Robert Jackman

Friday

Robert Jackman

Pod Save America’s public firing of Tim Miller is oddly sanctimonious

From our US edition

The decision by the popular liberal podcast Pod Save America to break ties publicly with Tim Miller – a Republican adviser and Trump skeptic – might not make ripples beyond the beltway. It’s an interesting story nonetheless. In a strangely sanctimonious statement posted on Twitter, Pod’s co-hosts – three ex-Obama staffers – announced they would be dropping Miller, a regular guest, because of his links with the lobbying firm Definers Public Affairs. They 'ultimately found it impossible to square that work with the values of our company’. Definers – for those who missed it – is currently caught up in a media storm regarding some advisory work it had been doing for Facebook.

pod save america

Tuesday

Robert Jackman

No, the Proud Boys aren’t an extremist group

From our US edition

According to a document obtained by the transparency initiative Property of the People, the FBI now regards the Proud Boys (the self-styled ‘pro-West fraternal organization’ founded by right-wing provocateur Gavin McInnes) as an extremist group linked to white nationalism. As someone who’s met similar groups (I’ve stayed with anti-government militias in Kansas and California), I’m not convinced. In my experience, Proud Boy-style groups aren’t racist – if I had to define them, I’d say they’re obnoxious pro-Trumpers whose politics seem less about making America great again and more about antagonizing the other side. Sure, they tend to be strongly anti-immigration and un-PC more generally – but white nationalist?

gavin mcinnes proud boys
Robert Jackman

Brexit Britain needs 21st century borders

Whatever form Brexit might take, the Government has been clear about its intentions to take the country global: the Prime Minister has promised that post-Brexit Britain will be an outward-looking country, trading and engaging with countries from across the world. But if Britain is to copy with the increase in trade and visitors (both of which are expected to double within the next thirty years), it will be necessary to revisit and revitalise the country’s border and customs infrastructure. The Home Office’s failure to meet its existing targets for clearing visitors (within 25 minutes for EEA passports, and 45 minutes for non-EEA visitors have been well-publicised) – how can the UK cope with higher traffic?

Wednesday

Robert Jackman

Tony Blair exposes Labour’s Brexit cynicism

Tony Blair has urged Labour MPs to vote against Theresa May’s deal when it comes to the Commons. In a speech at the British Academy this afternoon, Blair described the deal as 'pointless' and added that it was 'gut-wrenching' that Labour was not doing more to get a second referendum.  Blair’s views on Brexit aren’t much of a surprise. But it’s interesting to note the similarity for once between Blair’s position and the official Labour line: both are focused on voting down the deal in support of what they see as a bigger goal.  Similar, that is, apart from one crucial detail: while Blair wants a second referendum, Jeremy Corbyn is manoeuvring for a general election.

Tuesday

Robert Jackman

Mumsnet and the British media aren’t ‘transphobic’

Is the British media transphobic? Yes, according to a writer in the Outline, a US publication, who accuses the Times and the Guardian of rampant bigotry in the row about gender. Several prominent British feminists are also singled out for alleged ‘hate-peddling’. The logic here is muddled but is worth unpicking. The author appears to claim that the views of British feminists like Helen Lewis (who has urged caution over the Government’s proposal to reform the Gender Recognition Act) are somehow comparable to the Trump administration, which is – according to the New York Times – seeking to remove legal protections for transgender individuals. This is a complete misunderstanding of both debates.

Wednesday

Robert Jackman

William Sitwell’s mistake wasn’t to make a joke about vegans

William Sitwell, the writer and food critic made famous by Masterchef, has quit as editor of Waitrose's food magazine following the backlash against his response to a vegan journalist. When Selene Nelson wrote to Sitwell to pitch a series of 'plant-based' recipes, he replied with another idea: "How about a series on killing vegans, one by one. Ways to trap them? How to interrogate them properly? Expose their hypocrisy? Force-feed them meat? Make them eat steak and drink red wine?". This spirited response – which, if nothing else, suggests some confusion about the ingredients of red wine – has now cost Sitwell his job. For some it will come as no surprise – Sitwell is hardly the first person to have their career imperilled by a Twitter witch-hunt.