No Platform for Farage: Scotland leads the way

I realise I’m now blogging about a storm in a tea cup, but yesterday’s outing to Edinburgh by Nigel Farage needs discussing. Not in the way that Radio 4’s Today program decided to ‘discuss’ it, but rather to discuss the commendable actions of the few people of Edinburgh sufficiently organised/networked to get out and do the right thing.

What does it mean to be Anglican?

I don’t really get how this question is so difficult to answer, yet it seems a cause of much debate. I’ve heard laity and clergy alike profess to have little idea what the answer is or should be. I suppose I have a pretty strong Anglican identity – I’ve grown up in the Church, loved, loathed and followed it in great detail for years. So for those of you who are confused, let me attempt to explain.

Keith Hebden’s Seeking Justice (book review)

“You write a blog, don’t you?” It was an odd response to my suggestion that I needed to get cash out of a cashpoint before I could buy Keith’s new book. The deal: I could have a copy free in return for a review. I skipped a queue of books and got on with reading it straight away. I’m glad I did; of the various books on radical Christianity I’ve picked up in recent years, few have turned out to be both as radical and as reasonable as Seeking Justice.

Obama, North Korea and Social Media

Notice how we’re suddenly talking about North Korea, just a short while after a change in leadership? Except we’re not – the Americans are doing most of the talking, along with China, who are eagerly trying to mediate the whole thing down. Do you wonder why these threats from North Korea’s Dear Leader need to be taken seriously? Wonder why its all being talked about now?

My life 10 years on

I’m not the only person who has spent the last fortnight reflecting back over ten years of conflict in Iraq. A military conflict as controversial as Iraq is likely to continue to provide discussion fodder for the media for years to come, and more so when government files regarding the conflict are ‘unlocked’ in decades to come. But for myself, its also a very important personal anniversary to look back on.

E-Campaigning Forum Take-aways

I had the chance to attend the E-Campaigners Forum in Oxford last week. I spent two days in workshops learning all sorts of exciting things about the world of online campaigning today. There were loads of things that looked really exciting and which I hope I’ll get to use someday, but I’ve written this with a focus on low-cash situations.

‘If you can’t find a book, write it yourself!’

I’m currently reading ‘Seeking Justice’ by Keith Hebden. He handed me a free copy to review on here, and I’ll do that when I’ve finished it. But its started me thinking about a book I want to write. Its not that I think he’s gotten anything wrong in his approach, its just I feel there’s a pretty big gap waiting to be fulfilled.