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Hilary Benn: we never should walk by on the other side of the road

Written By: - Date published: 9:57 am, December 4th, 2015 - 147 comments

UK MP Hilary Benn has given one of the finest speeches Westminster has heard in years in the debate over Syria. It will go down as a defining moment in the fight against Daesh and proves that bombing alone is not the answer. Watch it. It’s how politics can be, when done right.

Paris 2

Written By: - Date published: 9:35 am, November 15th, 2015 - 203 comments

From Hollande’s reaction it seems likely that the terrorists will accomplish their goal.

Tony Abbott and the Syrian refugee crisis

Written By: - Date published: 8:49 am, September 10th, 2015 - 75 comments

In the UK, in Australia and in New Zealand conservative governments have initially refused to accept more refugees then in a matter of days they have changed their view.  At the same time they have announced increased support for refugees they have announced military action against ISIS.  Makes you wonder if this is based on Crosby Textor advice.

Happy Father’s day

Written By: - Date published: 7:44 am, September 6th, 2015 - 4 comments

For father’s day how about a gift of a donation to charities helping the refugees pouring into Europe?

Most allegations against Julian Assange dropped

Written By: - Date published: 6:39 pm, August 18th, 2015 - 94 comments

Most of the allegations against Assange have been dropped but Swedish authorities still refuse to question him in London. And Assange still hasn’t been charged with a single crime.

Treaty of Versailles – Greek edition

Written By: - Date published: 11:42 am, July 14th, 2015 - 101 comments

Just like there clearly are first class Euros and second class Euros, it is just as clear that there are first class Europeans and second class Europeans. Nothing is settled and the chance of further conflict is high.

#ThisIsACoup

Written By: - Date published: 10:08 am, July 14th, 2015 - 137 comments

Twitter has responded to the savage terms of the deal that Greece has signed with other EU countries by the mass use of the hashtag #ThisIsACoup.

Slash Greek debt now!

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, July 8th, 2015 - 222 comments

Europe must agree to slashing Greece’s debt so that economic growth can begin again. Germany should understand this better than most.

The Greek referendum

Written By: - Date published: 5:00 am, July 6th, 2015 - 302 comments

Update: the No vote is predicted to win a resounding victory with 61% support of the total valid vote.

Greece – damned if they do

Written By: - Date published: 11:20 am, July 2nd, 2015 - 124 comments

Secret documents seen by The Guardian describe just how bad things will be for Greece if they accept the demands of the IMF / “troika”.

Greece defaults

Written By: - Date published: 12:18 pm, July 1st, 2015 - 179 comments

As the last Global Financial Crisis taught us, we’re in for another round of protecting the banks and letting the people suffer.

Greece and the Euro crisis

Written By: - Date published: 9:47 am, June 30th, 2015 - 162 comments

The invisible hand of the market is busy punching itself in the face today. Some observations on Greece and the Euro crisis, from the factual to the fun, courtesy of Twitter this morning.

Ireland votes for same sex marriage

Written By: - Date published: 10:29 am, May 24th, 2015 - 7 comments

Ireland has voted overwhelmingly to legalise same sex marriages.

Aussies & US mount opposition to TPPA – but in NZ we just keep nodding

Written By: - Date published: 2:56 pm, February 14th, 2015 - 47 comments

So much to sell, so little time… When this Government is finished selling, we will have sold our right to make laws for ourselves too. Be under no doubt, if the effect of bringing in a law for the health and well being of Kiwis will cost a corporate millions of dollars, part of their lobbying after the TPP, will be threatening to  sue the taxpayers of NZ and watch such a Bill slip into obscurity. And those corporates wielding that power? Most will never pay a cent of tax into the coffers of NZ taxpayers.

 

 

The War Club Family

Written By: - Date published: 7:35 pm, February 8th, 2015 - 73 comments

There’s a fascinating article in the latest New Statesman titled “An Empire that speaks English: the right’s dream of a new world order.” Suddenly UK Foreign Minister Philip Hammond’s recent visit here makes sense. So does John Key’s references to sending troops to Iraq on behalf of the “club” or the “family” – he’s at the heart of the Empire.

The state of freedom of the press in the world in a series of tweets

Written By: - Date published: 10:16 am, January 12th, 2015 - 31 comments

An English student, Daniel Wickham has in a series of tweets questioned the commitment of various world leaders who marched in support of freedom of the press to that concept.

The Hypocrisy of Hate

Written By: - Date published: 4:07 pm, January 11th, 2015 - 223 comments

You’d think that with all the WW1 commemorations going on at the moment it would make us more vigilant about our freedom and security, not sleep-walking towards another Holy Crusade (in the name of the God of Money and Father of Fossil Fuels), seduced by slick liars and the gods of commercialism and greed.

On Freedom of Speech and Tolerance and Powers of Surveillance

Written By: - Date published: 11:46 am, January 8th, 2015 - 102 comments

The slaying of staff at Charlie Hebdo and the killing of two police officers will no doubt cause further debate on the extent of freedom of speech, on our relations with Muslims and on the state’s powers of surveillance and if they should be increased.

Europe & the anti-austerity left

Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, December 24th, 2014 - 28 comments

The UK Green Party is gaining in popularity as many people turn away from the 3 established parties.  The radical left Syriza party in Greece could possibly gain power in their election – what powerful international right wing forces would then be unleashed?

So what is happening with the price of oil?

Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, December 18th, 2014 - 137 comments

The price of crude oil has nearly halved in the past six months and is causing massive repercussions throughout the world with both the Russian economy and the American Shale Oil industry under threat.  The geopolitical implications are complex.

Environment on the edge

Written By: - Date published: 9:01 am, April 20th, 2014 - 41 comments

On Al Jazeera NewsHour this morning, there were two reports on environmental issues in different parts of the planet: stories of the tension between pursuit of economic “growth” and the destruction of the environment. In both countries, there are attempts to develop renewables, without changing the whole system.

Tim Watkin is wrong

Written By: - Date published: 10:22 am, April 8th, 2014 - 21 comments

Tim Watkin recently had a post over at Pundit, saying about why a 15% gap between Labour and National matters. His crux point is that in no MMP election has a party led by 15% and not formed the government. Unfortunately for Tim, this is demonstrably wrong.

NRT: Did the NSA write John Key’s spy bill?

Written By: - Date published: 1:20 pm, March 11th, 2014 - 16 comments

NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden gave evidence to the European Parliament last week about the NSA and mass-surveillance. The most interesting revelation? The NSA’s use of lawyers to subvert other countries limits on surveillance – including our own. So what did GCSB receive “legal guidance” on? What about the careful loopholes in the new Act

Polity: Data on moral mandates in Europe

Written By: - Date published: 4:04 pm, February 14th, 2014 - 3 comments

Rob Salmond continues looking at the absolute silliness of the argument about the largest party having a “moral mandate” to form a government. It appears to be a self-serving wet dream made up by fossils who still haven’t grasped that we are nearly in our second decade of MMP.  All our governments have been coalitions where the largest parties have usually received a mandate of less that a third of those on the roll. But look at the long-standing proportional governments of Europe for examples…

The Cyprus solution

Written By: - Date published: 9:48 am, March 26th, 2013 - 48 comments

The financial crisis in Cyprus has taken an unusual turn, and for a change it is the rich who will be left with the bill.

Kiss and makeup

Written By: - Date published: 7:32 pm, July 26th, 2012 - 4 comments

In honour of Tony Blair and Sam Cam’s attempt at an affectionate greeting at Tuesday’s lunch at No 10, The Guardian amassed a small but disgusting collection of political leaders essaying similar tasks. Warning: not for the squeamish or fainthearted.

Know when to fold ’em

Written By: - Date published: 7:29 am, June 19th, 2012 - 8 comments

Key’s ditched  the surplus target that was so important a month ago –  yet another casualty on the way to the brighter future. The Queen may have asked him why he didn’t see European contagion coming. Shearer is right – Europe is an excuse for a government that has run out of ideas. Labour does have a fresh approach – we need to hear more.

How the Greek Right screwed the scrum

Written By: - Date published: 8:21 am, June 18th, 2012 - 89 comments

You know how the Greek’s have this weird ‘winner’s bonus’ – 250 seats are proportionally allocated but the largest, and even by one vote gets another 50 seats. The rightwing got the bonus by a couple of percent over SYRIZA by screwing the scrum. How? By merging New Democracy and a small rightwing party – the Democratic Alliance. Only this allowed ND/DISY to beat SYRIZA. That trick, and PASOK going over to the right will allow a 40% coalition to govern with a majority.

ImperatorFish: Coach Hails Greek Football Bailout

Written By: - Date published: 2:50 pm, June 14th, 2012 - Comments Off on ImperatorFish: Coach Hails Greek Football Bailout

Intense negotiations between Greece and UEFA officials over the last two days have resulted in an announcement that Greece will be the recipient of a bailout package.

At least Parker’s onto it

Written By: - Date published: 5:33 pm, June 5th, 2012 - 80 comments

The news out of Europe, China and Australia is looking worse by the day. What’s coming at us doesn’t look pretty. I was about to do a post saying I hoped someone in Labour was doing some scenario planning and was very pleased to see today that Parker’s  eyes are open.

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