catch the slightly hypocritical sight of a Greenpeace lorry driving around towing a pro-fuel tax poster. It seems to me that the whole debate is missing the point. Not only are fuel prices not that high, but why focus eternally on the stick, not the carrot?
9th June 2004 Selfish Smoke
So, the Health Secretary believes that smoking is the only enjoyment available to the poor, and they should be left to get on with it. Quite how this squares up with his party's support for taxing a pack of twenty beyond the daily income of these same people is unclear. But more importantly, Reid misses the point. No one is suggesting that smoking should be banned. Instead, what we want is to reclaim public spaces for the three quarters of the adult population that does not participate in this noxious habit.
2nd June 2004 Experimenting With Democracy
Democracy faces a major threat. If preventative action is not taken, the very basis of our system of government could be destroyed, handing power to a small number of unelected, unaccountable individuals. No, I'm not talking about the threat of international terrorism. Instead I refer to ill considered experiments with the voting system itself.
26th May 2004 A Tale of Two Wars
Compare Iraq now with Afghanistan two years ago. Note the similarity in the promises made by Bush and Blair. Note the similar rhetoric. Note the easy dismissal of those who dared question whether our leaders would live up their claims. Now compare the Afghanistan that was promised with the one that now exists. Does that make you worried for Iraq's future? It should do.
19th May 2004 No Honour In The War Camp
Thank goodness that prompt action has been taken over those dreadful abuses related to our troops in Iraq. A swift investigation has uncovered the truth, the organisation responsible has apologised, the man responsible has lost his job, and arrests have been made. Isn't it wonderful that we got our priorities right, and concentrated on hoax photographs, rather than getting side-tracked by allegations of torture and murder?
12th May 2004 Legal Evasions
I pick up the phone, and a voice tells me that "I'm phoning on behalf of Television Direct. Do you rent your television or video?" Now I'm registered with the telephone preference service, so in theory this unsolicited marketing call is illegal. The problem is that identifying the company is almost impossible, making the law difficult to enforce.
5th May 2004 Shocking Behaviour
The past week has seen allegations of western troops torturing Iraqi prisoners - allegations that, in the case of the British troops, appear to be of dubious providence. But these allegations are not the first to be made, so why is there the sudden interest? Does torture only matter if we can see photos? And, ultimately, how likely are the allegations to be true, and should we be surprised if they are?
28th April 2004 Pointless Identity
The latest New Labour directive from on high is the introduction of identity cards, whether we need them or not. Now, ID cards may not be the privacy disaster that some of their opponents predict, but they most certainly will not deliver the benefits that their supporters claim. The real issue is whether we should be introducing a costly scheme with both privacy and health dangers, when there is no evidence to suggest that there are any benefits to be gained.
7th April 2004 Hate to Say I Told You So
Before the invasion of Iraq, many people pointed out that one of the likely outcomes was an Iraqi civil war. We asked how America planned to avoid this possibility, and got vague answers. Or we were simply told that it wouldn't happen. That the people of Iraq would be so delighted to be rid of Hussein that they would join together to build a joyful, democratic country. On one occasion, I pointed out the different aspirations of the various groups within Iraq and was accused of racism. Yet it would be increasingly hard to argue that the events of the last week constitute anything other than the beginnings of the very civil war that I and others warned against eighteen months ago.
31st March 2004 The Al Qaeda Bogeymen
Last night, an intelligence and police operation apparently uncovered an al Qaeda plot to explode a large, if crude, device within the UK. At the moment, many questions have not been answered - including whether such a plot actually existed, and if so whether it was in fact tied to al Qaeda. Only time will tell whether this represents a worrying new tactic for al Qaeda, or simply over the top reporting.
24th March 2004 The Honest Politician
How can you tell when a politician is lying? According to the very bad old joke, when his lips are moving. Unfortunately, it appears that our current crop of politicians are trying to prove that this is only inaccurate in as far as it doesn't also include when he's writing. Between the exaggerations, half-truths, spins, and out-right lies, even occasional moments of honesty from our leaders would seem to be an increasingly rare occurrence.
17th March 2004 Spanish Democracy in the UK
One problem with war in a foreign country is that the cost is often unclear to those at home. While the justifications for invading Iraq look thinner every day, for many people the cost is unclear. A few thousand people they never met or saw, a few billion pounds of government money that doesn't seem real. Spain, however, has discovered that in one day the cost can change. Leading target for international terrorism was a price too high for the people of Spain. And that should worry the government in the UK as well.
10th March 2004 The Iraqi Smokescreen
Tony Blair has once again tried to justify his decision to invade Iraq. Friday's speech was an attempt to re-frame the debate over Iraq, but it was a flawed one. You cannot hope to prevent attacks on your own integrity by making a speech containing lies and half-truths. Indeed, half-truths surround much of the war in Iraq and the war on terror. And many of them are currently unravelling.
3rd March 2004 When is a Terrorist not a Terrorist?
So, Haiti is under new leadership. American involvement in President Aristide's fall from power depends on which story you believe. Certainly, Bush publicly encouraged Aristide to resign and accept exile. Even if US marines kidnapping Aristide is a conspiracy theory too far for you, you have to wonder - why did Bush choose the side he did?
3rd March 2004 Political Intelligence
Clare Short's accusations that Britain bugged the UN Secretary General make good headlines, but the evidence she has offered is flimsy to say the least. Without stronger proof, the story would appear to be one for the conspiracy theorists only. However, it does raise interesting questions about the intelligence we gather, and how it is used.
25th February 2004 Fear is the Key
So much of our interaction with officialdom is based on fear. Our corporate, media and political masters like to keep us afraid, jumpy, nervous. They like to play on our fears to justify their actions, and to steer our behaviour. Whether it is eroding our rights or selling us electricity, the tactics are basically the same. And it's time we fought back.
18th February 2004 Morality of the Atheist
Children are to be taught about atheism in R.E. classes, which has, predictably, upset those who misunderstand either the nature of R.E. or the nature of atheism. But is it really so strange that a subject that aims to expose children to the world's many religions should include the fastest growing religion in the west?
11th February 2004 Simplistic Solutions for a Secular Society
The French legislation to ban the wearing of headscarves by Muslim women within state schools has passed its first reading. Presented as everything from a bigoted attack on Muslims to a sensible extension of France's liberal, secular traditions; controversial barely describes the proposal. Banning overt religious symbols from schools does far more to promote religious freedom than the legislation's critics would like to admit, but is, ultimately, counter-productive.
4th February 2004 Investigating Intelligence
So, Tony Blair has finally agreed to call an inquiry into the intelligence failures that characterised the build up to the Iraq invasion. Only about eight months after it became clear that one was needed, too. Whether the inquiry will actually provide us with any answers remains to be seen. If it doesn't, Blair's already dubious electability will be severely damaged. Even if answers are forthcoming, Blair may suffer anyway. It all depends what those answers are.
28th January 2004 Blair's Fatal Week
This week has been rough for Tony Blair, and may well have dealt a fatal blow to his premiership, but perhaps not in the way most people might think. Although Blair has weathered the expected storms of top-up fees and the Hutton report, there are quieter threats he faces. Included on the list are the continued non-appearance of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, a resurgent Conservative party, and a resurgent Gordon Brown.
21st January 2004 Anything Better Under Bush?
The prime theme of George Bush's State of the Union Address was how much better the world is thanks to him. Scattered mention was made of hard work to come, and even hints of a few sacrifices to be made by American soldiers, but the general message was clear - Bush had made the world a better place, and if America stuck with him for another four years, he would continue to make it better still. The only question is - better for who?
14th January 2004 Are Drivers Too Protected?
The government has announced plans to increase fines for minor crimes, and use the difference to compensate victims. Predictably, the tabloids have immediately focused on the increase in fines for speeding motorists. Isn't it funny how papers that are so hot on punishing offenders in any other case, suddenly become so defensive as soon as drivers are targeted?
7th January 2004 Consumer Rights Prevention
Copy protection is making headlines this week. In Norway, a second judge ruled that Jon Lech Johansen had no case to answer - providing tools to allow people to copy legally owned DVDs being ruled legal in Norway. Meanwhile, Belgian consumer watchdog Test-Achats is taking the major music companies to court for copy protection on CDs, arguing that personal copying of CDs is legal, and the protection prevents legally owned music being played on many players.
7th January 2004 An Open Letter to AOL
This morning my post included an envelope, marked as being from yourselves and stating it contained "Important Information" inside. You will not be surprised to learn that it contained no such thing, being instead some marketing materials trying to sell me an overpriced broadband internet connection. Not only was this information not important, it was entirely useless. I live in an area where AOL cannot provide broadband, as should be readily apparent from my postcode.
31st December 2003 A Gun On Every Aircraft
British aircraft flying to America are now going to have armed "sky marshals" on them. Not because the British government wants them there; not because their presence will make the planes safer. They will be there simply because the American government told us to put them there.
31st December 2003 2003 in Review
2003 is most immediately memorable for the war we couldn't stop. But, I suspect, in the longer term Iraq may be one of only a number of issues for which this year becomes noted. Perhaps most obviously, this year marked the beginning of many problems which are likely to ultimately lead to the removal from power of both Bush and Blair.
17th December 2003 Trying Hussein
Saddam Hussein has been captured, and the newspapers are full of often contradictory stories. Just about the entire world agrees that Hussein's capture is a good thing - the sole exception I've seen mention of is pro-Hussein groups within Iraq - and even those of opposed the war are glad to see the dictators removal from power. However, his capture leaves two major questions unanswered - was it all worth it, and what do we do with him now?
10th December 2003 Constitutional Reform
Lord Chief Justice Woolf has stated that he believes we should consider "establishing a written constitution". In a speech given to Israeli lawyers, Woolf indicated that he is coming to realise that our flexible, unwritten constitution provides little protection from a government with a large majority determined to make major changes. England's most senior judge is now beginning to recognise a truth that many of us have known for many years.
3rd December 2003 We Don't Need No Education?
Education, education, education is once more at the heart of political debate. Tony Blair has staked his position on forcing through plans to introduce new fees for higher education. There can be little argument that the current state of universities cannot be allowed to continue. Yet before rushing into new plans, surely we should ask what we expect from higher education, and who stands to benefit?
26th November 2003 In Response to the Queen's Speech
As always, the Queen's Speech this year is a mixed bag. Outlining in vague and pompous phrases the principle legislation for the coming year, it contains few surprises. The government has presented the speech as primarily interested in "fairness and the future". But does it live up to its billing?
19th November 2003 Welcome to Britain
The arrival of President Bush in the UK is a slightly awkward time for those of us who opposed the war on Iraq and support liberal and ecologically-sound policies. A state visit should be less about the specific person, more the country he represents. On that basis, we should welcome Bush, as he represents a country which has much to admire about it. Unfortunately, the particular President chosen as the first to receive this honour in 85 years is a pretty good example of the worst America has to offer.
12th November 2003 Identity Crisis
It always amazes me how happy people are to give up their rights. Latest surveys show that an amazing 61% of us support the new ID card. I know I can't wait for lasers to regularly be shone in my eyes so I can have a card that will provide government with an unprecedented ability to track my life while providing no known benefit. So why is the move so popular? Two reasons - people do not understand the cost, and people are being driven by fear.
29th October 2003 Winning the Peace
This week's attacks in Baghdad, threatening everyone from humanitarian aid workers to the architects of the war have underlined how much remains to be done in Iraq. As the American dead and injured pile up, critics of the war have turned from arguing about the lies used to justify the invasion, to calling for coalition troops to be brought home. I was as against the war as anyone, and these columns have pointed out enough lies and cover ups to at least justify removing the offenders from power, but we need to deal with the situation as it is. Iraq is a mess, and we are collectively responsible for that. That's what "representative democracy" means. Right now, we have a responsibility to the people of Iraq, and that means securing them a peaceful future.
22nd October 2003 Walking the Path to Peace
Yesterday showed the Northern Ireland peace process in microcosm. Hope, progress, intransigence, disappointment. The story of that one day is the story of the whole process. With hopes rapidly dwindling, many questions need to be answered. The most important being how can progress now be made?
15th October 2003 Who Cares Whether Bush Said 'Imminent'?
One of the marvels of the Internet is the ease with which you can eavesdrop on another culture. Even those cultures which seem similar can surprise you with their different perceptions. Take the recent example of whether President Bush ever described Iraq as an "imminent threat". From a British perspective the exact wording would seem to be a matter of supreme irrelevance. Yet, American web sites are full of views, and the debate provokes enormous passion.
15th October 2003 The Quiet Man Implodes
Does anyone doubt that the Tory leader is more hindrance than help to his party? I didn't think so. But his leadership and current plight tells us much more than that about the unelectable state of the Conservatives.
8th October 2003 Bush's Grand Middle East Adventure
Just before the invasion of Iraq, the world was told that the forthcoming war was part of an American grand plan for the Middle East. Based on the twin pillars of removing Hussein and the Isreal-Palestine Road Map, the American plan would herald in a new, peaceful, secure region, free of tyranny and oppression. Today, as Isreal and Syria edge towards war, and Iraq descends further into chaos, that promise seems further away than ever. So, what went wrong?
1st October 2003 Towards A Fair Taxation System
They say that you don't know what you've got until it’s gone. Like all trite sayings, it is frequently untrue. Many of us are well aware of much of what we have, and are very grateful. One institution I suspect most people would be more grateful for if they knew what was at risk is the BBC.
24th September 2003 Defending the BBC
They say that you don't know what you've got until it’s gone. Like all trite sayings, it is frequently untrue. Many of us are well aware of much of what we have, and are very grateful. One institution I suspect most people would be more grateful for if they knew what was at risk is the BBC.
27th August 2003 Cancun Failures
It doesn't take any great feats of clairvoyance to know what the outcome of the forthcoming trade talks in Cancun will be. The developed west will use the talks to further entrench its own position of world dominance, while make vague promises to the developing world and failing to implement earlier vague promises. What the Cancun talks could and should be is another matter entirely.
20th August 2003 Blair's Iraq Fantasy
Today, the truth about Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction becomes clear. Even our political leaders have inadvertently admitted that if Iraq possessed such weapons, they should have been discovered by now. Evidence to the Hutton inquiry indicates that as far back as September, the British government knew their case was not convincing. Yet we went to war. Why?
13th August 2003 Hutton and the Search for Truth
The Hutton inquiry has barely begun, but already its basic shape is clear. The spin, revelations and dirt-slinging that have characterised the Kelly affair to date will only intensify. But for all this, Lord Hutton is serving primarily as a distraction. His inquiry does not have the scope to address the real issues, nor will it bring to task the real culprits.
6th August 2003 Kelly on Kelly
Two weeks ago I claimed that Dr David Kelly was too well respected a figure for the government's usual tactic of claiming his role was small and uninformed. Events of the last few days have proved me correct - an attempt to do just this has failed, and led to an embarrassing climb down for Number Ten.
6th August 2003 Spy in the Sky
Government plans to curb speeding by adding a satellite tracking device to every car have resurfaced. This is one we should be opposing, not just because speeding is not the major problem on British roads, but because this is an unnecessarily intrusive means to enforce the speed limit anyway.
30th July 2003 Death and the Lost Weapons
With the deaths of the Hussein brothers, the US has claimed a major victory in its continuing war in Iraq. Their deaths will quell the resistance movement, it is claimed, and reassure the Iraqi people that the regime has really fallen. Even the subsequent upsurge in killings of US soldiers has been dismissed as short-lived revenge. But is there any reason to believe that the deaths will lead to peace in Iraq? And what of the wider questions that their deaths raise?
30th July 2003 Spying on the Internet
Internet privacy is a major concern of our times. Much of it focuses on cookies, normally for reasons that are not readily apparent to those who understand the technology. Those of us who do, have far larger worries.
23rd July 2003 Tragedy of a Brave Man
There is something disappointing in the reaction that has greeted the unfortunate death of Doctor Kelly. That the suicide of one desperate man, rather than the murder of thousands of Iraqis or the deaths of British soldiers, should be the possible catalyst for the removal of our current dishonourable regime says depressingly too much about our priorities.
16th July 2003 Intolerance of Homophobia
Homosexuality seems to be in the news a lot recently. Between same sex marriages in Canada, nobbling gay bishops in the UK, sodomy laws in the US, and the latest Baroness Barking seeking to retain Section 28 in the Lords, a number of stories seem to have come together to focus on this one area of human society. Unfortunately, the picture these stories illuminate is not a pleasant one.
9th July 2003 Converting to Europe
Some of you may have noticed, I tend towards the pro-Europe camp. This has not always been the case - a decade ago I was quite open minded, a fence sitter even. My conversion has not been greatly influenced by the pro-Europe lobby, but rather by the lack of quality argument coming from their opposition.
2nd July 2003 Narrowing the GM Debate
While the official, government debate on genetically modified food appears to be a non-starter, the unofficial debate it has inadvertently caused rumbles on. While there is little doubt that the official debate is nothing but a smoke-screen for government decisions that have already been taken, the wider debate is almost equally pointless. The essential problem is the polarisation of opinion.
25th June 2003 Who Should Be Ashamed?
The recent attacks on Tony Blair and George W. Bush have forced those who supported the invasion of Iraq into a defensive position. Given the failure to find the supposed weapons of mass destruction, the hawks line has been to trumpet the human rights benefits of the war, and to seek to brand the doves as "apologists" and "self-publicists". Many are still trying to sell the vision of the war as a glorious, humanitarian effort. The truth is rather different.
18th June 2003 Short Too Little Too Late
Today's papers, at least those that can drag themselves away from over-rated, over-priced footballers, are dominated by the evidence of two ex-ministers to the inquiry into the government's unsubstantiated claims about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Robin Cook's revelations were largely unsurprising - little more than additional detail supporting statements he made at the time. Clare Short's were rather different.
11th June 2003 Euro Storm in a Tea Cup
From the recent discussion, you might believe that joining the Euro is the biggest issue Britain has ever faced. From saving our economy to destroying our sovereignty, the claims made are certainly grandiose. Whether pro or anti Euro, commentators all seem to agree that joining the Euro will have a major effect on our economy. But will it really have such a major effect?
6th June 2003 Time to Resign
The last week has seen extraordinary pressure brought to bear on the Prime Minister, as the world finally realises that claims of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction do not add up. Seven weeks after the Iraqi invasion was declared officially over, there are still no signs of the fabled weapons that were used to justify this illegal attack. While Tony Blair resists calls for an independent inquiry, this may prove to be political suicide. As the non-existence of the weapons of mass destruction becomes increasingly clear, the need for an inquiry will lessen. Instead, calls for Blair's resignation will dominate the British political scene.
28th May 2003 Never Buy a Renault, and Other Cautionary Tales
On Friday night, I went to fetch something (I forget what) from my wife's car. Locking it after me, I remember thinking that the lock felt a bit "funny". Not enough to worry about. The next morning, my wife found out what was wrong, when she couldn't unlock the car again. By turning the key, I'd broken the driver's door lock. This was just the start of the problems.
21st May 2003 The Peace Process Must Continue
Another week, another round of suicide bombings in Israel and army attacks in Palestine. While the peace process, recently revived with American presidential backing, remains the regions best, indeed only, hope, it currently looks as fragile as ever.
7th May 2003 Proporational Non-Representation
Following the recent council and regional parliament elections there has been the normal calls for proportional representation to be introduced. Turn out would increase, we are told, the system would be fairer. Everyone would have a say. Policies would be more representative. Is proportional representation the great panacea its supporters would have us believe? I have my doubts.
30th April 2003 Voting Intentions
Tomorrow's elections for the Scottish Parliament are, of course, a secret ballot. But what kind of opinion columnist would I be if I kept my voting intentions secret? Like many others, my thoughts coming into this election are full of the recent invasion of Iraq, and Blair's increasingly authoritarian, presidential approach. However, tomorrow is not about national politics, but something more local. Perhaps it is unfair to blame the Scottish Labour Party for the faults of a leader they cannot influence.
23rd April 2003 Still Not Sorry
With Baghdad firmly captured and the Americans happily kingmaking, there has been a lot of gloating from the hawks. Should those of us who opposed the war now admit that things went better than we had predicted? Have the hawks proved it was all worth it? Have we, as the BBC put it, been proven wrong? Should we apologise to the Iraqi people for attempting to stand in the way of their glorious liberation? I, for one, am not sorry. Indeed, I still cannot see any justification for this illegal, immoral invasion.
16th April 2003 Art and Aesthetics
Recently, a friend asked "What is aesthetics? What is art?" He didn't quite put it like that, but that was the essence of his question. And it is a good question. Is art just a matter of personal taste? Is there anything universal? Can any definition be sufficient?
9th April 2003 The Mythology of Science
Last week I started discussing the rather strange views that so many people seem to hold of science. I've left the big one for this week - the clash between science and the supernatural. Really, there are two separate ideas here. Some people view science and religion (or at least their religion) as incompatible, others view science as lacking a mystical or spiritual side. Today, I'm going to try to answer both criticisms, by trying to convince you that science can be viewed as a mythology in its own right, but one which is compatible with nearly every other religious belief.
2nd April 2003 The Wonder of Science
Science is a puzzle to me, one I suspect I will never fully understand. Not the subject itself - I studied science at university, and have even conducted the odd bit of research and published the occasional paper. It is the reaction of the majority to science that I just don't follow. So many people seem to find science "boring", "hard", or even "dangerous". Which I find strange, since I see science as "intriguing", "straight-forward", and "empowering".
26th March 2003 The Death of American Innocence
We have been repeatedly told that the 11th September 2001 marked the death of American innocence. Certainly, prior to that date, many Americans appear to have been unaware of the existence of people who opposed the American dominance of world trade and politics. However, look at the Iraq policy of the Bush administration and its supporters, and you won't see much sign of any lost innocence. Instead, you will see a swaggering, gung-ho confidence in America's supreme position in the world. The American military machine can defeat all dangers, American interests form a moral imperative for the rest of the world. Supporters of the war will tell you that all Iraq's internal conflicts can be solved by installing a "representative, democratic government" or that there is "no harm in trusting the president".
19th March 2003 An Illegal War Begins
The invasion of Iraq begins soon, probably tomorrow. The last few days have provided further proof, if such proof were needed, of the extent to which we have been lied to and misled. Paradoxically, the last few days have also proved the strength of the international community. Bush goes to war with a coalition of the willing, not a mandate from the world. Many of the countries that have proved integral parts of recent international action - in Afghanistan and Kosovo, for instance - will not be there. The UN has been saved from becoming a mere rubber stamp for American foreign policy, and the potential first steps have been taken towards building a new world order. Unless the Bush administration changes direction swiftly, a new world order in which America will not be the centre of the world.
12th March 2003 The Whether, Why, and How of War
An American invasion of Iraq now seems certain, its start just a matter of days away. While the 17th March deadline has slipped, time for peace has only been extended by a few days. There seems little chance that the Bush administration can be restrained for another two weeks. At this point, arguments need to be not about the justification for the invasion, but also the nature of the war that seems so inevitable. Broadly, there are three areas that need addressed : whether we should go to war, the objectives of that war, and the way in which that war should be fought.
5th March 2003 Stemming the Flood of Racist Rhetoric
The publication of figures for the number of people seeking asylum in this country was greeted with the usual racist rhetoric by many tabloids and, disappointingly, by the home secretary. The figure was 110 thousand. By most standards, 110 thousand is a big number. But compared to the population of Britain - 59 million - this is just 0.18%. That's right - in 2002 our population grew by just 0.18% due to the "flood" of asylum seekers entering our precious island.
26th February 2003 Give Them Up, Saddam
As American posturing continues in the UN Security Council, so Iraqi posturing continues in Baghdad. The new resolution is pointless and unconvincing. While many of us have stated that a necessary (but not sufficient) pre-condition for war must be a UN resolution authorising the use force, this is not that resolution. The language used is vague, making no specific mention of the use of force. Therefore, a vote for this resolution is not a vote authorising the use of force. The euphemism "serious consequences" is not sufficient.
26th February 2003 Don't Mention The War
Watching Channel 4's "America on Trial" I was struck by how often American hawks turned to the same, tired straw man in an attempt to bully Europe into supporting their position. This is an argument based on ignorance and lack of logic. An argument that has become a cliche - the stereotypical last resort of an American losing to any European. Which argument? "If it wasn't for us, you'd all be speaking German."
19th February 2003 The Moral Case for Inspections
Sometimes events occur that make you proud of the human race. Our news media's obsession with negative stories, convinced that bad news makes good stories, means that we rarely hear of such events. Therefore, we are blessed this week. Not just one story to make us proud, but two - Friday's rejection of American bullying by the UN Security Council, and Saturday's massed, peaceful protest by the people of the world.
12th February 2003 An Open Letter to Tony Blair
I watched your interview for the BBC Newsnight program with some interest. Unfortunately, while your answers were often illuminating, the depth of questioning left many questions unasked, and many points you made were not fully explored. Such is the nature of this type of program. For my own enlightenment, and that of others with similar queries, may I briefly ask you to expand on your comments?
5th February 2003 The Challenge of the Columbia
The tragic destruction of the Colombia is unlikely to lead to a long halt in America's manned space program. Commitments from NASA and the White House have already all but guaranteed the program's future. Despite the answer having already been decided by those who in power, it is worth asking at this point whether we should continue with manned space flight, whether it is worth the cost - both in financial and human terms - and if manned space travel is to continue, on what basis.
29th January 2003 Reporting on Iraq
The march to war continues relentlessly, and although it should be clear by now that Iraq has no meaningful stock of weapons of mass destruction and that the proposed war was never about such weapons the world's attention has this week been on the inspectors' reports to the UN, and the major antagonists response to those reports.
22nd January 2003 Iraq - This Time It's Personal
Last week I stated my belief that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction. The very next day, the UN inspectors found twelve warheads, capable of carrying chemical weapons. Does this prove my prediction wrong? No. That Iraq has the delivery mechanism for chemical weapons is something we already knew. Indeed, possession of short range delivery vehicles is not contrary to the various UN resolutions and the 1991 cease-fire.
15th January 2003 Sometimes, If There Is No Smoke, There Is No Fire
Terry Pratchett once had a character ask a bureaucrat "Before you will give them a new pencil, they have to show you the absence of a pencil?" The bureaucrat did not see the joke. Now, I'm not going to re-read all thirty-odd books to track down the quote, but for those who are interested I seem to recall it was Death talking to Ridcully. The reason I mention this quote is that it has been on my mind a lot recently. A simple joke from a funny writer becomes altogether more scary when spoken by our great leaders.
8th January 2003 Placing Gun Culture in Context
The murder of two Birmingham teenagers as part of an apparent gang war has focused attention once more on the sources of violence in our society. Culture minister Kim Howells blamed rap music for creating a "culture where killing is almost a fashion accessory". Predictably, he was immediately attacked. The lyrics, his critics claimed, reflect the culture not the other way round. Both these views are overly simplistic.
8th January 2003 That G2 Cover
This week, the Guardian newspaper has commissioned five different "name" artists to provide cover art for their tabloid G2 section. Yesterday, Gillian Wearing produced a piece of white paper upon which had been scrawled the G2 logo and the words "Fuck Cilla Black". Many people were sufficiently upset about this to complain, prompting the Guardian on to the defensive. By the end of the day, they had posted an apology from the artist and an explanation from the editor concerned.
1st January 2003 Boycotting Zimbabwe
Much fuss has been made in the press recently about the proposed Cricket World Cup to be hosted in Zimbabwe. Strangely, attention has been primarily focused on whether the England cricket team should compete, rather than on the dubious decision to host the event there at all. England's participation, it has been claimed, would serve as a legitimisation of the Mugabe regime, while their withdrawal might serve as a catalyst for other countries to boycott.
18th December 2002 Online Insecurity
The Royal Mail has recently been advertising a new service, Decide & Deliver. You can download, for free, a piece of software that will automatically fill out the shipping address when you buy online. The adverts claim that this software "works with all online retailers" although this another page changes this to just "all your favourite e-tailers". Personally, I hope that my favourite sites will have nothing to do with the Royal Mail's loopy idea.
11th December 2002 Modern Debate
This week, I've been thinking a lot about arguments. To an extent, the row over Cherie's flat buying has been stirring these thoughts, but I've also noticed a number of other fine examples of modern debating skills. Or rather, the lack of them.
4th December 2002 Reforming the Upper House
Over the last five years or so, there has been much discussion of the form a modernised upper house should take. The various compromise suggestions to emerge from the government have uniformly shown that peculiar New Labour virtue of satisfying no one, but not annoying anyone enough to change the opinion polls.
27th November 2002 Who to Blame for the Fire Dispute
As the fire fighters' latest strike enters its sixth day, public debate is largely concerned with whose fault it all is. The potentially lethal industrial action needs to be justified by both sides, and both sides are struggling to get that justification across.
20th November 2002 Funding University Research at the Expense of Teaching
The row over top fees for elitist universities shows no signs of slowing down. That universities are underfunded is not in doubt. The years of underinvestment by successive Conservative governments has hardly been corrected since Labour came to power. The problem, as always, is how to find the money.
13th November 2002 Staring Into The Iraqi Abyss
Last week's UN resolution on Iraq was less than hoped for by all sides. Such is diplomacy. From those still hoping for a peaceful solution there are a number of problems. The language used is unclear, something abundantly clear from the immediate, totally different American and French versions of what the resolution really means. Short of absolute Iraqi compliance, arguments will begin over the exact meaning of "material breach", and what the consequences of such a breach are intended to be.
6th November 2002 Voting With Confidence
As the U.S.A. went to the polls yesterday, it was only to be expected that much of their media was focused on their elections. Amongst this commentary was Paul Krugman's opinion column in yesterday's New York Times. Krugman argues that for the individual, voting is irrational, since the chances of any one vote significantly affecting the result is almost non-existent, but that if people act on this logic, the system breaks.
30th October 2002 Gun Rights
The sniper attacks around Washington D.C. gripped the world, until the arrest of two men at the end of last week. Less notice has been paid to other attacks since - on Saturday a teenager in Oklahoma shot eleven people, two fatally, and on Monday a student at the University of Arizona shot and killed three professors, before killing himself. To most of the world, Americans shooting each other is not news.
23rd October 2002 Transparency in Education
Both the Department of Education and the exam boards have been caught by the narrow tightrope the media expects school education to walk. Too many students pass an exam, and there are accusations of dropping standards, too few and pupils are not receiving the recognition they deserve. It can hardly help that both arguments have sometimes been made by different sections of the media about the same results.
16th October 2002 Valuing the Real Parents
The Government has announced plans to add an amendment to the Adoption and Children Bill that will give rights to those who put a child up for adoption to know of the child's fate, even seek them out. Reaction to this has been largely uncritical - the Observer running the story under the headline "Adoption Law Victory for Parents". Of course, the real parents have achieved no victory at all.
9th October 2002 Raising Taxes and Raising Standards in Education and Health
I will address those most important of public services, health and education. Both have been in the news headlines recently. Too much of the current discussion, at least within the political parties, is short term or overtly populist in nature. The discussion rarely focuses on the basic philosophy behind these ideas.
2nd October 2002 Increasing the Pace of Reform
Never one to stand in the way of reform, I offer here a suggestion for the Prime Minister to consider, should he wish to be remembered in future generations for his bold initiatives, rather than his current reputation for control freakery. If that is indeed his aim, Mr Blair should address the benefit system.
25th September 2002 Cured Spam
Unsolicited commercial e-mail (spam) is the bane of all e-mail users. Increasingly we are bombarded with offers for services we don't want, in many cases would rather not know even exist.
25th September 2002 Issues From the Country
This week has seen a march through London by people protesting against the government's treatment of the countryside. Unfortunately, two separate issues have been confused here, and the wrong one has become uppermost in the general public's mind.
18th September 2002 The Case for War
The past week has seen an almost bewildering number of developments in the build up towards war in Iraq, from President Bush's speech to the UN to President Hussein's announcement that he would allow UN weapons inspectors unconditional access to Iraq.
11th September 2002 Where Next For the Environment?
The world summit on sustainable development ended last week with small victories and large disappointments. Perhaps the largest disappointment has been the speed with which both governments and media have turned away from environmental concerns.
4th September 2002 You Must Be Evil
The events of last September have shaped the world since, and analysis and remembrance has an important place in today's media. But does that remembrance really require endless repeats of the same, sensationalist footage?
28th August 2002 A Manifesto for Environmental Change
With the world summit on sustainable development taking place in Johannesburg this week, there is an opportunity for the world to take a step towards minimising the environmental impact of our presence on the planet.
28th August 2002 Perceptions of Class
Class is almost entirely a matter of how others perceive us.
21st August 2002 Justifications of War
For several weeks now the U.S. government has been talking up a potential attack on Iraq as part of its wider, self-declared war on terrorism. The rhetoric is coming through loud and clear. What is not so clear is the evidence.
14th August 2002 Big Bad World (Wide Web)
Over the past week or so, newspaper letter pages and opinion columns have been full of advice on safeguarding children from the dangers of the world wide web. From stopping children owning computers to regulation of web sites, the opinions are as predictable as they are impractical.
7th August 2002 Two Wheels v. Four Wheels
The car lobby has reacted, predictably, with a horror campaign of their own. Insurance premiums will rise by £50 each. Guerilla cyclists will be hounding innocent car drivers off the roads, claiming automatic damages regardless of their own behaviour.
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