What should we talk about today?
The world according to Kirkey
The collective national sigh of relief as Labour wrenched the reins of power from the corrosive grasp of the Conservatives following the July 2024 election was apocryphal. Amongst other repulsive traits, sleaze, gaslighting, and being serenaded by lies, damn lies and scandalous statistics would surely be destined for the tip, along with the political careers … Read more
The 4th of July general election heralded a true Monty Python tenet: and now for something completely different. But as a former Tory voter, member of the Conservative party, and borough councillor, I still had some unfinished business. I was exhausted – relieved, yet perplexed. Pinching an alleged descriptor from the former Home Secretary, James … Read more
My opening question is purposely direct and intended to rile you, since this topic can only be addressed with passion: how do you plead to the charge of endorsing intolerance? As you ponder your response, I will examine a facet of present day national shame. Convictions continue to be handed down by judges across the … Read more
As the GE looms, under our first-past-the-post electoral system, the choice is fairly simple: right v left. Right wing – smaller state, with free enterprise and capitalism acting as the driving forces. Left wing – believes the government should play an active role in regulating the economy and providing welfare (e.g. NHS). Politics isn’t some … Read more
I’m a former Tory voter and until recently I was also a local Conservative councillor. Back then I mistakenly believed that the party was still loyal to its centre-right homeland. Now it’s so far right that you need the Hubble telescope to locate the crazies (incidentally the dim glow beyond this point is Deform UK) … Read more
To paraphrase Lady Bracknell, to lose one WhatsApp message may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two – or, in the Prime Minister’s case, significantly more – looks to be beyond carelessness. Sunak’s WhatsApp mishap points to a bigger question: could this tendency to mishandle communication technology be contagious? Are those that orbit the … Read more
I can’t recall what caused me to wake up; perhaps the sudden jerking of my head falling towards my chest as I drifted into a deeper sleep, or the gentle pull of the train as it departed Didcot Parkway railway station. The result, however, was an immediate sense of clarity that temporarily negated the earlier … Read more
Once upon a time in a place not too far away there were brown and white faces of varying tones, straight and gay guys and girls all together, either revering a raft of religious beliefs, or not believing at all. They worked, played, fell in love, and formed friendships that would be forever celebrated. They … Read more
I confess that the inspiration to write comes naturally. I find rich reserves of motivation within subjects that puzzle, surprise, and overwhelm me; however, on this occasion I wasn’t hankering for an angle when I wrote to a Conservative MP ─ but as the ensuing conversation developed my confusion cranked to the typing trigger. Their … Read more
I’ve often heard proud Brits extol the virtue of our democracy. Some will even go as far as championing our unwritten constitution – a mishmash of conventions, common law, and Acts of Parliament ─ as a marvel of democratic resilience and flexibility. The fact is that the majority of citizens don’t have a Scooby-Doo about … Read more