Published by The Independent (12th January, 2015) Just over four years ago in the United States there was a firestorm of protest over the suggestion a prominent quarterback […]
Health / Policy / Politics
Can we face the truth about the NHS?
Published by The Independent (5th January, 2015) Books about brain surgery are not usually best-sellers. But when the newspapers did their annual Christmas round-ups for readers, I noticed […]
Immigration / Policy / Politics
Politicians blame immigrants for their own mistakes
Published by The Independent (15th December, 2014) Myths and mantras are swirling around the increasingly-toxic immigration debate as mainstream parties flounder in the face of Ukip’s insurgency. These […]
Politics
A glimpse of grass-roots politics with lessons for all main parties
Published in The Independent (1st December, 2014) A successful politician once told me that when receiving invitations to events, he always imagines it is being held that day […]
Europe / European Union / Politics
How the Tories are helping Ukip
Published by The Independent (17th November, 2014) First Clacton, now Rochester – the unlikely landmarks of British political history as Ukip takes one more step on to Tory terrain […]
Politics
Miliband has failed to follow the first rule of opposition
Published by The Independent (10th November, 2014) There is a certain choreography parties perform when a leader is in trouble. First they deny any divisions even as rumbling concerns […]
Africa / Aid / Liberia
The aid industry endorses human rights abuses, fuels corruption and missed the Ebola crisis
Published by The Independent (3rd November, 2014) First came a report revealing terrible human rights abuses from a repressive regime backed by huge sums of British aid. A […]
Africa / Aid / Liberia
Our shameful response to the ebola crisis
Published by The Independent (20th October, 2014) I relaxed again this weekend. It was 21 days since I returned from Liberia to report on the human tragedy of […]
Politics
We’re heading for a crisis whoever wins the election
Published by The Independent (6th October, 2014) There is something absurd about the Liberal Democrat conference, with all those attacks on their partners in government over the past four […]
Africa / Liberia
A lethal epidemic and a lethargic global response
Published by The Independent (4th October, 2014) Augustin was agitated and scared. After weeks spent hiding in his house with his wife and children, he had left the […]
Iraq / Syria / World
The deepening dilemma over hostages
Published by The Independent (September 15th, 2014) The fact that it was almost expected does not make it any less hideous. David Haines, a good man who went […]