The knights who say NI
Sunday National, 5th September 2021. Magicians call it misdirection. Pickpockets too. Keep your audience’s attention fixed on what your right hand is doing, and they won’t notice the left one, slipping into their handbag. Income tax policy in the UK follows the same logic. These days, the main function of income tax bands is to … Continue reading The knights who say NI
Opposition oxygen
Sunday National, 29th August 2021. I hope you like your gammon well-smoked, because the angry men of Scottish unionism have been at a vigorous boil all week. Triggered by the cooperation agreement between the SNP and Greens, the men of letters and political hacks have been falling over themselves to make the direst prophecy about … Continue reading Opposition oxygen
Come friendly bombs…
Sunday National, 22nd August 2021. I’m a child of the “war of terror.” I was 14 years old when I came home from school to see the Twin Towers falling, and 15 when American and British troops first landed in Afghanistan. At sixteen, I watched the “coalition of the willing” invade Iraq, with President George … Continue reading Come friendly bombs…
