More controversy over Tory friend Kaminski

First published 18 October 2009

A story reported in today’s Observer reveals that information on the far-right history of Michal Kaminski – the man who is leading Conservatives in Europe – had been deleted from wikipedia from within the House of Commons.

The report mentions that the edit took place three days after the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) was founded. (continue)

On Cornel West

First published 16 October 2009

“You know, you already sent 21,000 troops. You might send 65,000 troops. That’s not a Peace Prize-acting activity.”

That’s what the lifelong civil rights activist and cautious Obama supporter, Dr Cornel West, had to say about the president’s surprise reception of the Nobel Peace Prize whilst promoting his new memoir this week.

Cornel Ronald West was born June 2nd 1953 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was in his teenage years when his activism started to develop, caught up in the middle of civil rights demonstrations which he participated in and helped to organise. His Harvard years would see him being taught by the libertarian influenced Robert Nozick, most famous for his work on epistemology and his contribution to the brain-in-a-vat thought experiment. His militancy also started here, pushing for his political agendas to be met by the education hierarchies and creating a platform for his own “African, Christian and de-colonized outlooks.”(Continue)

Review of Milbank/Žižek The Monstrosity of Christ: Paradox or Dialectic?

First published September/October 2009

Some of the most memorable debates have occurred at a point when the subject

in hand is at a crossroads or crisis. Take for example the event that took place on

30 June 1860 with Darwin’s bulldog Thomas Huxley and Bishop Samuel

Wilberforce (as well as Benjamin Brodie, Joseph Dalton Hooker and Robert

FitzRoy). “Was it through his grandfather or his grandmother that he claimed his

descent from a monkey”, quipped Wilberforce, though in vain since time and

evidence have shown that the theory of evolution has (rightly) displaced the

image of man from the centre of the earth to a decentred component of the

animal kingdom.

Some of the most memorable debates have occurred at a point when the subject in hand is at a crossroads or crisis. Take for example the event that took place on 30 June 1860 with Darwin’s bulldog Thomas Huxley and Bishop Samuel Wilberforce (as well as Benjamin Brodie, Joseph Dalton Hooker and Robert FitzRoy). “Was it through his grandfather or his grandmother that he claimed his descent from a monkey”, quipped Wilberforce, though in vain since time and evidence have shown that the theory of evolution has (rightly) displaced the image of man from the centre of the earth to a decentred component of the animal kingdom. (Continue)

Review of Alain Badiou’s Number and Numbers (2008)

First published September/October 2009

Despite the fact that the book in question deals with some very important

concepts that Badiou raises in his magnum opus Being and Event, it has only

last year (2008) been published into English – 15 years after it was written.

Thanks largely to the popularity of Slavoj Žižek, Badiou’s work has found a

larger audience in English-speaking countries, and, along with

contemporaries such as Giorgio Agamben, is a figurehead for a philosophy

that maintains a distance from the worldlessness of the postmodern

landscape. In order to properly commit to Badiou’s mathematical concepts I

shall provide some context.

Despite the fact that the book in question deals with some very important concepts that Badiou raises in his magnum opus Being and Event, it has only last year (2008) been published into English – 15 years after it was written. Thanks largely to the popularity of Slavoj Žižek, Badiou’s work has found a larger audience in English-speaking countries, and, along with contemporaries such as Giorgio Agamben, is a figurehead for a philosophy that maintains a distance from the worldlessness of the postmodern landscape. In order to properly commit to Badiou’s mathematical concepts I shall provide some context. (Continue)

The Case for Reallocation

First published 11 October 2009

Last Thursday The Telegraph reported comments by David Blanchflower who warned about a ‘lost generation’ of workers, which will be attributed no less to George Osborne and his plans for deep cuts in the public services. He said that such plans ‘could force unemployment up from its current 2.5 million to four million over the coming years.’ Gone, also, are the days where Labour can say with a grin that the Tories are the party hell bent on slashing spending, for Brown, just days before Blanchflower suggested that any changes should be put off until at least 2012, himself accepted the “need” for cuts. (Continue)

Review: 102 Minutes That Changed America

First published 8 September 2009

102 Minutes That Changed America, the brave documentary that aired on Channel 4 yesterday, made for very tough viewing.

The camera was very intrusive, and actually seemed to infuriate people, but it did what was best in documenting some very sombre and terrifying moments. People, covered in dust and debris, would wave their hands as if to say I’ve been in there, fuck off with your camera, and against their sensitivities managed to catch both their anger and their vulnerabilities. The viewer asks themselves the important question, definitely on the lips of those commissioning the programme: is watching this programme not tantamount to voyeurism, or, should I be watching these terrified people in their terror climaxes? (Continue)

What is the left-wing position on immigration?

First published 4 September 2009

Recently blogger Left Outside noted, in his entry on Dan Hannan’s praise for Enoch Powell, that:

Discussing immigration is difficult in this country, often it descends into one side calling the other racists. Or more commonly, a writer beginning a piece by stating that it is no longer possible to discuss immigration in this country, without being accused of being a racist. I don’t think that this is a particularly healthy way to conduct debate.

Not healthy indeed. But who is lagging behind? Dialogue on asylum, immigration, migration is very important, but little is said by the left on the subject other than to denigrate the position taken by the BNP.

But to leave a void instead of valid ideas, leaves the issue in the court of the far right and does nothing to counter the argument that the leftist attitude towards migration is anything other than mere contrarianism. (Continue)

EasyJet Councils – pushing inequality

First published 29 August 2009

The Guardian newspaper yesterday carried a story of the Tory borough Barnet pushing the EasyJet business model

As such, the council will provide a basic no-frills service, a reduced-sized bin or for those who require adult social care in Barnet “budget on whether to have a cleaner or a respite carer”. EasyCouncil it shall be called.

Seems modest enough, but to me there remains a major alternative to the revolutionary approach by Barnet. Namely, the idea of sensible public service spending can be achieved by a reallocation of funding rather than the EasyCouncil way. (Continue)

In support of the Compass High Pay Campaign

First published 18 August 2009

The Compass high pay campaign is in effect, with the backing of many important bloggers, writers, politicians and trade unionists inlcuding Jon Cruddas, Peter Tatchell, and Polly Toynbee. On the back of success in introducing the minimum wage, and the current erosion of financial stability, the campaign has been set up to support a cap in excessive wages, or maximum wage. (Continue)

Tony Blair and European Council Presidency

First published 28 July 2009

Europe and the United Kingdom has a relationship much like with the opposition in any democratic parliament; we cannot live without them, nor can we really live with them.

But in spite of this, the UK may well have produced the first permanent president for the European Council. Certainly Tony Blair is leading the race hands down, even if other representatives of European council are not entirely happy. He has strong support at home, not least from Lady Kinnock who declared that “he is our man”. (Continue)