London Cabbie cycling to Paris for Stroke charity
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor London taxi driver swaps his cab for two wheels, to tackle the London to Paris Bike Ride for the Stroke Association Hornchurch resident John Clark,54 is getting ready to cycle 234 miles, over five days, through two countries, as he takes on the London to Paris Bike Ride to raise vital funds for the Stroke Association. John, a London cab driver, will be swapping his cab for his bike in September as he cycles...
Optimism about immigration?
By Marcus Hunt There are potentially many reasons why an individual might be pro- or anti-immigration. Beliefs about immigration’s concrete effect on the economy, crime, or public services like health and education can be important. However, most people who take a strong view on immigration – and here I include myself – are not well educated about its actual empirical effects. Even if they tried to educate themselves, they would find a whirl of contradictory socio-economic evidence emanating from...
The death penalty rises
By Guy Dorrell @GuyDorrellEsq This week’s reshuffle gained a huge amount of media and airtime, as it was surely meant to, and coincidentally prevented much coverage of the on-going investigation of paedophilia among the establishment and also prevented proper scrutiny of the DRIP intelligence intercepts legislation. It was cast as a triumph for women in the Cabinet, though in reality there was an increase of a sole post going to a woman over that which we had back in 2010....
Children and Airline Passengers . . . Where Next?
By J T Coombes @GMagnaCarta There was a time, not many decades ago, when warfare was defined by the combatants wearing uniforms to identify who they were and also to separate them from the civilian population and other non-combatants. Within this arena there were also codes of practice on how the actual war was conducted, including an ‘etiquette’ for dealing with the wounded and captured prisoners. We have moved a long way from these ‘Marquis of Queensbury rules’ as...
John “the undertaker” Alder & Liam Sweeney – A tribute
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor As a lifelong Newcastle United fan who has watched them home and away hundreds of times, I was deeply saddened by the deaths of eternally loyal Newcastle supporters, John "the undertaker" Alder & Liam Sweeney. I can’t say I knew them, I might have drank with them once, as any Newcastle fan will know drinking and the football go hand-in-hand. Things can get a bit blurry. But in a sea of black and white...
BRICS Bank versus the IMF: a zero-sum-game?
By Elsa Buchanan After a decade of anti-Western discourses, the world’s emerging economies have finally launched a pair of financial institutions they hope will challenge their pet hates, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF). Built on shared complaints and challenges, the new ‘mini IMF and World Bank’ has been billed as a historic challenge to the global financial order that has been dominated by the US and Western Europe since the 1944 inception of the IMF. But are...
Academic applauds CMA’s decision to investigate banks
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor A senior academic has shown his approval of the CMA’s decision to investigate High Street banks over a lack of competition. The big four High Street banks, which provide 77 per cent of current accounts and 85 per cent of business lending, may ultimately be forced to divest businesses and allow new competitors. Dr Steve McCabe, economist, lecturer and active researcher from Birmingham City University’s Business School, said: “Learning that the Competition and Markets...
I put Olive Oil on my cereal & my face
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Actor and Olive Oil Expert, Felipe Mattei, has the curious habit of adding olive oil not only to his salads, but also to desserts, cereal and even to his face! He claims that using olive oil “inside out” is not only pleasurable and healthy but also a way to look better. The notion of pouring olive oil over your breakfast may sound strange; however Felipe argues that olive oil is a much tastier and healthier...
Still struggling for freedom – LGBT equality in India
By Pallav Patankar Many LGBT people in India grow up without understanding their sexuality and feeling dirty about it because they’re surrounded by homophobia. Most delay addressing their sexuality which causes problems later. Once you’re in your mid-twenties you have to get married. In Indian society your social status is determined by your marital status. You have to be married with children in order to be accepted. If you’re coming out to your parents, sometimes those issues aren’t very well...