So, another week has gone by. And things, as they do, have been happening. And because we here at Fortitude are jolly good folk, we’ve been keeping on top of it all, writing it on our computers and posting on the internet, purely because we want you to know whats going on. You’re welcome.
Is The Scottish Independence All Just A Romantic Ideal?
It is perhaps the next huge event in the history of the United Kingdom. The Scottish National Party and its leader Alex Salmond wants to take Scotland away from the warm, loving embrace of the UK and into the great wild expanses of Independence. It is a topic that has divided opinions, as well as having the potential of dividing the country. The advantages, disadvantages, nuances and caveats of the potential split are all detailed here by our very own Zak.
No Benefits Please, We’re British
Benefits. A dirty word in modern British Culture. With shows like Benefits Street on our TVs, constant coverage by the newspapers (when no other scandals are going on of course) and seemingly enough vox pops in the collective archives that you could probably recut it all into the worst adaption of Ben Hur of all time. Cameron prescribed a solution to benefits as a way of fixing our “broken society”, yet it has proven a tricky thing to tackle. Joe goes into substantially more detail than this small teaser, right here.
HS2…Don’t Ask
Otherwise known as the Supertrain, probably, the High Speed 2 train to run between London and the Midlands/the North has caused a bit of disconcertment. With a hefty price tag of almost £50 Billion, people are starting to ask questions as to whether this train is really necessary. In fact, this curiosity as to why an otherwise austere government is spending £50bn on a train has garnered a request for information through the Freedom of Information act. And what does the government do when presented with such a situation? Veto. Yup, thats right. What a bunch of ninnies, doesn’t make them look very good does it? Mark has the details you need to know here.
Politicians And Wellies: Media Heaven Or Hell?
The big story at the moment, playing up to the old stereotype of the British constantly talking about the weather, is the weather. Over the last few weeks, Britain has been battered by what is really actually quite a lot of rain. Wind as well, which makes things even worse. Almost all of Devon and Somerset is underwater, Cornwall has not seen the sun for a month because it’s hidden by waves and most of Wales has apparently fallen into the sea. But have no fear, because the politicians have arrived to look at how much water there is. We presume that someone has told them that most people don’t have moats around their homes. Rebecca explores Politicians and the media here.
(As a quick side note, the alternative title for this article was going to be “Pillocks in Puddles”, but this was later rejected.)
The Significance of 12 Years A Slave
Heavily tipped at this years Academy Awards, as well as countless other awards that perhaps carry less gravitas, 12 Years A Slave is one of the best films of 2013 (or 2014, if you watched it in the UK. International release dates eh?). Based on the true events of the life of Solomon Northup, it is a story that, upon hearing, you’ll be shocked that you didn’t already know. Spoilers for the film ahead, so ye be warned. Also, if you haven’t watched it yet, go and watch it. Sam discusses the significance of the film here.
Of course, check back to Fortitude for all the latest news and comment on the world of politics.