Welcome-Bienvenido

Blog posts and Essays

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  Nigel Farage is a bigger threat to the left than the Tories. Here’s why.January 26, 2021
  Nigel Farage is a bigger threat to the left than the Tories. Here’s why.
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  Keir Starmer: Labour AristocracyJanuary 10, 2021
  Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer: “I don’t think there is a case for re-joining the EU…that is not realistic” Originally tweeted by BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) on January 10, 2021. On Sunday 10th January, Keir Starmer turned his back on a large group of people that voted for him in the leadership elections. Remain-backing Labour membersContinue reading “Keir Starmer: Labour Aristocracy”
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  Shove your ‘Hot Take’January 8, 2021
  Is anybody else tired? I certainly am. Following the threat to democracy, the ‘coup’, the backlash of populism (and any other over inflated name you want to give it) in the United States on Wednesday, all I have seen online so far are personal hot takes. These have mainly been poor interpretations of what wasContinue reading “Shove your ‘Hot Take’”
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  What is a ‘Good Immigrant’?December 29, 2020
  Today Pablo Iglesias welcomed the decision to give James Rhodes, a British Pianist and activist, Spanish nationality. With Rhodes only having been in the country for four years, he would be six short of getting the passport if it had not been gifted to him. Whilst respecting his activist work (which I do), some feelContinue reading “What is a ‘Good Immigrant’?”
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  Cultural Marxism, Covid-19 and a Broken IdeologyDecember 28, 2020
  On the 17th December, Liz Truss, the Secretary of State for International Trade, who is also minister for Women and Equality, gave a speech announcing the government’s new approach toward equality. As part of this announcement, the Secretary claimed that recent governments had concentrated on ‘empty gestures’ such as anti-racism and gender equality whilst ignoringContinue reading “Cultural Marxism, Covid-19 and a Broken Ideology”
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  Coronavirus: A Test For EuropeMay 8, 2020
  The European Union will not survive coronavirus unless it evolves. To do that it must break its own rules
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  Book Review: Fully Automated Luxury CommunismApril 21, 2020
  By Aaron Bastani Published by Verso, 2019 The truth is I had been waiting for this book for a long time, as an avid viewer of Novara media this made me, not only intrigued but also sceptical about this book. As anyone that follows Novara media may well know, the pundits are a bit ofContinue reading “Book Review: Fully Automated Luxury Communism”
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  How Communists Helped Establish Democracy in SpainApril 12, 2020
  At 10:30 pm on the 24th January 1977 eight lawyers were working late at the offices of Comisiones Obreras (CCOO), one of Spain’s trade unions which was set up by the Spanish Communist Party. At the time Spain was in the middle of a temperamental transition from Franco’s dictatorship to democracy. Many people were tense due to the possibleContinue reading “How Communists Helped Establish Democracy in Spain”
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  The History of Spain and Covid-19: Rinse and RepeatApril 5, 2020
  If not having a functioning government in 2019 wasn’t enough drama for the Spanish population, then the introduction of Covid-19 would make up for it. Spanish society has revolved around political crisis since the turn of the 20th century. Being a late bloomer when it comes to industrialisation and the growing of a middle class, SpainContinue reading “The History of Spain and Covid-19: Rinse and Repeat”
• Lockdown diaries: Alan, writer & former psychiatric nurse (UK) — Naked MadridMarch 25, 2020
  Originally published at http://www.nakedmadrid.com on March 25, 2020. It’s ok to be stressed, and it’s normal to be losing it. Most of us are. But we are doing it together. “It’s ok to be stressed, and it’s normal to be losing it. Most of us are. But we are doing it together,” says Alan, who used to beContinue reading “Lockdown diaries: Alan, writer & former psychiatric nurse (UK) — Naked Madrid”
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  Abolish Eton: Ideological ideas will ruin LabourOctober 1, 2019
  Socialist ideology overtakes electoral common sense. Abolish Eton shows that Labour is losing its touch.
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  Who is looking after the Nurses?August 24, 2019
  300 nurses have died by suicide in the past seven years. This is an average of 43 nurses a year. Who is looking after the Nurses?
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  Defining the Left’s cultureAugust 23, 2019
  What do we mean by Left culture?
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  A Society for People, not Profits, is why we need Universal Basic Services.June 5, 2019
  Universal Basic Services definition: the provision of sufficient free public services, as can be afforded from a reasonable tax on incomes, to enable every citizen’s safety, opportunity, and participation. Doesn’t sound too bad , does it?
• Future Socialism— Why Socialism is Sexy NowFebruary 24, 2019
  Future Socialism- we need to look to the future to give home and help shape a world that we want to live in.
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  Does Spain have a problem with racism?October 6, 2018
  Does Spain have a problem with racism?
• Night in an AirportSeptember 27, 2018
  24 hours no sleep and too much time in airports.
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  Orwell in BarcelonaAugust 28, 2018
  George Orwell went to Barcelona in December 1936 to fight fascism. If you read Homage to Catalonia you may see the Ramblas very different.
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  Spain’s less than picturesque white coast: European slavery lives hereJuly 10, 2018
  When you say Costa del Sol you think of drunk Brits, and the more romantic of us may think of olive farms and flamenco. Well, this is only partly true. What about hundreds of Green houses? And Africans? Recently, I became aware of Norvara Media, a growing underground news channel that has a website, YouTubeContinue reading “Spain’s less than picturesque white coast: European slavery lives here”
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  Franco café and a fallen angelJuly 3, 2018
  Just driving home What could be more Spanish than driving back from Granada; stopping in a no frills services station for a ‘Menu del Dia’ and then seeing one of the legendary black bull signs on the side of the motorway. Well, this was how my Sunday was going until my wife made a suggestion.Continue reading “Franco café and a fallen angel”
• Pub series: The Great British living room.March 20, 2018
  Last in the pub series What can I say about British pubs? Well, they are home! From your generic Wetherspoons with its 1970s carpet and flowery plates, to your local that has been in the family for generations, British pubs are irreplaceable. Many pubs have similar features, from the warmth of the sofas to theContinue reading “Pub series: The Great British living room.”
• Pub series: My new found affection for no-frills Spanish barMarch 6, 2018
  Photo from Madrid No-frills   As you may well know, there are many bars in Spain: one for every occasion and with several different names. Cafeteria, restaurante, cervecería and all the bars in between. Yet the best –and more authentic ones – have similar characteristics, though not all of them are visible. When I wasContinue reading “Pub series: My new found affection for no-frills Spanish bar”
• Pub series: The Similar Curiosities of an Irish pubFebruary 28, 2018
  I’ve decided to take a small break from moaning about the Conservative party or writing of trying to survive as an Englishman in Madrid. So, I’ve decided to embark upon a series of something I consider myself to be a connoisseur and expert on. Drinking establishments. Far away from the Spanish jammon franchises and AmericanContinue reading “Pub series: The Similar Curiosities of an Irish pub”
• Why joining the Labour Party is like going to the pub.February 22, 2018
  So you arrive to a new town, where you are meant to meet a new group of people. It took you a while to find this group. You um and ah about it, but you join the group and this is your first meeting. Finally get to the destination, which was hard to find, youContinue reading “Why joining the Labour Party is like going to the pub.”