Category: Politics

Steps of the Throne

Francis Plowden has commented about privileges at the Palace of Westminster extended to the children of peers. The last word goes to the website, Parliament.uk: 1.59 The following may sit on the steps of the Throne: · members of the House of Lords in receipt of a writ of summons, including those who have not… Continue reading Steps of the Throne

The No Vote Brigade

I suggested in a recent post, Let Slip The Dogs of War, that the oratory in the House of Commons debate about authorising bombing targets in Syria would be uninspiring. Well, Hilary Benn proved me wrong.

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Categorised as Politics

Let Slip The Dogs of War

Henry V was written about 400 years ago. At its centre lies Agincourt, fought about 185 years earlier, as remote for Shakespeare and his audience as Waterloo is for us today.

Mappa Mundi

The Naval Museum in Madrid originates from a proposal my ancestor, Mendoza y Rios, made towards the end of the 18th century. It is only a biscuit’s throw (a favourite expression of my grandfather) from the Prado and is worth visiting for one exhibit alone.

Money In The Bank

Less than ten years ago it was a good bet to put your money in the bank. Not on deposit, stupid, but in owning the bank by being a shareholder. OK, there were a few that bit the dust – think Slater Walker, Barings and BCCI, none of which were proper banks, but the real… Continue reading Money In The Bank

All Change

Something strange and unexpected has happened to me. It’s as unsettling as the moment in An American Werewolf in London when the main character transforms into a werewolf. It’s actually so awful that you may not want to read further.

Something Fishy

By the end of this year more salmon will be sold than tuna in the UK. I read this in a newspaper, so it must be true.

Lest We Forget

There were no poppies on sale in the Irish Republic in my childhood. The same ones were brought out each year, like Christmas tree decorations. They had wire stalks and a small black button in the centre with Haig Fund written on it.

Strolling About on the Roof of the World

Strolling About on the Roof of the World ( Strollers, to its friends) is the title of a book published in 2001 to mark the first hundred years of what is now The Royal Society For Asian Affairs. They have another centenary to mark this year.