WMDs in slow motion
The scuppering of small arms controls

This morning, the Sun proclaimed:

“The problem for society is to catch children BEFORE they go wrong.”

Of course, it is normally dangerous to argue with the Sun, lest one be branded a terrorising, judge-loving, paedophile. But it’s important to be aware of how accurately their thoughts will be reflecting vast swathes of the nation. But then, once I realise this, I plunge into despair as, yet again, the country descends into paranoid fervour: and this time about an item of clothing no less. Read More

Walking around the Tate Modern, it is impossible to avoid overhearing the disparaging comments made by the exhibition hall’s many detractors. It can seem that, other than the parties of art students with their activity sheets, the obligatory oldies and the token bearded woman, everyone is there to mock the works and wish unfriendly things upon the artists. Read More

Sort of; though, for what it’s worth, he does not appear to have committed any great crime over the Dome. Nor did he commit any great crime with his secretary; nor did he commit any great crime by playing croquet.
Read More

A quick update on the Sharpener Completely Unofficial World Cup Competition. Sadly, only four of you are matching or beating the House (me). Read More

Israel’s Gaza assault: the real motives
Realpolitik and the Strip

Give Us Our 7/7 Inquiry

Tories plan English-only votes
Politicking Hadrian’s Wall

Britblog Roundup #72

Today’s Guardian Review features the winning entry in this year’s Ben Pimlott Prize for Political Writing, which asked people with too much time on their hands to write 3,000 words or so under the title: “Who do you think you are: Can history help us define British identity today, or is it part of the problem?”. The winning entry is, by virtue of being judged worthy by the funless Fabians, dreary toss and won because it went on about 7/7. So I suggest you read my exquisite failure instead… Read More