Will we revoke Article 50?

I have hitherto shied away from commenting on the Brexit farrago.  This is because things change so quickly and unpredictably that anything one writes is likely to be quickly overtaken by events.  However, having just watched John McDonnell on the Marr programme, I will venture an opinion.

The unmentionable issue: population

I hold out little hope that the world's leaders and governments will do enough soon enough to avert a global catastrophe of climate change, rising sea levels, desertification, pollution, exhaustion of resources, famine, uncontrolled mass migration and war.  So I am glad I shall not live long enough to see this disaster unfold.

Even so, I was dismayed and disappointed to find that the recent report of the IPCC panel made no mention of the underlying problem of overpopulation.

Why nationalism is evil

In correspondence with a friend I recently referred to the Scottish National Party (SNP) as “evil”.  While not disagreeing, my friend asked me why I had used that word.  This was my response:

How to reform English schools

It is pleasing that St Olave’s Grammar School in Orpington has backed down in the face of legal action and has allowed pupils threatened with exclusion to complete their A-level studies (see footnote 1). However, the incident is really a symptom of the terrible mess that successive Conservative, New Labour and Coalition governments have made of education since 1979.

Still no clarity from Starmer

I tuned in to Andrew Marr’s programme last Sunday hoping to get some clarity on Labour’s position on Brexit – but no such luck.  To make matters worse Sir Keith has made a pig’s ear of the Opposition Day debate, which has only succeeded in confirming the Government timetable, resulting in  headlines such as “Parliament endorses Brexit”.

Labour SHOULD demand a second referendum

It pains me to say this, but the LibDems have got a better (and clearer) policy on Brexit than the Labour Party.

The LibDem leader has reiterated that his Party (all 8 of them) will vote against Article 50 unless the expected legislation is subject to a second referendum on the terms of Brexit.  Presumably he is assuming that the Supreme Court will dismiss the Government’s appeal, and that, if a second referendum goes against the terms, the Article 50 Notice can be withdrawn before it finally takes effect.  Lawyers disagree amongst themselves on this, but Article 50 doesn’t say that it can’t be revoked, and the normal rule is that what is not forbidden is permitted. So Mr Farron’s assumption is probably correct.

By contrast, the Labour Party is in a muddle on the issue - with different spokespersons saying contradictory things and the official front bench shadow minister (Keir Starmer) failing to clear up the confusion.

Portsmouth Labour Party’s AGM elections

It is very good that candidates for posts in Portsmouth LP are putting their statements on the Party’s Facebook discussion forum.  However, not all candidates are on Facebook, nor are all members in the discussion forum, so although this initiative is very welcome, it is a poor substitute for a properly organised electoral process.  What really ought to happen is that the EC should circulate to all members copies of the candidates’ CVs and personal statements.