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Recent writing.

My recent writing has been published in a few other places. And on culture, politics and history.
Shakespeare Magazine’s website on links between Georgian literature and Shakespeare. Edited by Pat Reid. With thanks to Neli Shiolashvili of the Embassy of Georgia, and Armand Wang of the British Georgian Society.
http://www.shakespearemagazine.com/2016/12/could-shakespeares-cymbeline-have-been-influenced-by-rustaveli-the-national-poet-of-georgia-was-the-question-asked-in-a-packed-lecture-room-at-londons-royal-asiat/
““Could Shakespeare’s Cymbeline have been influenced by Rustaveli, the national poet of Georgia?” was the question asked in a packed lecture room at London’s Royal Asiatic Society”

Liberator magazine, on the Parliamentary elections in Georgia, October 2016. Edited by Mark Smulian. ‘Georgia’s democracy finds it feet’. Issue 382, January 2017. Pages 18 – 20. Print edition out, available now to e-subscribers, and online on the website next month. liberator-382

InterLib, the Journal of Liberal International (British Group) on some cultural and political reflections about Georgia. 2017, no. 1. Edited by Stewart Rayment. ‘Some culture and politics of Georgia’ pp. 9 – 11. https://libg.co.uk/en/document/interlib-january-2017

The New European newspaper on the British International Brigade in the Spanish Civil War Battle of Jarama, 80 years ago this month. Issue 30, February 3 2017. Pages 34 – 35, ’80 years since Jarama: Battle’s tale echoes today’. Edited by Jasper Copping. Published in print edition, and digital copy available to e-subscribers. The New European Jarama

With thanks to the editors, sites and publications.

Shakespeare Magazine
Liberator magazine
Liberal International British Group
The New European

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The media bias of Brexit

My last post rather let the toxic UK and global hate mongering media off the hook. People have to take responsibility for themselves, but our intolerant, scaremongering, anti-factual hate filled tabloids are a huge cause of the problems in British society, as well as reflecting them. The Daily Mail, the Daily Express and the Sun, are the worst exponents of a nasty divided society. The media bias in support of Brexit, peddling anti-EU propaganda and lies, was breathtaking, even by the standards of arrogance of these dark forces. As an email from Avaaz recently wrote “On the one side, we have ruthlessly sophisticated partisan propaganda media pushing Trump, and on the other an ‘impartial’ media that chases fake scandals and ratings and suggests false equivalence between the sides in the name of appearing balanced. This is the dynamic that gave us Brexit as well.” (Ricken Patel & team, 11 November). It also gives us unbalanced environmental reporting, parroting of Putin propaganda on Ukraine and his other wars, and UKIP given far more credibility than their use of intelligence deserves.

Two links expose the terrible bias on Brexit in the British media

http://theconversation.com/hard-evidence-analysis-shows-extent-of-press-bias-towards-brexit-61106

Just look at the bottom graph

‘Hard Evidence: analysis shows extent of press bias towards Brexit’ Deacon et. al., the Conversation website, June 16, 2016 11.48am BST

And this tweet from JK Rowling is informative

(information from the Economist)

Over 20 years of misinformation on the EU by @DailyMailUK @Telegraph & co
via @TheEconomist

People voted to leave the EU just as they voted for Trump. Many knew what they were voting for, many took a deliberate risk, others voted in protest at being or feeling ignored and ‘left behind’ while others made money. Many were influenced by, believed, ignorance and lies. Those of us who want a better society, those of us who are the resistance now in 2016, have to never stop putting the facts and objective truth against lies. There is not one truth in our complex society – but there are many manipulating people with lies. Those people often don’t want to hear it; we have to continue speaking out. Of course there is not one vision of a better society, and so the Liberal case remains best, to enable people to strive for their own ideas of a better life and society as long as this does not unreasonably harm others. Some Victorian ideas are still good today.

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Some British & American voters tear up 60 years of peace and prosperity.

Some British and American voters tear up 60 years of mostly increasing peace and prosperity for Britain and North America. A small majority of voters, and non-voters, have put at risk what have been years of peace (mostly) and prosperity – punctuated by several bad recessions – that have improved living standards and quality of life increasingly for all of Western and then many Eastern Europe people and many people in North America. Worse, these voters and their leaders and non-voters have decided to strike at the European Union that has been the greatest peaceful instrument of international cooperation, economic and social and cultural development between nations that has existed in the northern hemisphere. They have played into the hands of Vladimir Putin, giving him his Christmas presents early. In weakening peaceful democratic social and economic cooperation, have they emboldened Putin to launch his next invasion? A man who thinks nothing of unleashing wholesale, indiscriminate death and destruction on civilians to provide his Russian audience of adoring fans with their bread and circuses while the rulers enrich themselves.

The peaceful rebellion of ordinary citizens of the UK, the USA and increasingly across Europe against those in political power and authorities of any kind does give politicians, officials and intellectuals much reason to consider how they have failed – when they have – and an obligation, on those in official positions and public life, to appreciate, understand and act to deal with real and answer imaginary concerns. The obligation on voters who have decided to smash a system that has achieved so much good in Europe, and to elect a man who is so erratic and irresponsible in the US, must to be take responsibility for their own actions and their own moral obligation to work to improve their localities and societies and our wider world. This is a time for statesmen to tell people the truth even when we know they don’t want to hear it and don’t want to listen. And for people to speak truthfully and honestly to those in power. All of us have to listen to each other – peacefully without discrimination, irrational prejudice or violence. Now is a time to promote values of tolerance, inclusion, international cooperation and rule of law, not to pander to those who will undermine them. The enlightenment does not end in 2016.

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Working as an international election observer.

I’ve not been posting on this website, as from September I have been working in a politically sensitive role as an election observer in Georgia. I am currently a Long Term Observer for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) election observation mission to the Parliamentary elections on 8 October 2016. This mission has now been extended to early November to cover 2nd round (run-off) elections on 30 October. I am deployed by the British East West Centre (BEWC) on behalf of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Read more here:
http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/georgia/261521

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The poisonous Brexiters and a positive case for UK staying in the EU

This commentary from Liberator 377 April 2016 about the poisonous nature of the Leave EU campaign and the leading Brexiters is still visibly true two months after their lying won the referendum. The resistance to the vile hateful propaganda of the Daily Mail the Daily Express and the Sun continues.

The full edition, including articles on the Brexit Liars by David Grace and the mistakes of the In campaign, by me, can be downloaded here: Liberator 377 April 2016 with articles on the EU referendum campaign

One of the most balanced debates I saw throughout the whole of the referendum campaign was from the cycling industry, included in a newsletter from Cycling UK. In this column, the bottom article was one of the best positive cases I saw put for the UK’s continued EU membership, by an individual cycle industry businessman. https://cyclingindustry.news/brexit-the-uks-cycling-manufacturers-have-their-say/ (Article by Ben Cooper reproduced below). I liked it because he put arguments and reasoning that I agree with. I still agree with this positive case – the antis have won this vote but they haven’t won the arguments on facts, principles, or positive grounds. They won on passion, but now those of use who are passionately pro-Britain being a key player in Europe and part of the EU, and of reforming the EU and making it better, are the ones who are angry, right and angry, and will not let the liars and cheats run Britain down and destroy a peaceful cooperative Europe.

“The Custom Framebuilder
Ben Cooper of Kinetics, Glasgow ben cooper

So far this week, I’ve imported from the USA and Germany, and exported to the Czech Republic and Canada – inside the EU is cheaper and easier to deal with. At the moment, it’s as easy to sell to Germany as it is to sell to Grimsby.

We get so much more from Europe, though. Will there be the same funding for cycle lanes and hire schemes if we’re out of the EU? I doubt it. Environmental standards, wages and employee protection are also likely to slip – impacting who can afford to buy a bike. And what’s Brexit for? I’m not worried about immigrants, they work hard and are extra customers for me. I’m not worried about sovereignty, the EU is more democratic than the UK government. What leaving the EU would feel like is being cowardly – turning inwards, becoming a smaller, more scared and backwards-looking country.”

Copyright © 2016 all rights reserved.
CyclingIndustry.News

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Stronger In bores on economics rather than fights on principles

4 June 2016.

My reply to Stronger In’s latest fundraising email based on comments by Michael Gove ( the Leave Campaign “can’t guarantee every person currently in work in their current job will keep their job.”). I could have written the same reply also to nearly any of the emails from Will Straw and others.

Re. latest fundraising email.

Dear Lucy,

The more Stronger In send me tedious repetitive emails about economics – speculation about economics at that, like Leave but more credible – the more I despair and am less likely to make any small donation I can afford to a one trick pony campaign that is scaremongering rather than idealistic (though nothing like as badly or outrageously as Leave).

As I just said in comment to a former (Labour) MEP friend.

“How do you think the Referendum campaign is going? I’m worried of course. I think – still after eight months – that IN have failed to sufficiently learn lessons from the Scottish referendum. I’m absolutely fed up with and angry at the almost constant negative campaigning and nearly all focus on the economy instead of anything about principles. Still Leave’s near constant lies are shocking. I think Labour have done well in the last couple of weeks.”

I should have added that the IN campaign’s lack of talking about principles is compounded by its failure to talk about reform. It may be standard campaigning that it has to be good v bad, right v wrong, but the failure to recognise flaws of the EU and to talk about the need for more reform than David Cameron has secured so far, hardly makes it look as if those of us who passionately want to stay in also want to make the EU work better. Some concerns of antis are genuine and realistic and yet we are doing nothing to engage with them. We may not win any of those people over but we’re not even trying.

Yours sincerely,

Kiron Reid

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Chris Evans, BBC Breakfast Show Radio 2 talks sense on need for modern voter registration system.

Chris Evans, BBC Breakfast Show Radio 2 talks sense on need for modern voter registration system. In Ukraine a voter can register five days before election day. In Macedonia you can check the electoral register online (which you can’t do here)
Chris Evans Breakfast Show BBC Radio 2 08:52 (on iPlayer at 01:23:20, 1 min)

Here’s a thing, what day is it today, is it June the what is it what’s the date is it again, June the eighth, June the 7th
So You have the European Referendum on June 23. Yet You have to register by midnight tonight in order to vote. [chatter chatter] {to actually vote} [chatter] No
Tonight you have to register by midnight to vote.
But, how Why? What It’s only June 23. Why do you have to register two weeks before. You can apparently
My wife says buy a house online and have a brand new house delivered to your door within an hour.
So Why do we have to register to vote in the most important referendum since the Second World War two weeks ahead of time? Surely you can register on the day if you have to. What’s that about. Just asking.

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Finally a positive case for the EU – from an Irish and Labour perspective.

[Originally a Facebook post] Yesterday I critiqued yet again the IN campaign’s strategy and tactics. [the previous post]

Last Wednesday, 1 June I finally heard the good principled, factual and positive case for EU membership that I’ve wanted the whole time.
Irish perspectives on the EU Referendum, Institute of Irish Studies, University of Liverpool Wednesday 1 June.

“The EU has been a tremendous force for good in Northern Ireland” Grainne Mellon, Irish4Europe.

Straight facts showing the overwhelmingly positive contribution of immigrants to Northern Ireland from Peter Shirlow, Director of the Institute of Irish Studies. Shirlow could reel off fact after fact after fact – statistics, but plain ones.

Irish Foreign Minister, Charles Flanagan, gave a fluent upbeat report on the many reasons majority Irish opinion wants Britain to stay in the EU. “We have a consensus in Ireland on this issue” (in Irish politics). I thought the idea of consensus in Irish politics or among people in Ireland was over optimistic but the Minister gave many reasons why the EU has been good for the whole island of Ireland and its neighbour, Great Britain. Also this amazing statistic, his flight over to Liverpool today one of ‘Between Dublin, Cork and Belfast: “at least 21 direct flights to Liverpool today, operated by four different airlines.”‘. (Quote courtesy of Irish4Europe).

Hilary Benn – there is a struggle for the soul of Europe. Talked about the vision of the founders of the European Union, and celebrating it. Benn made the positive principled case for EU membership. He also gave many practical examples of the improvements in Britain while we have been in the EU. “when I think the state the British car industry was in 20, 30 years ago”. On peaceful coexistence, workers rights, the environment, the economy, free trade, free travel, especially for young people, helping the Northern Ireland peace process, investment in northern cities, Benn covered the whole range of positive arguments. Labour MP Hilary Benn put exactly the Liberal case for the EU that I want to hear and that Liberals put, clearly, articulately, persuasively.

Conor McGinn, St. Helens MP celebrated “Britain in the EU confident of its place in the World”. A place comfortable with internationalism and with its influence on the World stage, magnified by EU membership. He highlighted for the Liverpool city region the positive legacy of the Liverpool Capital of Culture across the whole county, and that both the World of Glass in St Helens and the Tate Liverpool were partly funded through the EU. Very large EU investments in culture as regeneration.

Grainne Mellon echoed the Irish Minister and former UK Minister, as well, like McGinn, reflecting on the importance of cross border trade and peaceful links in Ulster.
“It gives us a chance to see how far we have come.
We are passionate that this is best for Britain, and Ireland North and South.”

(First quote via Brian O’Connell rt Irish4Europe).