The following words are in italics because they are not my words. They are frightening analysis of a man who should never have found his way to his present job.   Boris Johnson should look Richard Ratcliffe in the eye. If he did, he would catch a reflection of himself that might prove painful but […]

Charles Dickens’ Tale of Two Cities was set during and after the chaos of the French Revolution. Had he been alive today, he might have written about the Brexit chaos surrounding the citadel that is the Westminster Parliament. Had he known more about Essex than Kent, Dickens may even have been tempted to put pen to […]

On Tuesday’s Uttlesford DC voted No to my proposal “….. in the event that Parliament cannot reach an outcome (on Brexit) … that will give a high confidence of maintaining or improving the wellbeing of local people, Council calls on Parliament to conduct ….. a People’s Vote to confirm the present will of the people.” […]

The linked letter has been sent to The Rt. Hon. James Brokenshire MP calling on him to call-in the decision of Uttlesford District Council’s Planning Committee to expand the throughput of Stansted Airport. I told local newspapers this week: “The decision was made on national party-political grounds. It should have been based on local planning policies, […]

I am writing this post wearing the hat of the chair of Uttlesford DC’s Scrutiny Committee. For those not familiar with local government structures, clause 6.3.8 of UDC’s constitution says that one of the Scrutiny Committee’s functions is to “question members of the executive (cabinet)….about their decisions and performance”. I am not writing today on […]

It’s good that the local debate on Brexit has restarted. We all should know the future realities and risks of Brexit. I attended the recent debate organized by the R A Butler Debating Society. I was reassured by the overwhelming rejection of the proposition that crashing out of the EU without any agreement on future […]

I recently learned a new word; it’s never too late. Kakistocracy – a form of government in which the worst persons are in power. Least qualified. Unscrupulous. In my lifetime there have been three governments that have unscrupulously attempted to manipulate public opinion. Sir Anthony Eden’s in 1956 lied about the motivations behind the invasion […]

Let’s start this post with optimism – I will use my blog more often. Not quite a new year resolution; more a good intention. I started 2017 with the following:  Optimism comes from the belief that people will follow leaders who speak the truth and take the population with them, rather than seduce them with false promises that lead everyone into […]

Today’s news is the UK Government’s struggle to construct a credible system for Ireland when (and if) the UK departs from the EU. They say they don’t want go back to a controlled border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland (the 1920s partition), because they claim to want to keep trade (and people) flowing freely within […]