uk politics
Beware the Ides of May
Written By: - Date published: 11:09 pm, January 15th, 2019 - 41 comments
It’s D Day for Theresa May’s Brexit plan. Will Jeremy Corbyn finally put her out of our misery?
Brexit: Tories Lose Control of the House and the Process
Written By: - Date published: 8:50 am, January 10th, 2019 - 67 comments
Another day, another humiliating defeat for Theresa May. Surprisingly, the news is no better for Jeremy Corbyn.
Political punditry in 2019
Written By: - Date published: 8:57 am, January 4th, 2019 - 79 comments
The media has recently reviewed its predictions from last year and made a few new ones. How did it go? And what is going to happen in the next 12 months?
Go Democracy Go!
Written By: - Date published: 8:19 am, December 26th, 2018 - 68 comments
It’s going to be a strong year for democratic politics.
Random 2019 predictions …
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, December 22nd, 2018 - 114 comments
What will happen in 2019?
The SPOTY’s 2018
Written By: - Date published: 1:10 pm, December 15th, 2018 - 39 comments
Here’s your chance to vote in the Standard’s Politician of The Year awards. The SPOTY’s are recognised worldwide as the leading indicator of political success in NZ and have been awarded annually for over two hundred years.
Now it’s your turn to prick the Thorndon Bubble, dear reader. Who’s your Politician of the Year?
A Right Shambles
Written By: - Date published: 9:48 am, December 13th, 2018 - 34 comments
With the UK Tories self imploding, the US President contemplating jail time, Angela Merkel moving on and the conservative parties on both sides of the Tasman looking increasingly irrelevant, what should the left do to fill the gap?
Brexit vote on Tuesday
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, December 10th, 2018 - 41 comments
With a vote on the Brexit deal soon and with defeat a distinct possibility both Labour and the Conservatives need a Plan B and they need it inside 48 hours.
Pete Shelley: History is Made by Those Who Turn Up
Written By: - Date published: 8:08 pm, December 7th, 2018 - 31 comments
Pete Shelley, lead singer of ground breaking punk band Buzzcocks has died. And Ed Sheeran still walks among us. Where’s the justice?
Spooked!
Written By: - Date published: 2:52 pm, November 29th, 2018 - 29 comments
The GCSB ban on Spark’s use of Huawei technology means this government has gone from “honest broker” to poodle in a very short time. Pressure has been applied by the US and others, apparently fearing we are the “soft underbelly” of the Five Eyes spy network. Maybe its time we got out of that too – it was designed for war.
May’s Brexit
Written By: - Date published: 1:02 pm, November 15th, 2018 - 91 comments
The unsolvable problem that is Brexit is reaching it’s denouement with Theresa May’s leadership on the line, talk of a no confidence motion, a very leaky cabinet, and no possible achievable resolution in sight.
Will there be a Brexit?
Written By: - Date published: 11:37 am, September 19th, 2018 - 33 comments
In short, I think not.
Quite a day or two then!
Written By: - Date published: 6:17 pm, September 18th, 2018 - 83 comments
A quick smorgasbord of reported news from Syria, to China and Sweden, to antisemitism and (hidden behind the links) an interview with (hopefully) the first woman who will serve as President of the USA.
Updated
They got bailed out and we got sold out
Written By: - Date published: 12:05 pm, September 15th, 2018 - 56 comments
Ros Wynne Jones in the Daily Mirror excoriates the excesses of the Banking system and wonders why the rest of us tolerate bankers’ behaviour.
Paranoia, Bullshit and Ordinary Lives.
Written By: - Date published: 11:40 am, September 14th, 2018 - 125 comments
It seems that for some, trashing out the lives of ordinary people is fine, because “Russia bad”. It’s not fine…
Is Politik a propaganda mouthpiece for the UK Embassy?
Written By: - Date published: 8:46 pm, September 8th, 2018 - 29 comments
In Politik’s 7 September issue we are told that Western diplomats in Wellington are surprised that Winston Peters has not accused Russia of the Skripal poisoning or joined some other countries in taking reprisals. Editor Richard Harman quotes a source to tell us that the British in particular were “pissed” at Peters’ response. Well dearie me. I’m with Winston, a wise old owl.
US Mid Terms; Obama Enters the Ring
Written By: - Date published: 1:24 pm, September 8th, 2018 - 30 comments
America gets ready to rumble in the November mid terms, as Barack Obama enters the ring. At stake is control of both houses and the fate of the Trump presidency.
Kremlin Killers?
Written By: - Date published: 7:25 am, September 6th, 2018 - 272 comments
UK Police have named the two Russian spies accused of the Novichok poisonings. But what can Britain do about it?
And the antisemites are…?
Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, September 5th, 2018 - 65 comments
UK Labour adopted the IRHA definition of antisemitism in full, and…
Zionism and Anti-Semitism Both Suck
Written By: - Date published: 9:30 pm, September 3rd, 2018 - 86 comments
Jeremy Corbyn has a problem. His supporters are struggling to seperate anti-Zionism from anti-racism and the Tories can’t believe their luck. UK Labour desperately need to turn around the narrative that they’re tolerant of bigotry. And in just two days, a definition is going to define Corbyn.
Litigation and equal pay – a history of the 1950’s equal pay campaign
Written By: - Date published: 7:26 am, August 28th, 2018 - 3 comments
Forward In 2016 I wrote the below dissertation as part of my History Honours degree at Victoria University. This dissertation explores the 1950s equal pay campaign, and specifically looks at the Jean Parker Case. Jean Parker was a PSA member employed at IRD, who like Kristine Bartlett 60 years later, won a landmark equal pay legal […]
Finkelstein on Dame Hodge
Written By: - Date published: 10:39 am, August 18th, 2018 - 58 comments
“…if any – if any – of the rules that are now being implemented in the Labour Party have any meaning whatsoever… the first person who should be booted out of the Labour Party is Dame Hodge.” – Finkelstein.
About freedom of speech
Written By: - Date published: 9:44 am, August 12th, 2018 - 97 comments
Simon Wilson in the Herald neatly skewers suggestions that Donald Brash is a free speech warrior and raises important issues about the interplay between free speech and attacks on “political correctness” also known as tolerance and respect.
Antisemitism, Islamophobia and the sad state of politics
Written By: - Date published: 9:46 am, August 9th, 2018 - 68 comments
Originally posted on Nick Kelly Blog
Corporatism.
Written By: - Date published: 12:35 pm, August 1st, 2018 - 44 comments
Hand in hand with “compassionate liberalism”.
UK Labour’s Big(otry) Issue
Written By: - Date published: 9:45 pm, July 30th, 2018 - 36 comments
Ahead in the polls and with the Tory Government on the Brexit rack, the UK Labour Party should be prepping for victory at the next election. Instead, the party and leader Jeremy Corbyn are under attack for perceived bigotry. Do Labour have a case to answer?
Brexiting the EU
Written By: - Date published: 7:57 am, July 24th, 2018 - 75 comments
In the United Kingdom Theresa May is facing a confidence threatening Brexit crisis, the organisers of the Vote Leave campaign are facing prosecution, and an opinion poll suggests that a significant proportion of the electorate are willing to shift right to achieve a hard Brexit.
My Little Eye…
Written By: - Date published: 10:28 am, July 21st, 2018 - 17 comments
Something beginning with…wtf?!
Wool. Eyes. Pull.
Written By: - Date published: 5:52 pm, July 16th, 2018 - 8 comments
As though politicians with a social democratic bent don’t have enough to contend with…
Free Tommy Robinson *
Written By: - Date published: 10:29 am, July 15th, 2018 - 66 comments
* with every purchase.
- Finally proposals to set access charges
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- Daily crossword, Tuesday 19 November
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- Treaty Principles bill hīkoi pauses to gather steam, before march to Parliament
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- My Brilliant Career: musical based on Miles Franklin’s novel takes us on a sassy, spirited journey...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Hunter, Senior Lecturer in Art and Performance, Deakin University Pia Johnson Melbourne Theatre Company’s My Brilliant Career is a musical re-imagining of Miles Franklin’s classic 1901 novel of the same name. It follows a young woman, Sybylla Melvyn, as she ...6 days ago
- Stinky feet, angry mermaids and a toilet ghost: Round The Twist musical captures the magic and madne...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Schirmer, ROLE at Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University Lyndon Mechielsen It’s a universally acknowledged truth that a geriatric millennial in possession of a Scholastic book club catalogue and a television must have been a fan of Paul Jennings back in the ...6 days ago
- Why Mark Mitchell won’t resign one year after becoming Police Minister
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flávia Fayet-Moore, Adjunct Lecturer, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle Ground Pictures/Shutterstock You know that feeling you get when you take a breath of fresh air in nature? There may be more to it than a simple lack ...6 days ago
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The Pacific profiles series shines a light on Pacific people in Aotearoa doing interesting and important work in their communities, as nominated by members of the public. Today, Dinah Otukolo and Dianne Wihoni, two Southside Aiga Midwives. All photos by Geoffery Matautia. Tucked away at the edges of the Māngere ...7 days ago
- Federated Mountain Clubs Of New Zealand Stand Firm: Conservation Access For All, Not Just The Wealth...
On access issues, FMC represent Aotearoa’s passionate outdoor and conservation communities, dedicated to keeping natural spaces open for everyone—regardless of income or background. ...7 days ago
- Fiji’s mainstream media fight for survival in social media era
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The comments made by NZ’s delegation to COP 29, Mr. Croad discussing additional ‘pathways’ to forfeit more NZ tax dollars to Vanuatu are both out-of-touch & disrespectful to hardworking taxpayers, says Union Communications Officer, Alex Emes. ...7 days ago
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A new campaign is targeting ASB due to its Kiwisaver funds having investments in Motorola, a company that supplies Israel’s military. Over three million New Zealanders have Kiwisavers across 350 funds, each with their own investment portfolio. According to the latest Kiwisaver annual report, the highest and fastest growing investment ...7 days ago
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NZ's enormous exclusive economic zone contains a huge amount of carbon in its ocean sediments, and releasing even a tiny proportion could undo any other climate benefits. ...7 days ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dana McKay, Associate Dean, Interaction, Technology and Information, RMIT University Jakub Krechowicz / Shutterstock The original idea for the world wide web emerged in a flurry of scientific thought around the end of World War II. It began with a hypothetical ...7 days ago
- The latest COVID booster will soon be available. Should I get one? Am I eligible?
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carly Randall, Senior Research Scientist, Benthic and Restoration Ecology, Australian Institute of Marine Science Coral Brunner/Shutterstock The Great Barrier Reef, which supports an estimated 64,000 jobs and has a social and economic value of around A$6.4 billion, is under threat due ...7 days ago
- Waiting for exam results can be awful. Our research shows how best to manage the stress
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Kalokerinos, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, The University of Melbourne Jan Faukner/Shutterstock It’s that time of year when students are waiting for school and university results that could change the course of their lives. Uncertain waiting periods are among ...7 days ago
- Would a mandatory five-day working week solve construction’s work-life balance woes?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martin Loosemore, Professor of Construction Management, University of Technology Sydney Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock Working practices in the construction industry have been labelled a relic of a bygone era – 64% of employees work more than 50 hours per week. Long working hours can ...7 days ago
- Another rushed migration bill would give the government sweeping powers to deport potentially thousa...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Ghezelbash, Associate Professor and Director, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney The Albanese government is looking to introduce laws that would give it unprecedented powers to forcibly remove non-citizens from Australia. The newly introduced Migration ...7 days ago
- We need a minister for big tech, and we need one now
We have a minister for racing, and for space. It’s utterly indefensible that we don’t have one in sole charge of dealing with large technology platforms. When you start looking, it’s all you see. Just last week, the Commerce Commission announced criminal charges against One NZ for advertisements around its ...7 days ago
- Live: Māori Queen to join hīkoi mō Te Tiriti to Parliament
The Treaty Principles Bill jeopardises Māori rights and sends a clear message Māori don't matter, Lady Tureiti Moxon says. ...7 days ago
- Maaori Queen Brings Message Of Kotahitanga To The Nation
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- Treaties, truth and equality: how NZ, Australia and Canada are all struggling with colonial politics
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominic O’Sullivan, Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, and Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University The hīkoi (march) to protest NZ’s Treaty Principles Bill crosses Auckland Harbour Bridge, November 13. Getty Images With the ACT ...7 days ago
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