Author Archives: WR_admin

Tax – and Spend Better

“Taxes are what we pay for civilized society.”Oliver Wendell HolmesWhat defines a community? Among other things, it requires trust. It requires it because it calls for a lowering of the barriers that separate the private from the public. At whatever level, it’s about sharing. Time. Money. Identity.One reason for believing that corporate capitalism is NOTContinueContinue reading “Tax – and Spend Better”

Boat or Boot?

Mebyon Kernow’s Leader, Cllr Dick Cole, blogged yesterday about the election to the French Parliament of Paul Molac, the first Breton autonomist to make that breakthrough, albeit with valuable support from the Greens and the Socialists.His victory comes after the success of the Union Démocratique Bretonne in elections to the Brittany Regional Council in 2004ContinueContinue reading “Boat or Boot?”

Themes, Memes & Ideology

“Not just the mere organization of a new party is becoming increasingly difficult – so is the expression of a new political idea or doctrine. Ideas no longer exist except through the media of information. When these are in the hands of the existing parties, no truly revolutionary or new doctrine has any chance toContinueContinue reading “Themes, Memes & Ideology”

Money to Burn

In the midst of ‘austerity’, the Coalition has gone shopping for new submarines, from which to launch WMDs against the morally challenged. The purchase price comes to at least £20 billion: that’s £3 billion already spent, £3 billion committed and £14 billion awaiting clearance as the ‘now too costly to cancel’ argument. On top ofContinueContinue reading “Money to Burn”

Devon’s Difference

Racial purity is a fancy term for in-breeding. Those who like that sort of thing will carry on doing it. And those who don’t, won’t. In a free society, politicians shouldn’t normally be that bothered either way.Genetics becomes politicised when it is used to bolster or attack treasured historic identities. Such identities should be strongContinueContinue reading “Devon’s Difference”

A Stitch In Time

We remain firmly opposed to the wave upon wave of London overspill housing that is changing the character of our region for the worse. (And destroying in the process the very things that settlers find attractive.) That’s not to say that we think all construction workers should pack up their tools and seek a differentContinueContinue reading “A Stitch In Time”

Lord Bath at 80

Alexander George Thynne (he later dropped the ‘e’ from his surname) was born in London on 6th May 1932 but, as he put it, he “emigrated to Wessex within the next few weeks”. His mother was Cornish, a member of the Vivian family. His father was Henry Frederick Thynne, then styled Viscount Weymouth and laterContinueContinue reading “Lord Bath at 80”

Banking on Stability

Stuckey is an important name in Wessex history. Douglas Stuckey, long the Chairman of Common Wealth, is a valued member of the WR Party Council. Outside politics, he is better known as the author of books and articles on Wessex history. Among these is Wessex Rising!, which charts the Monmouth Rebellion and the coming ofContinueContinue reading “Banking on Stability”

Whose Trains?

A report last month in the Western Boring Views informs us that both Cornwall and Devon County Councils may be looking to take over from Whitehall the supervision of local rail services in their areas. All worthily localist, of course. Whether that approach works elsewhere depends on how good the fit is between railway geographyContinueContinue reading “Whose Trains?”