This site hosts my writing and media appearances including news about the documentary movie, Accidental Anarchist. I am a former British diplomat who resigned over the Iraq war. I founded the world's first non-profit diplomatic advisory group, Independent Diplomat.
It is twenty years since I resigned from the Foreign Office over the Iraq War. I remember well the day I wrote to the Foreign Secretary, attaching my secret evidence to the Butler Inquiry as the reason. The government had Continue reading Twenty Years since my Resignation: some hard lessons
I appeared this weekend on Al Jazeera’s Inside Story show discussing Israel’s attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria and the risks of broader regional conflict. This discussion took place on 13 April, before Iran’s drone and missile attacks on Continue reading Israel/Iran/Gaza
I recently had a conversation with Douglas Rushkoff, a theorist of post-capitalism, especially in tech and media. It was a joyous exploration of ideas. Our talk touched on the origins of the relationship between capitalism and government, the financial crisis, Continue reading A talk with Douglas Rushkoff
Thank you to Jonny Gordon-Fairleigh for inviting me and to Cooperative and Community Finance for sponsoring this event. We think we know what democracy means. I used to think that. I was once a servant of Britain’s so-called democracy, a Continue reading Demanding Democracy: Speech at Stir to Action festival, 18 May 2023
This is the text of a speech I gave on 29 April to the OxPeace Conference on Ukraine. The speech underlines the need for all of Ukraine’s populations, including in the Donbas and Crimea, to be consulted in any possible Continue reading Ukraine: the requirements of a peace deal
The excellent DOPE magazine now has its own website, which means you can see my article ‘Anarchy is Love’ in issue no.9 here – https://www.dopemag.org/issue9
Alexei Sayle interviewed me for his podcast about Rojava and what lessons it might offer us. The discussion also touched on some of the ideas that will surface in ‘What is to be done’. Access the podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/8156179-r-is-for-rojava
I was pointed here to find the full-length version of Accidental Anarchist on Kolektiva Media, an anarchist website, available for free. I would say this, but it’s better than the shortened BBC version which cut some of the narrative points Continue reading Accidental Anarchist: full-length version now free online
Accidental Anarchist is now available for viewing on YouTube. It’s the shorter, sixty minute, BBC Storyville cut. You can see it here
Metro newspaper ran this piece from me on 8 May 2019 as part of its ‘Future of Everything’ series. Here’s the link to the original piece on their site. The current way of doing politics and our economic life on Continue reading Politics as we know it should die and loving anarchy should prosper