politics
Monarch or president? Out of the cave and into the light
It might strike you as perverse, that anyone should make the case that what we need in the UK is to establish a post of President. Across the Atlantic, Donald Trump, with every day that passes, disgraces his office and is busy turning what used to be a democracy – albeit a strange one, ‘the […]
On the buses
A couple of weeks ago Transport for Wales invited people to come along to Swansea Bus Station to give their views on the routes that buses in the city should take, once TfW takes over full responsibility for decisions from the existing bus companies. We went along and had some interesting chats with TfW staff […]
Dawn dweud
Bu tipyn o sôn yn y wasg yn ddiweddar am sgiliau ‘dawn dweud’ neu ‘medrau llafar’, neu ‘oracy’, i ddefnyddio’r gair Saesneg anhardd – y gallu i fynegi eich hun mewn ffordd rugl a gramadegol, ac i wrando ar yr hyn mae pob eraill yn ei ddweud wrthych chi. Yn 2024 cyhoeddodd comisiwn annibynnol ar […]
Against SUVs
A couple of weeks ago the campaign group Transport & Environment published a report explaining how the height of SUVs increases the risk of injury and death to pedestrians, especially children. It seems that the bonnet height of these vehicles is increasing by half a centimetre a year. High bonnets decrease the field of the […]
‘Priorities for culture’: a pioneer Welsh Government strategy?
The Welsh Government’s just produced another document on culture. This one has the snappy title Priorities for culture. In case you’re interested, there are three priorities: ‘culture brings people together’, ‘celebrating Wales as a nation of culture’ and ‘culture is resilient and sustainable.’ I can already hear you thinking: ‘but two of these aren’t priorities, […]
A new Thrasymachus
What is justice? For the current President of the United States of America, the answer to that question is directly and exclusively linked to another – who holds power over others? In his White House dialogue with Volodymir Zelinskyy on 28 February, Donald Trump told him ‘you don’t have the cards right now’. It follows […]
Welcome back, Benito
On 20 January Donald Trump, having been sworn in at the start of his second term as US President, outlined in his acceptance speech his mission for the next four years. Simply, he would put America first. He blamed ‘the radical and corrupt establishment has extracted power and wealth from our citizens’ for the broken […]
‘Mwy o sgwennwrs na darllenwrs’: yr argyfwng geiriau
Yn ei nofel ddeifiol newydd Hunllef Nadolig Eben Parri mae Arwel Vittle yn anelu ei arfau dychanol at dargedau niferus yn y Gymru gyfoes. Un yw pobl sy’n ysgrifennu a chyhoeddi. Mae bron pob grŵp yn ei chael hi’n arw gan ‘Ysbryd Cymru Sydd’: cofiannau (‘gormod ohonyn nhw’), academyddion (‘digon o ddadansoddi a gor-ddadansoddi ôl-drefedigaethol […]
Dros sbectol Keir Starmer
Beth yw rhodd neu anrheg? Gwrthrych neu wasanaeth y mae person yn ei gynnig i rywun arall, heb dâl. Nid yn unig heb dâl, ond hefyd heb ddisgwyl tâl neu gymwynas yn y dyfodol. Beth yw anrheg, gan unigolyn neu gwmni neu grŵp arall, i wleidydd? Yn syml, y gwrthwyneb: disgwyl y rhoddwr, bron bob […]
The silent election
Has there ever been a general election studded with so many good jokes? From the very start, when Rishi Sunak destroyed his blue suit while standing in the pouring rain to announce the election, to the news that the even more hapless ex-MP Craig Williams had used his insider knowledge to place a £100 bet […]