Author Archives: Matthew Plummer

The choices Thatcher gave us

At the tender age of 34 I’m really a bit too young to remember much of the Margaret Thatcher years. I can certainly recall where I was when she resigned – walking down my primary school corridor, and passing the … Continue reading

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The mentoring challenge

As a photography student I loved the lectures and hours spent in the studio, making mistakes and getting lost in my work. But one of the most important parts of my development was listening to the professional and amateur photographers … Continue reading

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Pig-ugly thinking

watch?v=OVxtQkyd91k I’m reluctant to admit it, but it took me a few days to build up the courage to watch Nick Boles’ planning piece on Wednesday’s Newsnight. In my defence I’d read a great deal of the ensuing coverage, but … Continue reading

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In praise of red tape

Two small stories made the news last month. The first was a report by Ipsos MORI for the Royal Institute of British Architects, which found that many of the UK’s new-build homes are poorly designed, with chaotic living spaces for … Continue reading

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After six decades of the British Bomb, are nuclear weapons still a game changer for the UK?

Sir Nick Harvey’s suggestion just before the Conference that the replacement of Trident wasn’t quite such a sure thing generated the usual flurry of articles in the press. I do feel rather sorry for Fleet Street’s defence editors, who have … Continue reading

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