The ‘B’ word is strangely absent from the conversation today
by Rashmee
Posted on June 24, 2020 / The Focus
Today is the fourth anniversary of Brexit. Hardly anyone is marking the occasion. Take a look at the eight front pages below. None of them refer to that transformative event, which set off a period of intense political turmoil in Britain, paralysing Parliament, polarising the country and pushed two Conservative prime ministers out of office. The Brexit … Continue reading “The ‘B’ word is strangely absent from the conversation today”
Read MoreReading George Orwell can help us understand Boris Johnson
by Rashmee
Posted on June 16, 2020 / The Focus
In 1946, a year before the British were forced to grant India its independence, George Orwell bemoaned the decline of the English language. In an essay titled ‘ Politics and the English language ‘, Orwell called out the “sheer humbug” that passed for political speech and writing, the “pretentious, Latinized style” and deliberate use of … Continue reading “Reading George Orwell can help us understand Boris Johnson”
Read MoreIn a world hit by a pandemic, does Brexit even matter anymore?
by Rashmee
Posted on May 9, 2020
Britain will leave the European Union’s (EU) single market at the end of its post-Brexit transition period, which is to say January 1, 2021 will be the start of a whole new phase in the life of the United Kingdom. Will this matter in a world hit by a pandemic? More to the point, does … Continue reading “In a world hit by a pandemic, does Brexit even matter anymore?”
Read MoreCoronavirus won’t kill off the high price of Brexit and ‘nostalgic nationalism’
by Rashmee
Posted on April 4, 2020
The joint Brexit committee – composed of EU and UK representatives – had its first teleconference on March 30, and reportedly boasted a “constructive and productive atmosphere”. That was the word from European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič, committee co-chair with the UK’s Michael Gove. Despite the cheeriness, it’s true that Brexit negotiations have been … Continue reading “Coronavirus won’t kill off the high price of Brexit and ‘nostalgic nationalism’”
Read MoreCoronavirus cancels Brexit talks. No such luck with Brexit itself
by Rashmee
Posted on March 28, 2020
It’s nearly eight weeks since Brexit was done – at least in the sense that Britain left the European Union (EU). But the 11-month transition period to final exit has already been overtaken by events. On March 26, planned negotiations on the UK’s future relationship with the EU were abandoned. During a European commission briefing … Continue reading “Coronavirus cancels Brexit talks. No such luck with Brexit itself”
Read MoreCometh the hour, cometh the words that will go viral
by Rashmee
Posted on March 17, 2020
Once upon a time, it was Brexit that added new words to the dictionary. “Brexit” – a portmanteau of the words “Britain” and “exit” – was Brexit’s first linguistic contribution, soon after the referendum of June 23, 2016. Then came “leave”, “remain”, “hard Brexit”, “soft Brexit”, “crashing out”, “backstop”, “Remoaners”, “flextension” and “Henry VIII powers”. … Continue reading “Cometh the hour, cometh the words that will go viral”
Read MoreFriday, the 13th: It’s taken a virus to show up European disunion
by Rashmee
Posted on March 13, 2020
Italy asked Germany to send face masks and testing kits. It was China that answered the call. (Beijing sent medical experts and promised the cheap and speedy provision of 2 million face masks, 20,000 protective suits and 1,000 respirators.) Members of the European Union (EU) have been violating their own rules. For instance, the cherished … Continue reading “Friday, the 13th: It’s taken a virus to show up European disunion”
Read MoreA European Singapore, if such an entity were even possible, might be hard for the EU to stop
by Rashmee
Posted on February 7, 2020
How will the European Union (EU) stop Britain from diverging from its rules here on in? How can the EU do anything about British competitiveness, if indeed Brexit were to be managed in a way that prioritises the building of an agile regulatory system able to foster innovation and nurture efficiency? There’s not a hope … Continue reading “A European Singapore, if such an entity were even possible, might be hard for the EU to stop”
Read MoreAfter Brexit, British bolshie-ness will be up against the great powers
by Rashmee
Posted on January 30, 2020
Tom Cotton is a US senator from Arkansas, the state that Britain and much of the world would chiefly know as being the home state of president Bill Clinton. Mr Cotton is also a close ally of Donald Trump, someone that Britain and much of the world knows to be bullying, transactional and utterly uninterested … Continue reading “After Brexit, British bolshie-ness will be up against the great powers”
Read MoreAnyone for a ‘ravioli’ Brexit?
by Rashmee
Posted on January 25, 2020
First there was Brexit. Then there was Megxit. Brexit was variously described as likely to be “hard” or “soft”, “blind” or “Canada plus” or “Canada plus plus”. Megxit was nothing but hard. Brexit terms proliferated like hair on the ears of a gentleman in his sixties. There was “the Irish backstop”, the “flextension” granted by … Continue reading “Anyone for a ‘ravioli’ Brexit?”
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Rashmee has lived and worked in several countries in the past decade, including Afghanistan, India, Haiti, Tunisia, the UAE, US and UK