Matthew Carr's Blog, page 56

Immigration: Labour Wades into the Gutter

Within two days of the toxic Ukip eruptions in Manchester and Clacton, Ed Miliband has penned a piece in the Observer on how Labour will attempt to stop them spreading.   Miliband’s op ed was probably written before the election results, … Continue reading →

Ukip Without Ukip

So the great defector Douglas Carswell took his majority with him over to Ukip yesterday, trashing his Tory rival and adding a few thousand more votes into the bargain.  Less predictably, Ukip came within 700 votes of taking away a … Continue reading →

The Guardian’s war-lite

When the British liberal press supports the UK’s wars, it generally does so from a very different perspective to the tabloid press.  Unlike the Sun, say, it doesn’t make little jokes about drones or entertain its readers with bloodthirsty ‘gotcha’ … Continue reading →

Kobane: Chronicle of a Defeat Foretold

Despite heroic and desperate resistance from Kurdish Peoples Defence fighters (YPG) in Kobane, it is now looking increasingly likely that this key Syrian border town will fall to ISIS.  It that happens, Islamic State will be able to unite the … Continue reading →

2014: A Record Year for Europe’s Deadly Borders

At the end of this month I’m going to Equador to lead a walking group.   In order to enter the country all I need to do is buy a plane ticket and arrive in Quito.   I don’t need a visa … Continue reading →

The Persecution of Moazzam Begg

The collapse of the trial of Moazzam Begg is a cause for celebration for Begg and his family, and for all those who have insisted on his innocence for the last seven months.  But this outcome also raises disturbing questions … Continue reading →

George Osborne’s Future

I was surprised to hear George Osborne inviting his party and the nation to ‘choose the future’ yesterday.   It isn’t just because Trainspotting isn’t the most obvious text for a chancellor to refer to when making a major policy … Continue reading →

Through a Glass Bleakly: Cronenberg’s Maps to the Stars

I don’t watch many David Cronenberg movies.  This isn’t because I don’t think he’s good.  On the contrary,  it’s been obvious for many years that he is a  brilliant director with one of the most original and disturbing imaginations in … Continue reading →

ISIS: the Game of Thrones continues

I have long since despaired of the ability or willingness of the mainstream media to give a full and in depth analysis of almost anything, but foreign policy in particular.   With the exception of a few writers, I rely … Continue reading →

Lord Snooty’s Eton Rifles

By the time you get home from work today, parliament will have authorised the RAF to begin carrying out airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq.   It’s a campaign without any coherent strategic objectives or timescale.  It may last for … Continue reading →