29 September, 2025. There is little, one might have thought, that the rulers of the world could have done, to make themselves more odious to decent people. And yet, as ever, they have found a way: Sir Tony Blair, it is said, is in discussions to lead “a post-war transitional authority in Gaza”, named the … Continue reading A Letter on the Gaza Peace Plan
Tag: UK
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
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: Lammy’s See-Saw
There are assuredly complicated and troublesome questions in politics; but it never occurred to me that whether we should provide weapons for the slaughter of children, was one of them. In a slight, yet perceptible, movement toward something like sanity and reason, the foreign secretary, Mr David Lammy, last week announced that thirty arms export … Continue reading New article: Lammy’s See-Saw
New article: The Case of Julian Assange
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 