Politics
As the violence ends, the guns are drawn
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor As Viktor Yanukovych became the world’s most wanted man, the US declares Ukraine is “under new management.” But could this inflammatory language further damage relations with a wounded Russia? Ukraine's interim President Olexander Turchynov has warned of the dangers of separatism following the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovych. Many in Ukraine's Russian-speaking regions oppose his overthrow and the installation of a more European-leaning interim administration. Yanukovych, like recently unseated Egyptian leader, Mohamed Morsi, was democratically...
A new dawn in Italy
By Luca Foschi “Plain living and high thinking,” declared Italy’s incoming Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, quoting William Wordsworth during his speech at the Democratic Party’s (PD) national assembly on February the 13th. He entered the rooms of Via del Nazareno in Rome as Mayor of Florence and Secretary General of the government’s ruling party, a position he gained with a landslide victory in December’s primary elections. “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by”,...
Burying Thatcher’s legacy
By Pieter Cranenbroek, International Politics Blogger Margaret Thatcher may be dead but her legacy lives on. Good for her, bad for us. When she rose to power 35 years ago she was determined to reverse “the corrosive and corrupting effects of socialism”. However, it has become abundantly clear that her policies were the start of a liberal society that is exactly that: corrosive and corrupting. If we want to live in a fairer society, it is not just our political system...
The demonised deceased
By Nathan Lee, Politics and Finance writer Was Margaret Thatcher demonised for the right reasons, why did people hate her, and to what extent did the unions warp our perception of the long-standing politician? Margaret Thatcher was born of a working class family, but died the most victimised member of its society in living memory. It is difficult to assess whether the recently deceased Baroness Thatcher was unfairly demonised throughout her time in Westminster. A Durham University research paper has...
It wasn’t acceptable in the 80’s
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor “Thatcher, Thatcher life snatcher” might have been a more apt rhyme for the Iron Lady after research from Durham University revealed that Mrs T’s policies caused “unjust premature death”. Just to clear things up, she didn’t wield her own weapons against the general population (she had the police for that) but due to unnecessary unemployment, welfare cuts and damaging housing policy she forced people into early graves. The research shows that there was a massive...
Kejriwal and The Aam Aadmi Party
By Nishad Sanzagiri The Aam Aadmi Party should stop playing ‘Aam Aadmi’ Politics It is all over national and international news: Arvind Kejriwal, the founder of the popular Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), resigned from his post as Chief Minister of Delhi as a result of the state assembly blocking an anti-corruption bill (Jan Lokpal), ending his short term of 49 days. Kejriwal had earlier mentioned that, if the bill wasn’t passed in the state assembly, then he’d resign. It can...
State of the Union
By Haridos Apostolides, US Correspondent What can be expected from Obama in 2014? The current United States Congress, one of the most powerful legislative branches of government in the world, has been the most ineffective since the dawn of the Republic. How ineffective? Of the 5,700 bills proposed last year in both the Senate and House of Representatives, only 56, less than one per cent, were made into law. Many have pointed the finger at the Tea Party as the...
The Oval Hates the Square
by Lock Bailey Why Washington’s Oval Office never supported the Egyptian revolution on Tahrir Square If for thirty years Hosni Mubarak played the violin while Egypt burned, then the United States tightened the strings and provided the bow. Yet many Americans look aghast and astounded when they see that the anti-American government placards have been especially pervasive in recent months on Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt. The reason for the hate is quite clear. The United States has given roughly...
No: Would Scotland still be on the Political Agenda?
By John Close This is a touchy one for some people so I feel like I should start with the disclaimer that 1) I don't in any way dislike Scottish people or Scotland as a whole, and 2) that in my ideal world this wouldn’t even be up for debate and Scotland would forever remain part of the UK. Saying that, it is an issue that peeves me off like nobody's business. I JUST DON'T GET IT! Why would any...