Category Archives: Politics

Two Lib Dem bloggers in the Financial Times

Posted on 9 September 2011 by Niklas Smith

Yesterday Nick Thornsby and I were lucky enough to get letters printed in the Financial Times. Nick wrote a letter on the 50p tax rate that was published in the UK print edition. He argued that abolishing the 50p tax … Continue reading →

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Introducing the Nick Clegg Archive

Posted on 8 September 2011 by Niklas Smith

Few things on the internet are as frustrating as a broken link to something you would like to read. This sad fate has befallen many of Nick Clegg’s early speeches, so I thought I could provide a useful service by … Continue reading →

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Nick Clegg Archive: Clegg calls for radical grassroots innovation in public services

Posted on 8 September 2011 by Niklas Smith

Speech by Nick Clegg at the Liberal Democrats’ Manifesto Conference, 12 January 2008 Today is a crucial step in the creation of a new liberal manifesto for Britain. Gordon Brown’s bottling of the autumn election has handed us a tremendous … Continue reading →

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Shout out for Syria

Posted on 6 September 2011 by Niklas Smith

Early in the morning of 24 August, a man was dragged out of his car by masked members of Syrian security services in Damascus. He was viciously beaten, mainly on his hands. His name is Ali Ferzat, and he is … Continue reading →

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Locke, Hobbes and two smoking barrels

Posted on 9 August 2011 by Niklas Smith

Since I have started writing about weighty issues of political philosophy I thought now would be a good time to explain how I define liberty. The most influential modern definition of liberty is the absence of coercion. But what this … Continue reading →

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The liberalism of Harry Potter

Posted on 8 August 2011 by Niklas Smith

What would you think of a government that engaged in this list of tyrannical activities: tortured children for lying; designed its prison specifically to suck all life and hope out of the inmates; placed citizens in that prison without a … Continue reading →

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Liberty meets democracy: a car crash, or creative tension?

Posted on 6 August 2011 by Niklas Smith

Norway’s Prime Minister has vowed to fight terrorism with “more democracy”. But would he still be so keen if Norwegians voted to execute the man responsible for the terrorist attacks on Oslo and Utøya?* Democracy is the ultimate hurrah-word. It … Continue reading →

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Yes, we love Norway

Posted on 23 July 2011 by Niklas Smith

The death toll in Norway is far worse than I thought last night. At least 84 young people are confirmed dead in the shootings on Utøya and seven after the bombing in central Oslo. When I heard this morning of … Continue reading →

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For the people of Norway

Posted on 22 July 2011 by Niklas Smith

The dreadful news coming from Norway is almost too shocking for words. My thoughts go out to everyone hurt, especially the young Social Democrats attacked by a gunman at their summer camp at Utøya, not far from Oslo. I’ve been … Continue reading →

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They asked for it: what I think about homeopathy

Posted on 12 July 2011 by Niklas Smith

Now that the Advertising Standards Agency has come down hard(ish) on advertising for homeopathy, the homeopaths have apparently decided to throw out an olive branch to the ASA by opening a survey to listen to the public’s views on homeopathy … Continue reading →

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