Latin America advances
November 14, 2007
This Saturday, there will be a very large gathering of people at Congress House in London to discuss the issues facing Latin America. This has become an annual event of solidarity and this weekend will be more important than ever. The past five years have seen a consolidation of leftward movements throughout the continent, with the left winning elections in a number of countries, notably Venezuela and Bolivia, but also making huge gains in other countries.
The political norm is no longer that national governments’ first priority should be its relations with the United Stations. However, the long and brutal history of local oligarchs oppressing popular movements with the support of US commercial interests continues. Read more
A tale of two banks
November 11, 2007
On Monday, a rather diminished Alistair Darling came to Parliament to recount the latest tale of woe concerning Northern Rock. Understandably, every north-eastern MP raised the question about the 600 jobs depending on Northern Rock in the region and the future of the bank’s considerable community activities. Read more
Policy of insecurity
November 3, 2007
On Monday night, Gordon Brown donned his best bib and tucker and went to the Mansion House to convince the City that he was really following a pro-Washington foreign policy. The speech had been so widely trailed that one wonders why he bothered to go at all. Essentially, Brown wanted the world to know that his foreign policy is really the same as Blair’s.
Did this represent some cunning plot to sow confusion by composing mood music for the White House while doing the opposite? If that is the case, it is extraordinarily well hidden. Read more
