The importance of framing

In the lead-up to the 2010 UK general election, many civil libertarians of my acquaintance (not solely Screaming Loony Privatise The Army Libertarians, but people of all economic stripes who believe that broadly, trials are a good thing and torture is a bad thing) were suggesting that for all a putative Tory government's likely failings, … Continue reading The importance of framing

Sacking people is easy to do

Just a quick one on the incompetent Mr Beecroft's attempt to take labour relations back to the 1830s... noting that in private sector workplaces in England & Wales without union recognition agreements, all of the following are the case: There are straightforward processes available to sack lazy/incompetent workers which, if you follow them correctly, take … Continue reading Sacking people is easy to do

Deeply odd UK usage

While we're still on UK-nomenclature, this article (written by an American for a British-based international magazine) has one of the oddest phrasings I've seen in a while: The An-124 will likely be a rare sight in Kinston as Spirit plans to typically deliver its fuselage panels by boat to France, while its wing spars, also … Continue reading Deeply odd UK usage

It’s another exciting British constitutional history post. Hurrah!

Just because people seem confused on all this (for some reason). Before 1535, England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland were legally separate countries. Following the English conquest of Ireland in the 12th century and of Wales in the 13th, England, Ireland and Wales had a single ruler, who was styled King of England and Lord of … Continue reading It’s another exciting British constitutional history post. Hurrah!

The American race narrative is unique and irrelevant

In Anglophone countries, we tend to view race through a US prism. The recent Teacupgate saga that black (meaning black, not BME) students are underrepresented at Oxbridge is a good example. In the UK, and every other majority-white country except the US, black people are just another immigrant group - they're people who've mostly come … Continue reading The American race narrative is unique and irrelevant