Posted by Clive Lewis

How far is too far when it comes to the freedom of the press?

rupert-murdochI believe in freedom of the press. It’s a seemingly obvious statement for the vast majority of people in this country. And yet it’s a caveat many opposed to the Paul Dacre and Rupert Murdoch position on press regulation feel compelled to make.

Listening to the hysterical reaction of most UK newspapers as regards the new Parliamentary backed Royal Charter; you’d think John Stuart Mill, John Wilkes and George Orwell were spinning in their graves. They would have us believe the new reforms throw up a question for which there is only a binary answer: Either we have a “free press” free of political interference or we do not and we risk the very end of democracy. But I’m afraid the reality of this debate is that it’s about shades of grey. Continue reading →

Why climate change helped trigger the Syrian civil war

Syria and climate changeWatching events in Syria you can’t help but be thoroughly disturbed. Massacres, chemical weapons usage, millions displaced, mass destruction and a death toll approaching an estimated 100,000. Although well into the 21st century the old bloody habits of the 20th seem reluctant to let go.

But as events unfold in Syria I fear we are witnessing a tragic aperitif – a warm-up act for horrors and worse that will flare up with shocking frequency as we move further into the century. The reason? Our planet is literally and metaphorically becoming a pressure cooker. Continue reading →