People often tell Stephen Frythat he shouldn’t call himself an atheist, he should call himself an agnostic because he can‘t know there isn’t a God, and therefore he must be agnostic. Bertrand Russell answered this one brilliantly many years ago. Bertrand Russell said “Many things are beyond the realm of absolute knowledge in any sense,… Continue reading Stephen Fry and Bertrand Russell on Atheism

Interesting article on food security, but which failed to reach the obvious conclusion. To be more “food secure” in an increasingly unstable world, the single most effective measure would for us to move to a vegan diet. In “What Future Our Food” (see latest edition of Unite the Union’s magazine), agricultural scientist Dr Clutterbuck points… Continue reading BEST FOOD SECURITY – GO VEGAN!

William Hague’s “If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear” is simplistic nonsense, as well he knows. To accept it as true, you need to believe the state: is incapable of error will never draw the wrong conclusion employs no-one with the wrong motives, and is and forever will be benign. You… Continue reading Hague wants everyone watching each other, East German-style

Interest-free loans to cover deposits, so more people can get mortgages, is the wrong choice by the Chancellor for the country’s economy. As the National Housing Federation said yesterday (20th March), investing £3.5 billion this will cost in cheap housing could deliver up to 175,000 homes. Private sector completions have stayed fairly consistent over a… Continue reading BUILD MORE HOMES, DON’T GIVE MORE TO THE BANKS

Events over recent years have shown the devastating effect companies can have in their single-minded pursuit of profit. Over 1,000 workers dying in a Bangladesh building unfit for factory use is a stark example. Others are are huge supermarkets squeezing out competition and forcing suppliers to cut costs at risk to human health and animal… Continue reading Corporate Responsibility Should Be A Corporate Duty

So the despicable Spanish Government wants to make bullfighting a “cultural heritage” activity. Giving something a respectable sounding name does nothing to change the fact it is to be reviled. Did you know the Spanish (etc) Inquisition is still around, but now called “The Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office”? The Inquisition’s most enduring feature… Continue reading SPANISH DESPICABLE OVER BULLFIGHTING

I believe the most important “elephant in the room” for the Left is the question of “Britishness” and our failure to protect what is accepted as the place we have reached in our social and cultural development. We have ignored the fear of change coming too fast and being too drastic, collectively hoping it would… Continue reading Britishness must evolve slowly – rapid change is dangerous

Foremost in our dealings with other creatures should be a recognition that, if we take from them their lives for our own purposes, we should do everything rationally possible to do so in a way that minimises their suffering. That is why slaughter using methods for religious purposes, such as Halal or Kosher should not… Continue reading TIME TO BAN NON-STUNNED SLAUGHTER OF MEAT

The Labour Party’s recent history is as a government of war, privatisation, commerce and attacks on civil liberties. Just trying to present a slightly different flavour of the Tory Government’s policies will not see Labour back into power. Mealy mouth acceptance of the “need for cuts” or promises confined to adjustments to Tory policies won’t… Continue reading LABOUR MUST OFFER REAL CHANGE