March 27th, 2024 Greenwich Council has banned a chip shop from displaying a mural with a stylised Union Flag advertising its wares. Apparently, because the additional mural is at ground level it is not allowed in the conservation area (but the first storey one is OK?). I show below, without
March 6, 2024 Events in the UK just seem to happen organically with no apparent concern from the government. Anti-Israel demonstrations are now a weekly occurrence, with crowds varying from 50,000 to 200,000+ (estimates provided by various sources: select your own figure). The police are reluctant to arrest
February 20th, 2024 As a change from the gloom, despair conflict and depression reported from around the world, I felt that it was time to put my citizen reporter’s hat on (complete with visible press ticket protruding from the hatband) and give you a picture of town (or village
February 21st, 2024 Given the comments regarding the appointment of Grant Robertson as Vice Chancellor of the University of Otago, I have published below a communication sent to Otago Alumni. Tena koutou, I am pleased to let you know that today we announced the appointment of Former Deputy Prime Minister,
February 12th, 2024 I feel that it is interesting to start with a quote from Enoch Powell (yes THAT Enoch Powell). We must be mad, literally mad, as a nation to be permitting the annual inflow of some 50,000 dependents, who are for the most part the material of
February 5th, 2024 I read with interest Lushington’s piece on the UK Bomber Command in the Second World War. My father served with Bomber Command, being a rear gunner with 76 Squadron out of Linton-on-Ouse airfield near York. He related to me that most of his fellow servicemen hated
January 30th, 2024 Having had a welcome break, if not an exactly relaxing time over the holidays, I started this letter to bring my comments on UK events up to speed. Unfortunately, there is far too much to comment on, as Rishi Sunak continues to display even greater levels of
December 11th, 2023 As the year draws to a close, various conflicts around the world are getting more active and even my little bit of rural England has seen a couple of Palestinian flags on display in the high street. I had an interesting conversation in London last week about
December 4th, 2023 My letter today is going to be a bit of a ramble, a stream-of-consciousness piece highlighting areas of concern to me as a resident of this green and pleasant land. I have had marches inflicted on me by pro-Palestinian supporters and “unbiased peace promoters”. The instigators of
November 26th 2023 A lot has been going on in the UK this past week, so this letter just gives a few snippets of the chaos that is stifling the breath out of the UK. At first, I thought that events and actions by the Government, both Central and Local
November 19th 2023 I’m thinking of renaming my letters “Ripley’s believe it or not”. Recent events in the UK are verging on the unbelievable. Not satisfied with both main political parties becoming a complete parody of political parties and displaying signs of being a complete shambles the whole
November 16th 2023 After a nuclear explosion, fallout ensues and the aftermath of the Suella Braverman sacking is no exception. Within 48 hours the UK Supreme Court had decided that the proposal to send Asylum Seekers to Rwanda was illegal. Two hours after that decision was reached Rishi Sunak was
November 14th 2023 Suella Braverman, Ex Home Secretary published her letter of response to having been sacked by Rishi Sunak yesterday. It contained many home truths and resonated with the electorate. It confirmed what many people have been thinking about Sunak and I make no apologies for inserting Braverman’s
November 13th 2023 Remembrance weekend has come and gone. The main demonstration, although riddled with vile posters and banners and a minority (a big minority!) chanting antisemitic phrases, passed mostly without serious incident. There was a last-minute anti-protest protest march which resulted in over one hundred arrests as they approached
November 10th 2023 As Remembrance Day approaches, the UK is becoming riddled with dissent and conflict from various groups. The UK is awash with these demonstrations, ostensibly in support of the innocent victims of Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip. If one looks at them closely you can see the
October 30th 2023 I left my last letter with questions regarding international law and how it applies to the Middle Eastern situation. The first tricky question is: Who makes international law? The second one is: To whom does it apply? If there is such a thing as international law, what
