Published by UnHerd (14th August, 2020) Last week, I was in Sweden, investigating whether the nation’s strategy to avoid lockdown during a pandemic has been a success or […]
Covid19 / Europe / Health / Policy / Social care / Spain
We need to care for the carers
Published by The i paper (6th April, 2020) With cruel inevitability, coronavirus is ripping its deadly course through care homes. Thirteen residents in Burlington Court, a Glasgow unit […]
Covid19 / Disability / Health / Policy
The doctor’s dilemma
Published by The i paper (30th March, 2020) The death toll rises each day with the grim predictability of an exponential curve. Medical chiefs say we will do […]
Europe / Spain
Six Spanish steps towards political paralysis
Published by UnHerd (12th November, 2019) Poor old Spain. Four elections in four years — and for what? The government moved General Franco from his gloomy mausoleum near […]
Politics
The Tory tragedy may grow deeper
Published by The i paper (3rd June, 2019) Matt Hancock loves to talk about technology. He has used a little knowledge on the subject to go a very […]
Europe / Politics / Spain
New politics soon turns into old politics
Published by The i paper (29th April, 2019) Five years ago, a new force arrived in Spanish politics. Podemos emerged from massive anti-austerity protests in a nation badly […]
Europe / Spain
How plans to dig up Franco’s body fuelled a far-right surge in Spain
Published by The Mail on Sunday (28th April, 2019) It seems strange to find a massive monument to fascism in one of Europe’s leading democracies. But travel less than […]
Europe / Spain
How do you solve the Catalan problem?
Published by The iPaper (30th October, 2017) Every day, the streets of Barcelona seem filled with flags. They are unfurled and flown, waved and worn, amid the splendour […]
Europe / Spain
What are they going to do: kill all of us?
Published by The Mail on Sunday (29th October, 2017) Catalonia’s sacked president Carles Puigdemont has vowed to resist the Spanish government’s attempts to snatch control of his region […]
Europe / Spain
Catalonian separatists and Brexiteers share self-defeating stupidity
Published by UnHerd (11th October, 2017) Spain celebrates its national day tomorrow. This is rather unfortunate timing for the annual fiesta of flag-waving and military parading given that […]
Europe / Spain
Great white tide to halt chaos
Published by The Mail on Sunday (8th October, 2017) They came in their thousands wearing white, releasing balloons and begging their leaders to start peace talks to prevent […]
Health / Policy
NHS privatisation fears? Grow up
Published in The Guardian (December 21, 2012) Nearly one in five patients having hip replacements and hernia repairs are handled by private companies, thanks to reforms introduced by the […]