Author Archives: WR_admin

Little Things Please Little Minds

The Scots recently held a referendum on independence.  They discussed what currency to use, whether to join NATO, and what to do about Trident. BBC West’s televised debate on devolution this week took a different approach.  At one point, the politicians on the panel were challenged with the problem of different wheelie bins on oppositeContinueContinue reading “Little Things Please Little Minds”

We Are Not London

We know where London is, but is the rest of England also London?  It seems that the London regime would like to make it so. Manchester has a proud history and a distinctive identity.  Or used to.  Yet Greater Manchester Transport has become ‘Transport for Greater Manchester’, because that’s the word-order they now use inContinueContinue reading “We Are Not London”

Reasons to be Regional

Two common objections to regionalism are that another tier of government means more politicians and more cost.  It needn’t in fact mean either. First though, let’s be a bit more broad-minded.  We need government to be more effective and efficient – but to achieve that you need to invest, politically in the right people andContinueContinue reading “Reasons to be Regional”

Silenced in Court

The Torygraphyesterday reminded us that the Conservatives may be in coalition with the Liberal Democrats but they are far from being liberal.  (Democracy isn’t often their strong point either.) Theresa May’s proposal for ‘Extremism Disruption Orders’ could see courts banning speech that’s judged to be a bit too free.  George Osborne has described this newContinueContinue reading “Silenced in Court”

Pop Goes the Weasel

“Governments with money centralise and claim the credit.  Governments without cash decentralise and spread the blame.  Those are not the views of a hardened media cynic. They are what I was told by one of the Tories’ top policy wonks before the election.”Nick Robinson, BBC Political Editor, December 2010Surprised?  Why?  The masters of the universeContinueContinue reading “Pop Goes the Weasel”

Homes Ancient & Modern

Nearly a millennium ago today, regional England was trampled beneath Norman hooves and, as Chesterton’s poem puts it, “gored on the Norman gonfalon, the Golden Dragon died”.  Yet history has a habit of undoing itself.  Dismembered Poland was put back together.  Twice.  The Albanians, Belarusians, Bosnians, Croats, Cypriots, Czechs, Estonians, Finns, Hungarians, Icelanders, Irish, Latvians,ContinueContinue reading “Homes Ancient & Modern”

Now It’s Our Turn

“The media may have succeeded in creating Essex Man, but they would be hard pressed to resuscitate Wessex Woman.” John Redwood MP, July 1992If that is still the view of the Right Honourable Member for Wokingham, then Wessex Woman may wish to have a word with him.  (Just visualising the power bracelets and maybe aContinueContinue reading “Now It’s Our Turn”

Nudge Nudge, Wonk Wonk

The Conservative regime that came to power in 1979 – continuing without interruption through 13 years of ‘Labour’ rule – draws its political philosophy from economic theory.  A theory as deeply flawed as anything emanating from Marxist sources but far more of a challenge to anyone seeking to confront it. In this theory, all individualsContinueContinue reading “Nudge Nudge, Wonk Wonk”

A Taste of Wessex

Political fiction has a long and influential pedigree, from More’s Utopia to Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four.  One of our aims is fun: to make politics relevant and enjoyable.  So here’s a brief glimpse into one possible Wessex of the future.  A very Happy Scottish Referendum Day tomorrow to all our readers: may all be inspired byContinueContinue reading “A Taste of Wessex”