Briefings

Super Swingin’ Saturday

Clarke's comment In a week where much of the country took to the parks, beaches and the occasional savage street party, it appears that the lockdown is now largely over. We must now hope that the 'R' remains below 1 and, somehow, drops at the same time as society re-opens in earnest. In yet another example of the government's 'in-out-hokey-cokey' approach,...

Published on 27 Jun 2020

Top Marcs

Clarke's comment With faith in our government sunk in what looks like a long and dismal trench, it has taken a brave and principled intervention from that most-maligned of figures, the professional football player, to provide an encouraging story this week. Manchester United and England striker, Marcus Rashford, who has helped FareShare raise £20m to provide 3m meals for vulnerable people...

Published on 20 Jun 2020

Tomorrow belongs to...?

Clarke's comment This week, the news has been dominated by passion, aggression, protest and counter-protest. In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, underlying political and cultural tensions are boiling over into acrimonious, bordering violent behaviour. In an orgy of condemnation, statues have been vandalised, torn down and also quietly removed, and films and TV shows are being withdrawn. ...

Published on 13 Jun 2020

Just because you’re paranoid...

Clarke's comment This week, our attentions have shifted a little, from domestic concerns to those across the Atlantic; centred around the death of George Floyd and the subsequent protests and civil unrest which have resonated around the globe. Two things stand out in this story: firstly, the revolting nature of the killing itself, all 8 minutes and 46 seconds of...

Published on 06 Jun 2020

He's not Machiavelli, he's a very naughty boy...

Clarke's comment Dear me, where to begin? We are now almost a week into the Cummings scandal and no closer to the truth. Questions arising from the affair are outpacing answers at a shocking rate. We haven't even managed to settle on a proper name for it. Durhamgate is far too nice, BarnardCastlegate is far too silly and...

Published on 30 May 2020

It was a bright warm day in May, and the clocks were striking twelve-ty

Clarke's comment As Europe gingerly reopens its borders, its businesses and its society, we in the UK remain in a deeply unsettling limbo. In many parts of the country, the streets and parks are beginning to fill up again and yet the economy remains on life support and many still fear leaving their homes. We are in danger of...

Published on 23 May 2020

Yeah, but, no, but yeah, but...

Clarke's comment Last week, the Government started to leak hints of an end to the lockdown, unwisely as it turned out. On May 7th the Daily Mail's front page crowed 'Hurrah! Lockdown Freedom Beckons' and a cautious optimism seemed poised to seep into the national consciousness for the first time in many weeks. Shortly thereafter, Government spokesmen started to...

Published on 16 May 2020

Love Actually? Enough, actually.

Clarke's comment On the day that UK deaths officially attributed to COVID-19 surpassed those of Italy, the Daily Telegraph opted to splash the news that the Government's highest-profile SAGE member, Professor Neil Ferguson had broken lockdown guidelines by meeting his lover. The timing of the article by the PM's erstwhile employers was extremely fortunate for the government since the incidents...

Published on 08 May 2020

#LockdownHabits, Skills Exchange and he who shall not be named - 01/045/2020

Clarke's comment As we settle into our sixth week of lockdown, many of us are developing new routines, rediscovering old skills and adjusting to an entirely new pace of life. Whilst everyone's experience is different, what is clear is that we will all enter the post-Covid world with a new perspective. To focus on the positives, many of us without...

Published on 02 May 2020

Events, dear boy, events - 24/04/2020

Clarke's comment Something a little different this week. Rather than talk about the current political situation, perhaps we can talk a bit about how we got here, then to the future and what we can do to help shape it. We started Renew as a vehicle for those politically disenchanted people and groups (like us) who were no...

Published on 27 Apr 2020

BRIEFINGS

Super Swingin’ Saturday

Top Marcs

Tomorrow belongs to...?

Just because you’re paranoid...

He's not Machiavelli, he's a very naughty boy...

It was a bright warm day in May, and the clocks were striking twelve-ty

Yeah, but, no, but yeah, but...

Love Actually? Enough, actually.

#LockdownHabits, Skills Exchange and he who shall not be named - 01/045/2020

Events, dear boy, events - 24/04/2020