THE liberty of the press is the birth-right of a BRITON, and is justly esteemed the firmest bulwark of the liberties of this country. It has been the terror of all bad ministers; for their dark and dangerous designs, or their weakness, inability, and duplicity, have thus been detected and shewn to the public, generally … Continue reading A message from a friend of Liberty
Tag: Britain
A Letter on the British Constitution
A new book by Lord Hennessy and Andrew Blick (Could It Happen Here? The Day a Prime Minister Refuses to Resign) makes amusing and instructive reading: the authors speculate about what might ensue if a right-wing populist prime minister were to lose his majority in the House of Commons, and attempted to cling to power … Continue reading A Letter on the British Constitution
Literary life in the English countryside
The passage below belongs to one of the drafts of John Stuart Mill's autobiography, and was not included in the final version. It is a description of a daily routine that any philosopher must envy: continual study, easy access to natural scenery, and the relaxation of social gatherings. As it is difficult to conceive of … Continue reading Literary life in the English countryside
Will Britain continue to grant Israeli officials impunity?
The visit of the Israeli Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi—the supreme commander of the occupation forces—to Britain last month, impels us to make a number of observations, none of which are favourable to the British Government. Halevi’s visit came mere days after the International Criminal Court’s issuance of arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli … Continue reading Will Britain continue to grant Israeli officials impunity?
Mill, Ricardo, and the Folly of Tradition
The coronation of George IV took place in 1821; and it was already evident to rational men, two hundred years ago, that such a ceremony was ludicrous—a relic of "barbarous ages", entirely unworthy of a civilised people. James Mill, the Scottish-born radical, in a letter to his intimate friend, David Ricardo, the economist, argued that … Continue reading Mill, Ricardo, and the Folly of Tradition
Integrity Restored to Government
Sir Keir Starmer promised to restore integrity to government; and after years of odious Tory corruption, the nation would have welcomed some little respite from looting and waste. But such a gift—such a pause in the depredation—Sir Keir, alas, cannot give
The Coconut Trial
There are occasions when a single act of public authority suffices to expose our institutions as both cruel and absurd. The prosecution of Marieha Hussain, a teacher who was charged with a racially aggravated public order offence, for holding a placard, is one such instance; and though Ms Hussain has happily been acquitted, it is … Continue reading The Coconut Trial
New article: The Case of Julian Assange
James Mill on how the Few Oppress the Many
In an 1835 article entitled 'State of the Nation' for the London Review, the Scottish radical James Mill considered the progress of reform in Britain, and how society might be further improved. One of his objects was to illustrate how the ruling Few, throughout history, erected barriers to any reforms that might promote the interests … Continue reading James Mill on how the Few Oppress the Many
Charles James Fox answers the British government
The gang of idiot ministers who form the current government, and the braying donkeys in the media who support them, are now working to destroy the hard won liberties of the British people. There are calls to ban the pro-Palestine march on Saturday 11 November; there are plans being drawn up to further restrict liberty … Continue reading Charles James Fox answers the British government
Notes in the Margins of the Days 