All commentaries

Reflections on a World Turned Upside Down

Philip Smith shares his thoughts on how London is coping with the Lockdown and what permanent changes it will bring.
by Philip Smith - 28 April 2020
China must not be given a Free Pass by Post-Pandemic Britain

Jack Rydeheard argues that post-pandemic Britain must fundamentally change its stance on China.
by Jack Rydeheard - 28 April 2020
COVID-19 is killing the EU. This patient may not recover

People are fed up, and angry. They have been told for decades that the future lies in "Europe". Every single day of this awful pandemic proves that "Europe" is nowhere, and they can only rely on the nation state. Support for the EU in Italy has dropped 20 percentage points, and is barely above 50%. There's a storm brewing in Europe, and we'd better be ready for it
by Tim Hedges - 16 April 2020
Hysteria at Sweden's successful COVID strategy is irresponsible, and silly

The terribly inconvenient truth is that Sweden has not suffered relative to most by adopting the kind of "lax" policies that many European countries, without daring to admit it, are now starting to emulate. We need to drop the anti-Swedish hysteria, and the ridiculous national stereotypes about COVID-19 while we're at it
by the commentator - 14 April 2020
Criticism shifts from Sweden to Austria as exits from lockdowns begin

As Austria prepares to implement a phased withdrawal from its COVID-19 lockdown next Tuesday, and Sweden continues with the laxest lockdown in Europe, others look on in envy, fear, and not a little loathing
by the commentator - 9 April 2020
Out of the EU, Britain must adapt strategy for business

Out of the EU, we must be a forward-thinking and ‘Global Britain’. However, post-COVID-19, this must go hand in hand with a redevelopment of our own manufacturing, and a boost to domestic innovation
by Joshua Mackenzie-Lawrie - 9 April 2020
A marketplace for ideas.

Senior Academic, Dr. Sean Gabb argues that the coronavirus has pressed fast-forward on developments in Higher Education which will make the marketplace of ideas exist within the real marketplace. This will make education increasingly student centric and allow for a greater diversity of ideas to replace the current groupthink which dominates in our universities.
by Dr. Sean Gabb - 8 April 2020
Let's be Optimistic!

Adam Honeysett-Watts writes the kind of opinion piece we all need right now!
by Adam Honeysett-Watts - 8 April 2020
COVID-19 shows how and why the EU is doomed

When faced with the COVID-19 crisis, once again it becomes clear that the core political allegiance in Europe is to the nation state, not the EU. Yet the entire European project is founded on the idea that it is (or at least, is becoming) the other way around. Ultimately, the centre cannot, and will not, hold
by Tim Hedges - 7 April 2020
The European "empire" is on the brink of collapse

Almost instantly, the EU's much vaunted "solidarity" evaporated, and it has now turned into a free-for-all with countries makiing their own decisions on everything from border controls to relations with China. This is how "empires" collapse. But wait, right on cue, Labour has just elected a new leader who refused to respect the 2016 referendum...
by Joshua Mackenzie-Lawrie - 3 April 2020
Prepare for the mother of all s**t storms if Sweden pulls this off

If Sweden, which has not locked down its economy and society, emerges with a death toll from COVID-19 that is somewhere in the middle of the pack of European countries, there is going to be a lot of recrimination, particularly against those who have tried to silence any discussion about the true extent of the threat that COVID-19 actually poses
by the commentator - 3 April 2020
Food for thought on "peaked" European COVID deaths

Given there is a "long" lead time (two to three weeks or more, it seems) between contracting the virus and dying from it, the peak and then the beginnings of the decline in the daily new death rates, arguably, may take place before the severe lockdowns could have had an effect. This is a public policy debate that will run and run
by the commentator - 30 March 2020
German economic stresses and the Brexit negotiations

Even before COVID-19, the Eurozone was on the brink of recession. Now that recession is certain, and Germany will be called on to pick up the bill, Berlin may yet be a force for getting the EU to see sense and forge a free trade deal with Britain. If not, it is the EU, and Germany, that will pay the biggest price
by Joshua Mackenzie-Lawrie - 27 March 2020
Napoleon, and doing as we are told under COVID-19

The massive extension of the power of the state under COVID-19 has exposed some deep historical differences between Britain and Europe. How does your Napoleon complex look today?
by Tim Hedges - 26 March 2020
China air traffic data suggests we could beat COVID-19 by June

Data shows that Chinese air traffic could be heading back to normal by April. If that is a lead indicator of the progression of COVID-19 and its impact on society, the US and Britain may be over the worst of this by June
by the commentator - 21 March 2020