Category Archives: Political commentary
From the BBC: how not to eat healthily for £1 a day
The BBC have published an article by one Brian Milligan, which purports to show that it is possible to eat a healthy, varied diet for less than £1 a day. The article is – and I’m being polite here – … Continue reading
Am I a ‘bleeding heart liberal’ if I don’t celebrate Margaret Thatcher’s death?
Years ago, Chumbawamba (one of my favourite bands of all time, writer/performers of my fourth-favourite album of all time) recorded an EP that was to be released when Margaret Thatcher died. You had to pre-order it, and in return the … Continue reading
Margaret Thatcher, 1925 – 2013
So, Margaret Thatcher has died. I can’t pretend to be saddened by the news. I’m sorry if that bluntness upsets anyone, but I’m pretty sure Baroness Thatcher herself would not have wanted people who didn’t like her politics to pretend … Continue reading
What’s best: an “anti-stigma” campaign, or a political campaign?
There’s been a long, long gap between this post and the last, you’ll note, even though they’re on related topics. That’s partly because I found myself being misrepresented and strawmanned in a few places in the blogosphere (and a bit … Continue reading
They don’t speak for us: the mental health establishment, “stigma” and, now, “casual stigma”
You know something? I really hate this preoccupation with the concept of “stigma” in relation to mental illness. It’s trivial, and middle class – “but, my dear, there’s simply nothing worse that a mental patient might have to face than … Continue reading
Aethelread’s Great Album Countdown #1: Suede, Coming Up
For the past week, I’ve been producing a series of posts counting down my favourite albums of all time, having been inspired to do so by Danny Baker’s Great Album Showdown on BBC4. That process has now reached its shuddering … Continue reading
Aethelread’s Great Album Countdown #4: Chumbawamba, Anarchy
Today, then, it’s time for the fourth entry in my week-long series of posts counting down my favourite albums of all time, which was inspired by Danny Baker’s recent BBC4 show Great Album Showdown. Over the past three days I’ve … Continue reading
Let’s be clear what the words ‘homophobe’ and ‘bigot’ actually mean
During yesterday’s parliamentary debate on the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill – and in much of the on- and off-line commentary surrounding it – one of things that became very apparent was that many of the opponents of equality were … Continue reading
Will Self isn’t even trying any more
Those of you with long memories, and the stamina to endure my dreadful blog for such a long period of time, will remember that I’ve had a dig at Mr Self before, by the means of an unflattering précis of … Continue reading
BBC bias and impartiality
So, my last-but-one post – the one about Brian Milligan’s not entirely convincing attempt to persuade us that it’s possible to have a delicious, varied, nutritionally balanced diet for £1 a day – exploded. I don’t know any other way … Continue reading →