Archive for the politics Category

Talking about Immigration

Talking about Immigration

Yesterday, I had lunch in a little cafe in the Tollcross area of Edinburgh; it was clean, hospitable and offered an affordable menu. I had vegetable   soup and bread with a coffee; it was delicious; without asking, I was brought a little jug of water, laced with a mint leaf by the waitress; I finished with a coffee and some excellent carrot cake. As I paid, the owners, a very pleasant couple, engaged in friendly conversation and I learned that they were from Turkey and enjoyed living in Edinburgh.

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ENDURING DIGNITY

ENDURING DIGNITY

L.Alex Wilson (pictured) was a 6’3” newspaper reporter who covered the admission of nine black students into the segregated Little Rock Central High School ; attacked and beaten by a brutal, white mob he walked on, picking up his sombrero whenever he fell, intent on doing his job as a newsman; the following morning , his report of the ‘Little Rock Nine’ appeared in the Tri-State Defender ;

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SECTARIAN RULE IN DELHI AND BELFAST

SECTARIAN RULE IN DELHI AND BELFAST

It was established Unionist policy to deprive Derry and the North West of economic development since it might possibly provide employment for people opposed to their rule and population growth would imperil the gerrymander operating with impunity in Derry. Unfortunately, and the denial of expansion of Magee University is a notable case, there are still clear signs that the old, Unionist protocols are intact and embedded in the thinking of those with power.

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SCOTLAND AND THE TROUBLES

SCOTLAND AND THE TROUBLES

The intent of BBC Scotland’s programme to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the recent ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland was embedded in the title, ‘The War Next Door’.  At a superficial level, there was an attempt to provide a semblance of balance with the early inclusion of an

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The Politician and the Photographer

The Politician and the Photographer

I watched two TV programmes back-to-back last night, the first on RTE was ‘Thatcher – Ireland and the Iron Lady’, followed by a BBC documentary in the ‘Imagine’ series on photographer, Don McCullin. While the subjects were quite contrasting personalities, the programmes shared common themes – attitudes

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What does TPA stand for?

What does TPA stand for?

    The TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) has received high level coverage on  BBC Scotland today   for its ‘Town Hall Rich List’ . It contends that Scottish councils, and particularly Glasgow, are spending too much on wages.  The Campaign Manager, Robert Oxley, was given a particularly easy time on

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Thatcher

Thatcher

The death of Margaret Thatcher has brought predictable response from political and community groups. The Conservative Party, conscious that its chances of winning the next election are slim and that the late Baroness still commands ardent support among the dedicated faithful and in sections of a right

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