Published by The Spectator Coffee House (12th October, 2015) Many people were surprised when David Cameron placed prison reform at the heart of his party conference speech last […]
Crime / Policy / Politics / United States / World
Could the Tories’ decade in power really be defined by prison reform?
Published by The Independent (12th October, 2015) Shortly after the Conservatives won their unexpected victory in the general election, I asked a Downing Street aide what he thought […]
Crime / Policy / Politics / United States / World
Has a Texan gangster persuaded Gove to reform our jails?
Published by The Mail on Sunday (13th October, 2015) Alfred Adams admits that he was a menace to society: a cocaine-addicted gangster who did anything to feed his […]
Economics / Politics / United States / World
Forget the stereotypes – Britain could learn a lot from Texas
Published by The Independent (28th September, 2015) Texas has always divided opinions. It prides itself on being the best, brashest and most bloody-minded slice of America, a cowboy […]
United States / World
A broken system, angry electorate and uncertain future
Published by The Independent (21st September, 2015) I met Christopher last week in a café in central Texas, a smart young man with unfulfilled ambitions. ‘I’m basically a […]
Technology / United States / World
Social media and a very modern murder
Published by The Daily Telegraph (28th August, 2015) The images are calculated, chilling and instantly iconic. They open with a young woman television reporter chatting about tourism with […]
Politics / United States / World
Brothers in arms – but Bush and Blair take divergent paths now
Published by The Independent (9th June, 2015) When he left the White House in early 2009 and headed back to Dallas, few people were sad to see George […]
Crime / Policy / Politics / United States / World
Could Michael Gove become a liberal hero by reforming prisons?
Published by The Guardian (20th May, 2015) The appointment of Michael Gove as justice secretary was among the more interesting appointments in David Cameron’s first all-Conservative cabinet. Attention […]
United States / World
The Democrats could do better than another Clinton
Published by The Independent (13th April, 2015) It is not exactly surprising, but Hillary Clinton has confirmed what everyone already knew: she wants to be president of the United States. […]
Africa / Aid / United States / World
When will our politicians realise Africa has changed?
Published by The Independent (4th August, 2014) The dominant headlines out of Africa are as depressing as always in the Western media: a terrifying disease on the rampage, […]
Arts / Books / China / United States / World
Sunny side up
Published in The Observer (February 23rd 2014) The Upside of Down by Charles Kenny (Basic Books) During the last United States presidential election, the then-rising Republican star Chris […]
Crime / Policy / United States / World
The tough-on-crime Texan judge closing down jails
Published in The Observer (September 30th, 2012) The motley gaggle of miscreants shuffles into the court, lining up silently in three rows on the benches. There are some […]