On Oct. 24, 2024, Elon Musk on “X” wrote: “Major vibe shift” as FIRE, Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression reported their recent poll results with free speech ranked higher than health care, crime and immigration; climate change was second from the last of twelve issues, says Friends of Science Society. The poll was conducted by the prestigious National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago. Continue reading
Category Archives: Politics
Can Kemi Badenoch claim to have ‘become working class’ while working in McDonald’s – and why would she want to?
Michael Rees, Nottingham Trent University
Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch recently caused controversy by claiming that while she was born to a middle-class family, she “became working class” when working in McDonald’s to earn money while she was in college. In fairness to Badenoch, having a diversity of experience is an admirable attribute for an MP – something you wouldn’t associate with someone like recently deposed Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg for example.
New report: E-visas hostile and broken
London, 18 Sept 2024 /Open Rights Group / — As reported in the Guardian, today ORG has published a new report, E-Visas: Hostile and Broken, which examines the Home Office’s plans to roll out e-Visas for migrants in the UK. Continue reading
How being shot might affect Donald Trump’s mental health – and that of millions of others
Simon McCarthy-Jones, Trinity College Dublin
After the attempted assassination of Donald Trump at his Pennsylvania campaign rally, there is much speculation about how this will affect the 2024 US election. However, no one is yet asking how these events may affect Trump himself.
Will Joe Biden step down? An expert Q&A
Dafydd Townley, University of Portsmouth
Joe Biden’s extremely weak performance at the CNN TV debate last week, has prompted senior figures in the Democrat party to question whether he is fit enough to stand for the upcoming presidential election. Former speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said it was reasonable to ask: “Is this an episode or is this a condition?”
UK election: Tory downfall is democracy rectifying its mistakes
Stephen Barber, University of East London
Democracies are no better than other forms of government at avoiding catastrophic mistakes. But they are much more effective at rectifying them. While the 2024 British general election might have seemed a long time coming, as the country meandered from one failure to the next, the utter scale of defeat for the Conservatives is testament to the ability of a democratic system to reject, reverse and renew.
Election 2024: these are the races to watch
Oliver Heath, Royal Holloway University of London and Humphrey Southall, University of Portsmouth
As the country gears up for the election, all eyes are on the bellwether constituencies that historically reflect the broader national mood.
Diversity of India and Indians
NEW YORK, April 18, 2024 /Politics/ —
India’s diversity is staggering! It’s like a giant tapestry woven from threads of religion, ethnicity, language, and culture. Here’s a breakdown of some key aspects: Continue reading
The Israeli-Palestinian peace process
London, March 26, 2024 /Mpelembe News/ — The Israeli-Palestinian peace process is a complex and unfortunately stalled endeavor. Here’s a simplified breakdown: Continue reading
Half the world will vote in 2024, but how many elections will be fair?
Toby James, University of East Anglia and Holly Ann Garnett, Royal Military College of Canada
This year has been widely proclaimed to be the year of elections, with national elections expected in at least 64 countries. This means that half of the world’s population will have the opportunity to change their government, choose their representatives and indirectly shape policy. It began as a year of hope – and the prospect of democratic empowerment.