July, 2013

In politics, timing is very important.  Neville Chamberlain took a very bad time to wave that piece of paper about and talk of “peace for our time”. Gordon Brown waited until the financial house had begun to crumble before he thought calling a general election might be an idea. Brian Cowen and Fianna Fail similarly […]

In politics, timing is very important.  Neville Chamberlain took a very bad time to wave that piece of paper about and talk of “peace for our time”. Gordon Brown waited until the financial house had begun to crumble before he thought calling a general election might be an idea. Brian Cowen and Fianna Fail similarly […]

When my wife was pregnant with each of our four children, I never once thought of saying to friends or anyone else “We are going to have a baby”. Things have changed since then: in recent years the male habitually  says “We are going to have a baby” when his wife/partner is pregnant. In my […]

When my wife was pregnant with each of our four children, I never once thought of saying to friends or anyone else “We are going to have a baby”. Things have changed since then: in recent years the male habitually  says “We are going to have a baby” when his wife/partner is pregnant. In my […]

 OK – if you’re bloodthirsty for political comment today you may look elsewhere. This one’s personal. Since yesterday I’ve been bursting – the Collins clan has been bursting – with family pride in our dear and lovely daughter/sister Phoebe. Not content with notching a BA Hons at Oxford (Balliol) and working for several years in […]

 OK – if you’re bloodthirsty for political comment today you may look elsewhere. This one’s personal. Since yesterday I’ve been bursting – the Collins clan has been bursting – with family pride in our dear and lovely daughter/sister Phoebe. Not content with notching a BA Hons at Oxford (Balliol) and working for several years in […]