December 14, 2006
by Nosemonkey
1 Comment
Yesterday lunchtime: “Tony Blair has said the NHS is the “pride of the country” amid criticism of mismanagement and a huge deficit.” Yesterday evening: “Health minister Lord Warner has resigned and will leave his job at the end of the … Continue reading
December 14, 2006
by Nosemonkey
2 Comments
La Russophobe has Time magazine’s lengthy and considered article on the implications of the Litvinenko murder. One of the best roundups of the complex backstory to this confusing little episode that I’ve seen so far. Quick excerpt: “Milton Bearden, a … Continue reading
December 13, 2006
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on The French presidency and the internet
Via the really rather good French Élection 2007 blog, two little pieces on the rival candidates for the French presidency and their attitudes to this here interweb. Following current President Jacques Chirac’s decision to launch his own French 24 hour … Continue reading
December 13, 2006
by Nosemonkey
2 Comments
Has anyone got the full version of Menzies Cambell’s speech on Britain’s relationships with the EU and US? Because this looks to be the second speech by a relatively minor British politician (with a certain amount of influence) in a … Continue reading
December 12, 2006
by Nosemonkey
3 Comments
You see, the reason I’m cutting back on UK politics is that it’s all just so damned depressingly predictable all the time. Although, it has to be said, even I was a tad surprised at the news that, first of … Continue reading
December 10, 2006
by Nosemonkey
7 Comments
In the world of Nosemonkey, there are a few givens: 1) I can’t do maths 2) The NHS is the single biggest problem facing the UK, and the cause of most of this country’s woes, but no one will ever … Continue reading
December 9, 2006
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on French elections update
Good roundup of the conservative UMP party’s presidential primary process courtesy of Charles Bremner at the Times – including the latest challenge to Sarkozy in the form of Defence Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie. Considering socialist candidate Ségolène Royal’s apparent foreign policy … Continue reading
December 9, 2006
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on Siberian Light’s back
After giving up on his old, insanely good Russia-focussed blog a year ago and launching Taking Aim, Andy Young’s decided to revive the old girl once again. Considering how much Slavonic shenanigans have been in the news of late with … Continue reading
December 7, 2006
by Nosemonkey
2 Comments
Phil Edwards has yet another of his handy round-ups of what the hell’s going on in Italian politics. Because, as he points out, there’s always something going on in Italian politics – and generally speaking, it’s a bit mad, from … Continue reading
December 6, 2006
by Nosemonkey
1 Comment
Set up by dear old Devil’s Kitchen (utterly deluded when it comes to most matters political (he’s actually joined UKIP, for God’s sake…) but a stout fellow nonetheless – and he’d no doubt say much the same about me), is … Continue reading
December 6, 2006
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on Blair’s foreign policy: the aftermath
(Originally published on The Sharpener) Professor Victor Bulmer-Thomas, in his last briefing paper as Director of non-profit foreign policy analysts Chatham House, is suitably damning of our dear foreign policy obsessed PM – with a few nice little digs to … Continue reading
December 5, 2006
by Nosemonkey
3 Comments
I was going to do something on the EU constitution again the other day, as Angela Merkel’s recently reiterated her intention to use the German presidency of the EU to kick-start the stalled talks when she takes over the reigns … Continue reading
December 5, 2006
by Nosemonkey
1 Comment
Interesting article from Eurozine on the problems of defining European cultural – and even geographical – borders. Considering the current opposition to Turkish EU entry (because Europe’s, like, Christian, y’know?), the question of precisely what Europe is is being continually … Continue reading
December 4, 2006
by Nosemonkey
6 Comments
So the army’s alleged to be targetting schools in deprived areas for recruitment? About bloody time, surely? For decades, pupils from public schools have been pretty much forced to sign up to basic military training via the Combined Cadet Force … Continue reading