In 1946, George Orwell wrote an essay in which he outlined the four main reasons for writing. One was egoism, another “aesthetic enthusiasm”. The third was “historical impulse… the desire to find out true facts and store them up for the use of posterity.” This was closely linked to the fourth, “political purpose”, which he described as “the desire to push the world in a certain direction, to alter other people’s idea of the kind of society that they should strive for.” Sadly, the totalitarianism and dictatorships Orwell railed against are with us still, even if in different shape. In a jingle he dashed off to prod himself into action, he wrote “I wasn’t born for an age like this./ Was Smith? Was Jones? Were you?” It was a direct challenge to writers to make a stand, to heed their consciences, avoid fence-sitting and choose a side.
A double challenge: filming a Brexit documentary during the pandemic
Nina Kojima speaks to us about making her Brexit Documentary during the Covid pandemic.
It’s been a year like no other. People have died, businesses have gone bust, kids have been off school – the world has turned into the kind of drama only the creators of the Hollywood blockbuster ‘Contagion’ could have predicted.
But another drama has continued alongside this – Brexit. It’s now almost become part of the British ‘brand’, alongside the royal family, fish and chips and The Beatles. (We seem to have forgotten the alternative term, Bremain…)
https://sputniknews.com/uk/202103131082330196-despite-new-data-showing-huge-uk-eu-trade-slump-almost-half-of-polled-britons-would-vote-for-brexit/
Recent figures show that UK goods trade to the European Union plummeted 40.7 percent in January, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), with imports dropping 28.8 percent since new trading rules between Britain and the EU came into force.
In what is suggested as the first sign that blowback from the UK’s exiting the European Union (EU) is starting to register with the country’s voters, new findings show that the majority of Britons believe Brexit has been bad for the economy and trade.
According to new polling for
The Independent, carried out by
Nigel Farage left the Conservative Party after Maastricht (Image: GETTY)
While the EU is still arguably paying the price for Maastricht, it also continues to cast a shadow over Sir John’s reputation.
Sir John was even accused of “hiding facts” as he was criticised for comments he made about Danish proposals on the controversial and fiercely opposed treaty in October 1992.
In a speech at Lancaster House, he claimed Brussels was “getting back on the path” and that Danish demands to water down the treaty would not present a problem.
He added that the Danes would have to “swallow” their proposed amendments.
| UPDATED: 07:45, Thu, Feb 4, 2021
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John Penrose, MP for Weston-super-Mare, was asked by Newsnight host Emily Maitlis about the issues with post-Brexit check at Northern Irish ports. Under the Prime Minister’s Brexit trade deal with the EU, certain goods entering Northern Ireland from the UK are subject to checks on arrival as the country remains part of the European single market.
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Mr Penrose condemned the issues with trade to Northern Ireland, which has delayed food supply deliveries and caused threats to border staff.
He said: “As the Prime Minister said, it’s not acceptable. It’s not the way it’s supposed to be working, and I think Michael Gove said earlier on today there’s been real damage done and there’s real problems to solve.