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Dear Subscribers,
It sounds like a summer silly season story, but alas, it’s not. The Director of the company behind the People’s Vote campaign, Roland Rudd really has (at last) resigned… and is off to enjoy his cushy job as Chairman of the Tate. He is at least a suitable administrative face of a work like Tracy Emin’s ‘Unmade Bed’.
Often absurd and understood by few: modern art or Roland Rudd?
In a reminder of just how wrong Rudd and his friends were, we now have the data for imports and exports from and to Ireland up to June, which show that they have made a pretty complete recovery.
Meanwhile, in other news about our old foes, the verdicts are coming in on Michel Barnier’s diary. You can find that of BfB editor Robert Tombs below. Subscribers will also enjoy this acidic review of a new ‘revisionist’ biography of Winston Churchill, written by Andrew Roberts for The Spectator.
Media
Robert has also been engaged in an exchange of letters with Saul Dubow, his fellow Professor of History at Cambridge, about his recent Telegraph article, ‘The Boer war dead deserve to be remembered’, discussing changes to a Newcastle monument to men who died in the Boer War. Here are the links to Professor Dubow’s letter and Robert’s reply.
On the website this week
Blogs
Michel Barnier’s diary: a review, by Robert Tombs
We shall soon be able to read Michel Barnier’s ‘secret Brexit diary’ in English. It is an important document, but the least ‘secret’ diary one could imagine.
“It must have been a nightmare for Barnier trying to negotiate a deal. It must have been a nightmare for those trying to negotiate with him.”
The British Empire: A Moral Account, by Nigel Biggar
The following talk was given by Nigel Biggar, the University of Oxford’s Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology, at the West Cork History Festival 28 July 2021. In it, Professor Biggar assesses the case for declaring the British Empire systematically racist or fascist, and finds it wanting. You can also watch the talk on Youtube.
“My considered view is that not one of these attempts to stick the label ‘Nazi’ onto the British Empire works.”
We are also on Twitter, posting articles and retweeting the daily events that bring Brexit to the fore in the national news.
Discussion also continues over on Facebook.
How you can help
There is much about Brexit still to be decided. Our MPs listen to their constituents. Do continue to send them links to our articles, especially on matters relevant to your constituency – for example, in rural areas, articles on the threat to British agriculture. Alternatively, make an appointment to speak to them at their next surgery. Let them know what you want post-Brexit Britain to look like.
As Boris Johnson said in in his post-election address, it is also time for unity and reconciliation. Keep reading our posts and share links to our quality content to help others understand how leaving the EU will be good for the UK economy and for our own democratic governance. We aim to educate our critics to think differently and more positively about the long-term impact of Brexit.
You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Yours Sincerely,
Newsletter Editor
An Oxbridge PhD Student
Dr Graham Gudgin
Economist, Centre for Business Research, Judge Business School University of Cambridge
Professor Robert Tombs
Emeritus Professor of French History, University of Cambridge
