Two centuries ago, at the height of a war for its survival against Napoleon, the Royal Navy diverted ships to West Africa for the anti-slavery patrol. Those who wanted the trade to continue – which was pretty much every other nation except Haiti – attacked British motives as sordid, commercial and imperialist. In fact, it was the result of a huge upswelling of public opinion, strong and evangelical enough to overcome some of the most powerful commercial interests in the country.
Archive for August, 2009
How to get ahead in teaching
By Tribune Web Editor /Monday, August 3rd, 2009Hank Roberts reveals how he blew the whistle on giant bonuses at his school – and what it means for the rest
Martin Rowson: Perhaps the poor bloody infantry should shoot the officers
By Tribune Web Editor /Sunday, August 2nd, 2009George Orwell, the most celebrated former tenant of this column, got it right in “England, Your England” about militarism and the English. We’re just not very good at it. Whereas other nations – most other nations, as it happens – make a fetish of their armed forces, our emotions are mixed, mingling pride, ingratitude, sentimentality and a certain level of embarrassment.
Get back to basic principles and core values
By Tribune Web Editor /Sunday, August 2nd, 2009For the sake of its continued existence, Labour needs to remember why it was set up, says Murray Rowlands
By Tribune Web Editor /Saturday, August 1st, 2009
A Tory frontbencher in the Lords has achieved the dubious honour of achieving the possible first of a double whammy on expenses by attracting interest from the authorities at both national and local government level at the same time. Lord Hanningfield, a transport spokesman and leader of Essex County Council, is one of three peers [...]
Paul Routledge: Employment must be a big job
By Tribune Web Editor /Saturday, August 1st, 2009It was only mildly embarrassing to sit on a platform (speaking, not railway) with employment Minister Jim Knight the day after I been less than entirely respectful in the Daily Mirror about his Government’s recent performance on jobs.
The narrative on migration is malevolent
By Tribune Web Editor /Saturday, August 1st, 2009Much coverage of migration is fostering the growth of the far right, argues Paul Donovan
Joy Johnson: Negation is no alternative to a more positive touch
By Tribune Web Editor /Saturday, August 1st, 2009A negation of the negatives. That’s what “new” Labour set out to accomplish before the 1997 general election – get rid of its supposed minus points.