andrew tickell

I’VE never lost a friend before. A granny, a colleague – but never a friend. Two weeks ago, as returning officers were counting up the votes and fresh-minted MPs were preparing acceptance speeches, I got news that our much-loved friend and colleague Professor Alison Britton passed away after a short illness. She was just 63. All my ordinary political obsessions fell away.

A WEEK on, the Post Office scandal has now entered a defensive phrase of mutual recrimination and blame. In an election year, political parties are chasing credit and trying to dodge responsibility.

SHAKESPEARE said “a sad tale’s best for winter”, especially “one of sprites and goblins”.

THE headline over last week’s big legal development was straightforward: in the Court of Session on Friday, Lady Haldane found in favour of the UK Government, ruling that Alister Jack’s order blocking the Gender Recognition Reform Bill from receiving royal assent was not unlawful, irrational, or imposed in a procedurally unfair way.

In January 2024, any rights Salmond might have would have disappeared – hence this November surprise. The starter’s gun having fired, it still isn’t clear whether this will be a marathon or sprint. After an initial hearing, the cause was immediately paused for an uncertain period of time.

In the social media age, ethical codes have far less purchase

If your employer produced digital evidence which showed that you have been embezzling substantial sums of money from them, how would you prove you didn’t do it? In principle, the burden of proof lies on the prosecutor. In principle, you don’t have to prove your innocence. But confronted with an apparently unassailable printout detailing all the money the computer says is missing, what exactly is your defence lawyer going to say?

It’s difficult to identify anything the Labour leader has done which has contributed positively towards their polling lead.