-
Continue reading →: Is Trump’s win a cause for celebration?
Donald Trump's win in the US presidential election tells us something. It's hard to be certain what that something is — apart from the fact that opinion polls, even now exit polls, have an inherent left wing bias. Perhaps because conservative voters now seem to delight in lying to them…
-
Continue reading →: Brexit: it’s just not about the law
A lot of time is being wasted on discussion of the decision this week in the Queens Bench division of the High Court. I have reviewed some of my learned friends' arguments as to why the decision was wrong and they may have a point. I remain supremely indifferent. I…
-
Continue reading →: Of Judges, Politicians, Crown Prerogative and Article 50
My RSS feed makes interesting — and amusing — reading this morning. Both in the mainstream media and the blogosphere, there are many interesting and strident opinions on yesterday's judgement in the Queens Bench Division of the High Court. Most of them are wrong. Britain's Constitution is famously "unwritten" but can be…
-
Continue reading →: We all need to watch “Stranger Things” on Netflix
I have not yet watched the show myself. I base my advice entirely upon this one sentence from James Delingpole's review in the Spectator: "… At no stage do you feel as though the plot or characterisation has been skewed to serve up some empowering message about race or gender…
-
Continue reading →: Comrade Kirk and Commissar Picard
I don't believe I have mentioned it here before, but I have always been a fan of Star Trek. In the course of this year I have been watching the programmes again in sequence. I have discovered something in them that I had never noticed before. Gene Roddenberry, the producers…
-
Continue reading →: Democracy in crisis
Following the current political debates on both sides of the Atlantic is discouraging for those who like to believe (or perhaps delude ourselves) that our opinions are guided by reason. The unpleasant tactics of the US Presidential campaign provide much fuel for cynicism. As someone opposed to the big state…
-
Continue reading →: The modern woman
I like women. I have always had more female than male friends. This, despite the fact that while (pace my late wife's trenchant view to the contrary) men and women can undoubtedly be friends, sex quite often does get in the way*. This also despite my not buying into —…
-
Continue reading →: Is normality now unelectable?
I have never favoured the view that elected officials need be just like us. Ideally, given the scope of the responsibilities of those leading what is regrettably the most powerful and dangerous force in our society, it is desirable that they be unusual. Most importantly they would (unlike most of…
-
Continue reading →: Home again to the post-trip blues
I embarked on the Pont Aven in Santander on Monday afternoon after an uneventful, delightful run from San Sebastian. We sailed at 1515 CET. I have wised up to the idea that there is internet on board. There is, as advertised, but it's OAP broadband; capable of handling the odd email…
-
Continue reading →: Back to Spain
After breakfasting with and then waving my friends off to Toulouse airport in their rather cool little rented FIAT 500 Abarth, I stowed my baggage and hit the road again. Driving conditions were perfect and the roads were clear and dry. The sun shone, but it was not too warm.…
THE LAST DITCH
Your blogger
Tom is a retired international lawyer. He was a partner in a City of London law firm and spent almost twenty years abroad serving clients from all over the world.
Returning to London on retirement in 2011, he was dismayed to discover how much liberty had been lost in the UK while he was away.
He’s a classical liberal (libertarian, if you must) who, like his illustrious namesake, considers that
“…government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one.”
Socials
Subscribe
Receive content by email
Latest comments
They are servants. Just not of the public. He gets a full pension because he did his job for his…
One can only hope his neighbours, fellow lodge members (?) etc give him the cold shoulder.
The problem is that they already know about the blog and some read it. Why is that an issue? If…
Conversationally, I already operate on NATO “no first strike” principles. I am not going to start a political discussion with…
ARCHIVES
Blogspot Archive Mar 2005 – Sep 2006
TypePad/WordPress Archives Sep 2006 – date
The Great American Road Trip of 2013
The Great American Road Trip Posts
First post (in case you want to read it from the beginning)
The Last Ditch by Tom Paine 
[…] – Tom Paine […]