The Green Ribbon

Random thoughts on the new Oriental mode of production

Newsnight's Paul Mason is, by common consent, one of the most switched-on commentators on the global wave of social unrest that has emerged in the wake of the financial crisis. His recent blogpost, Twenty reasons why its kicking off everywhere, has deservedly been getting plenty of recommendations on twitter, etc.

I though this point was particularly interesting:

The weakness of organised labour means there's a changed relationship between the radicalized middle class, the poor and the organised workforce. The world looks more like 19th century Paris - heavy predomination of the "progressive" intelligentsia, intermixing with the slum-dwellers at numerous social interfaces (cabarets in the 19C, raves now); huge social fear of the excluded poor but also many rags to riches stories celebrated in the media (Fifty Cent etc); meanwhile the solidaristic culture and respectability of organized labour is still there but, as in Egypt, they find themselves a "stage army" to be marched on and off the scene of history.

Mason's picture of 19th century Paris holds more generally for what might be called the pre-industrial left. Geoff Eley provides a useful description of this heritage in his history of the left, Forging Democracy:

This blog is not dead...

..but it is pretty firmly in hibernation mode at the moment. In part this it has opened up a number of other opportunities for me that are now taking up most of my time.

One of these is an editing gig at openDemocracy's OurKingdom blog, which is involved in some very exciting thinking around the future of the UK.

My involvement with Spinwatch has also deepened to the point where an argument that started out as a response to a Slugger thread has led to me starting a Ph.D at the University of Strathclyde.

Both openDemocracy and Spinwatch have got some interesting new projects in the works over the next few months. In the meantime, I'd like to flag up some good posts elsewhere on the themes that I've been neglecting here lately..

If you had been following the coverage of Tim Spicer, Tony Buckingham and assorted mercenaries here, then you will want to look up Craig Murray's recent encounters with same.

If you're interested in the neocons, London bloggers have produced some great coverage of Policy Exchange's relationship with Boris Johnson in recent months. Notable examples can be found at Dave Hill, Liberal Conspiracy, Boris Watch and Tory Troll.

It's also worth noting Arun Kundnani's article earlier this month, and the Guardian's profile on Policy Exchange last Friday, which both picked up on Dean Godson's cold war background.

The hiatus here is likely to continue but do please keep an eye out my stuff at OurKingdom and Spinwatch.

The Best of the Green Ribbon 2007

Before it's too late, here's a quick look back over some of the more notable posts from 2007:

January saw the Green Ribbon picking up on some 1970s state papers with a contemporary resonance for the debate about Scottish independence. Another official file from the period highlighted the significance of Scotland's Trident base for Ireland.

In February, the Government responded to the Downing Street petition against proposed changes to the Freedom of Information Act with a robust defence of the planned legislation. Better news on this score would come after Gordon Brown arrived at No 10. That month also saw my still sadly unfinished series on US covert action in Britain, a subject I would return to later in the year.

In March, The Green Ribbon asked if the sell-off on the Shanghai stock market was a counter-intuitive sign of Asia's emerging financial strength. Gordon Brown's announcement of a tax review for Northern Ireland was also covered.

In April I was interviewed by Italian TV for a documentary about Aegis Defence Services. The English language version is available here.

Iain Dale's top 20 Irish blogs

I'm delighted to discover that the Green Ribbon has made the list of 20 top Irish blogs compiled by Mick Fealty for Iain Dale's Guide to Political Blogging. Many of my own favourites are also included in the list, which is well worth a look.

Muzzling Britain's bloggers

There's no doubt about the big story on the British blogosphere at the moment. A whole tranche of websites have disappeared in response to legal threats by Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov.

Craig Murray and Tim Ireland's Bloggerheads have had the plug pulled by their hosting company. In the process a number of blogs hosted on Ireland's server have also gone down, including Boris Johnson and Bob Piper.

There is something of a debate on Pickled Politics over whether US hosting is a defence against this kind of thing. In one comment, Thomas Dunsmore of Pitchinvasion.net reports that he was approached by Usmanov's lawyers despite having US hosting. It's not clear, however, if his hosts were approached directly or whether they took any action as a result.

Nairn on the Lib-Lab talks

OurKingdom points us to a new blog from Scottish nationalist thinker Tom Nairn, which kicks of with a post on Brown's overtures to the Lib Dems.

Some cross-partyism is  required again, to save Britishness. This is why he has lurched so suddenly towards the Lib-Dems, and in effect invited them into informal coalition. He was indicating that higher necessities must now take over — higher even than those of the Party, his normal modus operandi. Until the eighteen-year reign of Thatcherite Conservatism (1979-1997) it was the dominant mode of Westminster governance. From 1915 until 1945 parties came together, forgetting their policy differences to protect Empire, State and the all-British identity so cherished by Brown and his ‘Unionist’ followers. (Tom Nairn)

Got to be Gordon meme

Anthony Barnett has tagged me with a meme on Gordon Brown from Matt Wardman. Here goes:

    * 2 things Gordon Brown should be proud of

Increasing spending on health and education
Avoiding a recession

    * 2 things he should apologise for.

Supporting the war in Iraq.
Voting to impose tuition fees and foundation hospitals on England when his constituents won't be affected.

    * 2 things that he should do immediately when he becomes PM.

Withdraw from Iraq.
Scrap ID cards.

* 2 things he should do while he is PM.

Create an English Parliament as part of a codified constitutional settlement.
Allow Northern Ireland to set a regional 12.5 per cent corporation tax rate to benefit from the growth of the Irish economy.

* Tag 8 more bloggers

Blood and Treasure
Bob Piper
The Dreaming Arm
The England Project
Little Man in a Toque
Ministry of Truth
Tartan Hero
The Yorkshire Ranter

Green Ribbon up for the Satin Pajama Awards

It appears that the Green Ribbon is up for the best weblog from the UK category at the Third Annual Satin Pajama Awards. Thanks to Alex from the Yorkshire Ranter for the nomination

There's are some very good blogs in the category and, at the moment, I seem to be languishing on one vote so any support would be greatly appreciated.

Spare a thought also for Mick Fealty's Slugger which seems to be making a rather better fist of competing for the Best European Weblog category.

Update

Clearly, the Green Ribbon was squeezed...

Congratulations to the winners, particularly Jonny Billericay and Slugger.

The Green Ribbon Review of the Year 2006

Following on from last year's precedent, here's a look back at the last twelve months as chronicled on the Green Ribbon.

January

The start of the year saw the Peter McBride campaign bringing its case to Westminster, with an early day motion launched by SDLP leader Mark Durkan calling for the government "to affirm that human rights abusers, killers, rapists and bullies are permanently excluded from military service." The motion would eventually win the support of 55 MPs from all major parties.

February

The early part of the year also saw Justice for the Forgotten and the Pat Finucane Centre visiting London to consult newly released.documents from the 1970s as part of their research on state collusion with loyalists. Among the significant files which turned up was one on Plain Clothes Army Patrols in Northern Ireland.

Green Ribbon makes Iain Dale blog guide

There's been a bit of a hiatus here at the Green Ribbon as I have been in Dublin for the last few days.

It looks like I will have to be get back up to speed though, as I have been included in Iain Dale's Guide to Political Blogging in the UK which is being distributed at the party conferences. I made it in at number 52 on the list of non-aligned blogs.

Although the guide is quite an extensive and balanced list, there are some notable omissions, which have excited plenty of debate around the blogosphere.