Category Archives: Politics

Their Flimsy Fiscal Condescension

Posted on March 29, 2024 by davidsberry

“The UK’s public spending works fairly for Scotland and allows the whole country to pool and share its resources.” —UK Government’s Delivering for Scotland Really? According to UK Government figures, Scotland runs a 9% deficit of £19.1 billion. This is based … Continue reading →

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Orban’s Heritage?

Posted on March 23, 2024 by davidsberry

On March 8th, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán visited Donald Trump at his palatial Mar-a-Lago retreat, where media reported much bonhomie and mutual respect. Almost unreported was Orbán’s visit to Washington, where he met Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation … Continue reading →

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Insatiable Social Care

Posted on March 17, 2024 by davidsberry

A year ago, the IK government published their flagship policy “Next Steps to Put People at the Heart of Care”. It is full of noble intent that: “everyone who needs care in England will have outstanding, quality care that empowers them to … Continue reading →

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Affordable Husting

Posted on March 6, 2024 by davidsberry

“A social contract where the tax contribution is based on the ability to pay, and strong public services are understood as enabling a strong society and a growing economy.” —Shona Robison MSP, Foreword to the Scottish Budget 2024-25 This worthy … Continue reading →

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Channelling Carnegie

Posted on March 2, 2024 by davidsberry

Next week, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will stand up in parliament and present the last Tory budget before the general election. To satisfy the unruly Tory right and many of their wealthy supporters, it is widely expected to contain tax cuts, … Continue reading →

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Mine Eyes Have Seen No Glory

Posted on February 24, 2024 by davidsberry

“If you don’t think this country is sliding towards theocracy, then you haven’t been paying attention.” —Charles M. Blow New York Times, Feb. 21st 2024 Democracy in America, that self-styled “leader of the free world” is in trouble. People may think the … Continue reading →

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Visa Vision as Cash Cow

Posted on February 21, 2024 by davidsberry

The continuing legacy of hard-core brexiteering under BoJo has yet to show much by way of advantage to the general public. But what it has done is weaken links forged with the Continent over half a century of EU membership, … Continue reading →

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Robber Baroness III—Dido Harding

Posted on February 14, 2024 by davidsberry

But the most ambitiously Teflon of this sordid little group must be Baroness Diane Mary “Dido” Harding of Winscombe. She has shrewdly exploited being the most “connected” among them. Her father was John Harding, 2nd Baron Harding of Petherton and she has made the … Continue reading →

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Hope I Retire Before I Get Old

Posted on February 9, 2024 by davidsberry

With apologies to The Who and their classic sixties song, the need to think deeply about—and perhaps even achieve—retirement early in life has a new urgency. As if the Cost-of-Living crisis were not enough, along comes a report from yet … Continue reading →

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Can Kemi Count?

Posted on January 28, 2024 by davidsberry

On Sky’s Sunday with Trevor Philips, Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch dismissed speculation about her becoming Tory leader and professed loyalty to Rishi Sunak for having “halved inflation and grown the economy”. Really? In which fiscal fantasy world is the UK government now … Continue reading →

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