The great recalibration Written by Javier Maquieira, senior associate Edited by Adam Shaw, associate partner6 August 2021 Good morning, The history of Anglo-French relations is often portrayed as one marred by mutual suspicion and at times open hostility. Since the signing of the entente cordiale in 1904, however, cooperation and pragmatism have mostly characterised the relationship between the …
Dalai Lama drama Written by Katie Armour, senior associateEdited by Tom Gillingham, associate partner 4 August 2021 Good morning, When Ben Rhodes, Obama’s former speechwriter, was staying in Shanghai in 2017 he was woken up in the night by Chinese government officials. They warned him that Obama, whom he was travelling with, shouldn’t meet the Dalai …
Queen’s consent & discontent Written by Katie Armour, senior associateEdited by Scott Reid, associate partner 30 July 2021 Good morning, You’d imagine the Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill to be a pretty dry piece of legislation. It’s mechanical and exhaustive and sets out how to deliver renewable energy to heat homes in certain neighbourhoods or towns. But this …
The Spanish paradox Written by Javier Maquieira, senior associate Edited by David Gaffney, partner29 July 2021 Good morning, Spain has had very little to celebrate with regards to Covid-19, until recently. While countries such as the UK find themselves dealing with the third wave of coronavirus infections, my home country is currently undergoing its fifth epidemic wave, …
Blame it on climate change Written by Javier Maquieira, senior associate Edited by Iain Gibson, associate partner20 July 2021 Good morning, “The German language knows hardly any words for this devastation”. That’s how chancellor Angela Merkel summed up the deadly floods that wreaked havoc in parts of Germany and neighbouring countries last week. She was visiting affected towns …
Ripping up the rule book Written by Katie Armour, senior associate Edited by Tom Gillingham, associate partner 19 July 2021 Good morning, It’s the summer of staycations and the temperature in parts of the UK has surpassed 30 degrees. People across the country spent the weekend in search of the perfect spot to enjoy it. …
Patria y vida Written by Javier Maquieira, senior associate Edited by David Gaffney, partner13 July 2021 Good morning, Thousands of Cubans took to the streets on Sunday to rally against the communist government of Miguel Díaz-Canel. They shouted “fatherland and freedom” on a day that saw hundreds of arrests and violent clashes after the Cuban president urged his supporters …
We’re hiring, please Written by Javier Maquieira, senior associate Edited by Iain Gibson, associate partner9 July 2021 Good morning, This has been a pandemic of shortages. What began with empty toilet paper aisles and followed with limited vaccine supplies is now giving way to a different kind of shortage: labour. As it happens, despite a relatively …
The backbone of the nation Written by Javier Maquieira, senior associate Edited by Kevin Pringle, partner2 July 2021 Good morning, Very few political parties have stood the test of time quite like the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Although its authority has ebbed and flowed over its 100 years of history, the party’s Leninist determination to be the …
A beach barbecue of high stakes Written by Javier Maquieira, senior associate Edited by Scott Reid, associate partner14 June 2021 Good morning, If you follow any of the G7 leaders on social media, chances are you’ve been inundated by wholesome images of the attendees enjoying themselves at the Cornish resort of Carbis Bay while discussing their …