by Paul Goodman The three main security threats in Britain are posed by Islamist, Irish republican and neo-nazi terrorists, in that order – or so the security services indicate. Violent Irish republicans have no electoral base in the UK. (Let's leave aside for the moment their tortuous and bitter relationship with that former violent Irish […]
A self-perpetuating cycle is at work in our understanding of events in the Middle East. Most revolutions tend to be led at the start by liberals: consider those of France, Russia and Iran. Tunisia and Egypt have followed the same pattern. The west's cameras and writers rush there – the John Simpsons and George Aligiahs […]
by Paul Goodman The sum of Adeela Shafi's article on this site today is that the Times's recent reporting of the sexual exploitation of young girls by Pakistani gangs has been irresponsible. She writes: "I am also thinking ‘Here we go again. The Muslim tag applied yet again and somehow people will bring it back […]
by Paul Goodman For three reasons – Fine Gael's leadership, TDs and members haven't thought of trying (in most cases). The most dramatic feature of Ireland's election was the voters' repudiation of Fianna Fail. They'd rage if Fine Gael let them back into government though the back door. Ireland's electoral politics are shaped by the […]