This op.ed. by William Hague in the Telegraph is a recommended read. I fully occur. The polarization of political opinion and distance from voters is a threat to both democracy and the UK’s strategic interests. An election is the best solution in a difficult situation. It’s time for politicians to renew their mandate from the people. An early election will be a challenge for all political parties but it is the right democratic solution?
Thoughts?
As a contrast to the increasingly jingoistic British Right-Wing media, it’s interesting to reflect on the following op.ed. article published in the Irish Independent. The author, Dan O’Brian is Chief Economist at the Institute of International and European Affairs, a columnist with Independent newspapers and senior fellow at University College Dublin.
Not being a historian, I am unable to challenge the factual representation in the article but it is well researched and argued. It’s powerful and well written, providing snippets of key events in British history going back to the Hundred Year War and tries to distill a common theme. Of course historians would perhaps take exception based on a different world-views or question the methodology. Notwithstanding these caveats, I was very surprised by the strength of the conclusion – it really is relevant and probably generalizable. Read it for yourself and share your own opinions. A friend in Dublin brought the article to my attention and I thank him.
At the moment, the British media is in a frenzy and pumping out highly biassed viewpoints, with newspaper owners and editors looking to be on the winning side.
Yesterday, I critiqued an excellent article from the editor of the Spectator: Opinion – Battle begins – the Spectator – Fraser Nelson
My personal conclusion remains gloomy. History reminds us that when the jingoism subsides, there is often much blood and tears before victory or defeat.
Opinion?
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