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SubscriptionsSection: Argument
Honestly held opinions and provocative argument based on current events or our recent reports.
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Black Holes – A Lesson in Perspective
Katie Bouman, the woman who created the algorithm to prove Einstein’s theorem, has given Otto English a breath of Brexit relief
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A Thousand Small acts of Kindness – How to Tame the Black Dog of Depression
Mike Stuchbery speaks out about his mental health struggles, and in doing so finds a cure in the kindness of others
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‘I made a promise to Assange that, if this day ever came, I would fight for him’
Icelandic poetician Birgitta Jonsdottir, who collaborated with WikiLeaks in its early days, speaks up to defend him against extradition
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The Sad, Misplaced Martyrdom of Julian Assange
There are many reasons to be concerned about the founder of WikiLeaks begin extradited to the US – but publishing the truth isn’t one of them.
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‘Bigots Hate to see Minorities getting Involved in Politics – that’s Why we Should’
What does it mean to be a political Muslim woman in a racist, misogynist, abusive online world?
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Brexit Confusion – Don’t Blame Us
As the Brexit fuse burns to its cinder, what the UK needs more than ever, is a more acceptance that many Britons are simply bewildered as to what the hell is going on. That doesn’t make them stupid – it makes them normal.
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A challenge to Boris Johnson: explain your ill-conceived CSA comments
An emotional letter to Byline Times from a child abuse survivor has reignited debate over Boris Johnson’s claim that Britain’s CSA inquiry is a £60m waste of money.
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Theresa May’s Legacy of Chaos
All Prime Ministers obsess about their place in history. As the endgame nears – how will Theresa May be remembered? The long term forecast isn’t good.
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Attorney General Barr’s new Letter lays out his latest Coverup Scheme
Attorney General Barr appears to be living up to his nickname of the “Coverup General,” this time by burying the substance of the Mueller report and selectively editing the information that will see the light of day.
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Dando Blagger Riddle: Police Failed to Get the Full Story out of The Daily Mirror
The Daily Mirror should have come clean about blagging and hacking to murder cops – and saved police time and money, says John Ford.
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A PHONE HACKING HIT? How Jill Dando was Tracked to her Doorstep
While the detective leading the inquiry into the television presenter’s murder says the case will never be solved, Byline Times reveals a crucial clue the police missed.
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Democracy in Danger: What Happened to our Data after the EU Referendum?
In the light of multiple investigations into Brexit online campaigns, Byline Times asks whether our election data is secure or could be misused in future votes.
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Democracy in Danger: How Safe is Britain’s Next Election?
With the country on the edge of a snap general election or second referendum in an age of digital psyops, is our electoral system equipped for votes to be free and fair?
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Two Fingers Up to the Country they Serve: The Age of MINISTERIAL IRRESPONSIBILITY
The Age of Ministerial Irresponsibility: The cabinet ministers who got away with facing the consequences of disastrous decisions.
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Mueller Summary: the Obstruction Case Leaves a Cloud of Doubt Hanging over Trump’s Presidency
Attorney General Barr’s hasty decision to let Trump off the hook on obstruction of justice leaves a cloud of doubt that will linger for the remainder of Trump’s presidency.
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Islamophobia and the Limits of Free Speech
How much longer can our mainstream press escape the consequences of their false reporting and dangerous rhetoric around our Muslim communities?
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When Will Brexiters Accept They Were Conned?
As every day brings more uncertainty, Otto English asks how long will it take Brexit voters to accept that they have fallen prey to a vast Ponzi scheme?
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Weaponising history: the graffitied rifle of the Christchurch terrorist is a tool to radicalise
The Christchurch terrorist created a misleading historical narrative of how Christians and Muslims have interacted over time. Mike Stuchbery explains why this is so dangerous.
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Christchurch: Where Does this Terror Come From? Former Chief Prosecutor on Child Sexual Abuse Speaks Out on Islamophobia
Nazir Afzal, OBE, decries the Far Fight exploitation of the victims of child sexual abuse in ‘street grooming’ cases in Britain’s northern towns, and explains how ‘endless Islamophobia’ and propaganda provokes violence
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Don’t tear up our last shred of constitutional legitimacy
For too long we’ve relied on unwritten norms to underpin our governance – norms of honesty, shame, resignation or apology for misleading parliament and the public or breaking ethical rules and professional guidelines… We need a written constitution to protect the public…
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Brexit Zugzwang: How the UK can escape the fierce checkmate-stalemate of now
As the country lurches towards March 29th – Zugzwang Brexit is where our politicians are now at. So what can be done?
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17 DAYS TO GO: News from the Brexit Cliff Edge
A weekly comprehensive round-up of what others are writing about the looming exit of the UK from the European Union.
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A Quiet Kind of Terror: What It’s Like to be the Target of a Far Right Witch-hunt
A week after Mike Stuchbery became subject to targeted harassment and threats of violence, he reflects on the impact it has had on his life.
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Paul Manafort’s Sentencing Raises More Questions Than Answers
Caroline Orr explains how, when Manafort goes to prison, he will carry with him a slew of secrets about Super PACS, polling data and a possible Wikileaks Connection
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THE GREAT INDIFFERENCE: Brexit Wrongdoing Swept Under the Carpet
As serious allegations about Leave EU Official and Arron Banks continue to come out – the media and political class are complicit in a conspiracy of silence, says Otto English
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Boris Johnson planning a Trump-like populist bid for PM: backed by Steve Bannon and the Far Right
You can get rid of the ridiculous bouffant hair, but that doesn’t stop you being a dangerous buffoon.
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She’s Running for US President: but Who is Tulsi Gabbard?
Faisal Khan profiles high-flying democrat Tulsi Gabbard. What does she stand for? What does she believe in? And who funds her?
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Trump’s Digital Operation Comes Under Scrutiny By House Judiciary Committee: THE ARGUMENT
Following the FACTS outlined by the congressional requests for documents, Caroline Orr sets out the road map ahead and argues a new era of accountability is on the way for Trump and his digital operation
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Britain’s decline, Britain’s ascension: Brexit on the Edge
BeLeave Whistleblower and Digital activist Shahmir Sanni argues that by revealing the post-colonial corruption of Westminster, Brexit also opens the door to real radical change.
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Putin Pushing on an Open Door
By ignoring Law-Breaking and Social Media Monopolies British and American Politicians are doing Putin’s work for him, argues Tamsin Shaw
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The Catastrophe of Success
The catastrophe of success: Trump, Gove and Johnson never expected to win. What now?
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COMMENT & ANALYSIS
What is ‘SENSITIVE’? – The suppressed No Deal Impact report This week’s Contempt Committee hearing followed the successful threat of contempt proceedings being used by MPs to force the release of Brexit-related Cabinet papers. “It really would be to the eternal shame of the Conservative party if it were to continue to support a no-deal…
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Contempt Inquiry challenges Government bid to stop MPs releasing ‘sensitive’ Brexit documents
The Government would like its own legal advice and Cabinet papers to be off-limits to Opposition MPs Parliament’s Procedure Committee has held its final hearing on how Theresa May’s minority Government was found In Contempt of Parliament last December. The MPs’ inquiry – known officially as the “Powers of the House of Commons to Call…
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Online Endgame for ‘Tommy Robinson’ – but What Next for the British Hard Right?
Mike Stuchbery wonders whether British populists will ever rally round a strongman figure and whether something worse could replace it
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Tommy has No Clothes
The truth of things, deep down, is that the man calling himself ‘Tommy Robinson’ isn’t the leader or figurehead he’s been sold as… On Saturday, many of his strongest supporters began to realise that – and that’s something to worry about.
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The Real Militant Tendency: ERG and the Brexit Layercake
Otto English looks into the background and funding of Jacob Rees-Mogg’s ERG, alleged to operate like a ‘party within a party’ by senior Conservative MPs
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Shamima Begum and the Case for Mercy
Otto English argues that ‘an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind’ and that an advanced democracy like Britain should not seek to punish a naïve girl for the sins of those who groomed her.
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‘Tommy’ & Facebook: Kicking the Habit
Mike Stuchbery challenges Mark Zuckerberg to stop enabling Stephen Yaxley-Lennon’s hate and asks you to help him
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Killing Democracy, Softly
Without a written constitution, our governance relies on abiding by norms of good behaviour with the backstop of the criminal law. Now both are vulnerable to soft corruption. Ten months after the Metropolitan Police received a file on potential illegality within Brexit referendum campaigns, Byline Times has learnt that Scotland Yard has still not decided…
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Time to Speak for Britain – Before It’s Too Late
As Ford threatens to quit the UK and each day brings more catastrophic news – staying silent is no longer an option.
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Britain is in Crisis – is a New Centrist Party the Solution?
Does the UK need more centrism or has it been the cause of the current malaise facing the nation? Since the EU Referendum in June 2016, Westminster has regularly been awash with rumours of a new centrist party. With polls showing increasing disaffection with the leadership of the traditional parties and distrust in wider politics,…
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Theresa May is Flying Flight Brexit into a Crash Landing
As Theresa May travels to Belfast and Brussels, time is running out. Article 50 needs to be extended or the UK crashes out with No Deal. After all – it didn’t say “Brace! Brace! Brace!” on the side of that bus.
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Phone Hacking: Time the Police Stepped In
Evidence against executives and editors is piling up in the civil courts, but newspapers are just buying their way out of trouble. The right place for this is the criminal courts, which means the Met must act
