-
Jan 10, 2025 | 
eastangliabylines.co.uk | Peter Thurlow
In a previous life, this writer worked on many cases of child sex abuse. The task was to be a media minder for the ‘survivors’ when they brought their accusations to court. (They should never be called ‘victims’. They hate it.) The role was to provide muscle, with the help of Section 10 of the Sexual Offences Act, which forbids breaking a plaintiff’s anonymity, when the case was in public view.
-
Nov 21, 2024 | 
eastangliabylines.co.uk | Peter Thurlow
A ship which caused controversy and alarm by putting into Great Yarmouth harbour with a cargo of thousands of tons of potentially explosive fertiliser has now caused further anger by discharging part of it offshore. The Russian ship MV Ruby first grabbed the news headlines earlier this month. It had incurred damage by running aground in bad weather, but had been refused entry into Lithuania, Denmark and Norway.
-
Nov 20, 2024 | 
eastangliabylines.co.uk | Peter Thurlow
King Edmund is a shadowy figure, but his reputation after his death was to hold sway over medieval England in the centuries to follow. Kate Viscardi has explained his background, but rumours of his powers after death were enough to alarm kings and raise the abbey named after him to become one of the greatest Christian sites in Europe. His prowess as a worker of miracles and as a terrifying warrior from beyond the grave began with Edward the Confessor, who revered the martyred Edmund.
-
Nov 13, 2024 | 
eastangliabylines.co.uk | Peter Thurlow
In the previous part of our series on political activism, we acknowledged how difficult it can be to persuade your colleagues to leave your comfort zone. This is perhaps the most difficult stage. You may have people who are prepared to write to their MPs or join a march in London, but that’s going to be well within most people’s comfort zone. Confronting a local MP or councillor directly can be much more challenging for some.
-
Nov 8, 2024 | 
eastangliabylines.co.uk | Peter Thurlow
“I have witnessed the most terrible defeat of reason,” wrote Stefan Zweig in his memoir ‘The World of Yesterday’. He was writing in 1940, comparing the horrifying growth of Nazism and the beginning of the war with his memories of growing up in the comfort and cultured reassurance of belle epoque Vienna.
-
Oct 31, 2024 | 
eastangliabylines.co.uk | Peter Thurlow |Aidan Baker |Anna Damski |Elana Katz
The Budget is the great political confrontation of the year, when MPs crowd the chamber and the great beasts of the Conservatives and Labour lock horns across the despatch box. Though it is an axiom of all budgets, it seems that the nature of what is proposed is not fully realised till a couple of days later. It is only when the smoke and musket fire have gone that those who pore over the figures fully understand what is going on.
-
Oct 18, 2024 | 
eastangliabylines.co.uk | Peter Thurlow
In this series on political activism, so far, we’ve looked at the things you shouldn’t do, the long road to gaining influence, and the importance of controlling the narrative. In this instalment, we look in more detail at our target audiences, those we need to influence. Though we are all probably nice law-abiding citizens, who wouldn’t dream of stooping to violence, that shouldn’t be confused with remaining ineffectual.
-
Oct 13, 2024 | 
eastangliabylines.co.uk | Peter Thurlow
A few weeks ago, there came the revelation that Robert Jenrick had an unrecorded meeting with Rupert Murdoch, which in the eyes of the more conspiracy-minded observers suggested the Dirty Digger was lining up a second protégé for the either/or last two leadership candidates to put before the members. (He had already had a secret unminuted and off-diary meeting with Kemi Badenoch in New York.) Badenoch and Jenrick.
-
Oct 9, 2024 | 
eastangliabylines.co.uk | Peter Thurlow
This is the third article in our series on political activism. The first instalment looked at various ways in which activists seek to influence politics. In the second instalment, we discussed the importance of having a plan, and of starting local. Now we look at finding support and understanding narrative. Most people say they aren’t interested in politics. They recognize the prime minister and one or two colourful ministers, and perhaps the leader of the opposition. That’s about it.
-
Oct 3, 2024 | 
eastangliabylines.co.uk | Peter Thurlow
In the first part of this occasional series we asked: “You’re frustrated by politics and you want to do something. But what?” I dismissed ruthlessly – too ruthlessly, according to my colleagues – all those tried and tested attempts at political activism. So, in the second part, we start working towards the nitty-gritty. Where do we start? Politics is about changing people’s minds.
