By Steve Parkhurst, Senior Editor, USDR.
Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.
4-16-17
Confused by Emmanuel Macron’s beliefs? So is he
Some people in Britain may be somewhat confused by Emmanuel Macron, leading candidate in the French presidential election, now just days away from the first round of voting. Who is he? What does he stand for?
4-15-17
As Jeremy Corbyn plots to cement the hard Left’s control, Labour’s appeal is going down the pan
Well done Jeremy Corbyn. You’ve managed to announce a couple of policies over the last week without anything going disastrously wrong.
It’s time America explored how to end the multiple wars it has helped cause since 2001, rather than dropping more bombs
Moan about Trump all you like, but his approach to Syria was always much more realistic than Hillary Clinton’s. ‘You are fighting Syria, Syria is fighting Isis, and you have to get rid of Isis,’ he said during his election campaign. ‘Now we’re backing rebels against Syria, and we have no idea who these people are’
North Korea: New missiles centre of huge parade as Kim Jong-un aide threatens ‘annihilating’ nuclear strike
Thousands of soldiers and civilians watch weapons paraded through Pyongyang as threats continue
The Palace of Westminster
I was one of the MPs who needed persuading that the Houses of Parliament needs a thorough overhaul and refit such that we need to move out for several years and spend many billions of pounds on the buildings.
4-14-17
Greening sets sail into the choppy waters of new grammar schools
The Education Secretary must navigate skilfully to get the proposals safely to port.
Greece’s economic agony will go on and on
The Greeks are unable to reconcile their sense of entitlement with economic reality
The Good Friday sacrifice shows us what we, too, are capable of
Today is Good Friday, when Jesus died on the cross. Why is that good? Because he accepted it. Even though Jesus articulates human anguish (“Why have you forsaken me?”) and conflict (“If it be your will, let this cup pass from me.”), he willingly suffers the greatest pain and the deepest humiliation in order that mankind can see death conquered and find a path to salvation. It was a sacrifice.
4-13-17
Don’t let the revisionists steal history
Sean Spicer’s Hitler gaffe was stupid but it was not as invidious as the ideas supported by Ken Livingstone and Marine Le Pen
Hammond and May must not allow Labour to scare them off unpicking the pension triple lock
The Opposition’s promise to extend the policy is opportunistic, expensive, and unjust. The Conservatives must do what is necessary and right.
Taxing whilst promoting growth
Most people’s definition of the rich is someone better off than themselves. The millionaire feels poor in the company of billionaires.
The marginalisation of Steve Bannon may be a sign that sanity is returning to Washington
When Donald Trump swept into the White House he promised to marginalise the hated Washington political establishment. In the early weeks of his administration, it looked as if he would be true to his word. Chaos ensued.
Profile: The rules of war
International humanitarian law may be imperfect, but it can ameliorate some of the worst horrors of armed conflict – such as the Khan Sheikhoun gas attack.
4-12-17
No, Russia didn’t deliver Brexit – the will of the people cannot be hacked
Don’t like the way a vote has turned out? Just blame it on the Russians. It’s all the rage these days
‘Less climate concern’ key to Brexit trade
Government papers reveal plan to tone down stance on environment in bid to win deals with Latin America and Africa
Who are the rich?
If we are going to develop a better approach to taxing the better off, we first have to decide who is better off. One of the most difficult issues which tax policy has to face is the relationship between capital assets and income. How do we feel about people who are asset rich but income poor, or people who are income rich but capital poor?
Government given 21 days to explain climate change failures or face legal action
Exclusive: Environmental lawyers at campaign group ClientEarth set deadline amid concern over repeated delays to publication of Government’s key plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
4-11-17
Trump may have been right to bomb Syria, but that doesn’t make Theresa May’s decision to back him any simpler
To appear to be at Trump’s side whatever the cost is the sort of bet-the-house gamble that leaves punters peeping at the finish post through the gaps in their fingers
Is the Bank of England a Libor-manipulating villain?
The BBC made much this week of a recording, from 2008, of one Barclays manager instructing another to submit artificially low rates into the daily interbank Libor fixing because ‘we’ve had some very serious pressure from the UK government and the Bank of England about pushing our Libors lower’. How shocking is that?
I’ve voted for military action in Syria before – and am ready to do so again if necessary
A consequence of Brexit is a danger that the UK ends up having less influence on EU member states over such responses – or sanctions against Russia.
There is a war on Christianity. The West must stop being scared to say so
We live in an age of martyrs. Also, an age of wilful ignorance. When Christians are killed for being Christians, politicians overlook it and public interest fades. Those few of us in the West who still go to church don’t realise how lucky we are. Others are dying for the right to do that.
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Across The Pond is edited daily by Steve Parkhurst. Steve is a political consultant, a writer at his blog as well as a Senior Editor here at US Daily Review. Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveParkhurst
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