Oliver Letwin MP

There is a considerable tendency to imagine that progress consists in moving from low tech to high tech – and, often enough, this is perfectly true.  But not always.

Some years ago, I came across an interesting counter-example.  Utterly brilliant scientists and engineers created what was called global personal mobile communications. This ultra-tech system involves walking [...]

There has been – and continues to be – a lot of controversy about renewable energy.
 
Each renewable technology has its passionate advocates and its equally passionate detractors.  Wind enthusiasts vie with vigorous opponents. And there are similar controversies about solar power, hydro power, tidal power, wave power, heat pump technology and all the rest of [...]

Last week, I was lucky enough to be invited to the re-opening of the village shop in Bishops Caundle.

For any reader who doesn’t happen to have visited this shop, it is well worth a look. As is happening more and more, this is a community shop which has all the welcoming feel and bright enthusiasm [...]

Politics is a very strange thing. Some of the time, it consists of sensible and careful discussion about issues which are really important. But, at other times, it becomes a parody of itself, either because political tribalism takes over from rationality or because strong passions lead interest groups to exaggerate their claims.

The reaction to the [...]