Category: First Thursday Archive

The UK Government’s response to Israel in Gaza “hit peak feebleness” said “Responsible Statecraft” on May 21st (see link below)- because many Labour MPs fear being labelled “antisemitic” if they condemn Israel’s war crimes, remembering what was done to Corbyn?   For some other MPs bringing Hamas to “justice” takes priority over any ceasefire (so ignoring…

What motivates President Trump’s “Tariff War”?  Some powerful people “pulling the strings”, or a populist response to resentment against globalisation, to the loss of US manufacturing jobs caused by global capitalism’s search for cheap labour and greater profits?  Globalisation was promoted as an important contribution to solving global poverty, but it also increased domestic inequality. …

One danger of the constant flood of often contradictory media news and opinion can be that it induces a paralysis- of action, even of attention.  This is especially true of President’s Trump’s statements and actions- and that is perhaps his intention.  Jeffrey Sach’s analysis of US policy from the days of the Washington Consensus (last…

It is clear that not enough is being done to tackle Global Warming, and with President Trump in the White House less progress with come from the USA.  China is doing much, despite its still burning coal.  Global temperatures have reached 1.3 degrees above pre-Industrial levels, though the averages are less (1.2 to 1.3 degrees). …

What is very clear is that NHS staff maintain their exceptional quality of care in the midst of seriously underfunded and collapsing structures. Efficiencies have sometimes led to misunderstandings but more often to improvements, though social care and psychiatric services lag well behind, while (scandalously) hospices depend largely on charity. This from half a century…

The “Assisted Dying” (Terminally Ill Adults- End of Life) Bill passed its second reading in the House of Commons at the end of November, 330 votes in favour, 275 against.  But without adequate debate and amendment to provide safeguards it is unlikely to become law.  Fears of the later widening of the law (as happened…

Daniel chapter 3 tells how Jews in exile were required by the Babylonian king to worship a golden statue he set up, under threat, if they refused, of a “furnace of blazing fire” (verse 6).  They reply that “our God” could save them “out of your hand”- but even if not, “we will not serve…

Why has Keir Starmer acquired the epithet “Undertaker”?  Perhaps because he has deliberately “buried” elements of Corbynism in the Labour Party, to ensure Labour’s “electability” in our first-past-the-post system.  A more representative system could allow for a far more creative political debate, even given the inevitable complications and uncertainties of government by coalition.  And any…

The Report into the Grenfell Tower disaster was been published.  In all twelve volumes of exhaustive detail-  Volumes Two and Three give 240 and 194 pages of often harrowing accounts (including photographs) of people’s lives through the fire of 14th June 2017.  It is clear that the tragedy was the result of 50 years of…

Politicians need to be careful and take responsibility for the words they use-  although some are  “careful” enough to provoke a reaction (for example Nigel Farage’s hint that the police were not telling the full story about Southport- did this encourage the English Defence League-led riots?) Riots usually come from disenfranchised groups who see no…