When Barack Obama visited Edinburgh in 2017 he was asked: If he could choose to be alive at any time in human history when would that be? Without hesitation, the former president answered “Right now.”

Expanding on his answer, he waxed lyrical about the advancements of man and the defeat of tyranny; of opportunity, culture and so much more. He talked of the industrial revolution, medicine, liberty, the technological age and the advantages of a globally connected world. He went on to muse that for all the troubles, challenges and contradictions that existed on our planet there was never a better time to be on it than at that precise moment.

Returning briefly to the challenges and imperfections he earlier alluded to, the 44th President of the United States paid particular attention to the hypocrisies that exist at a political level without ever identifying any of them specifically. But in doing so he demonstrated a hyper self-awareness of how some decisions were capable of being viewed whilst simultaneously showing us that despite this, conscious decisions were being made which defied any logical explanation, or objective scrutiny.

Read more by Calum Steele

I have thought about those words often over the years and especially when looking at political decision-making closer to home. Cracking down on benefit claimants while writing off billions in Covid fraud – hypocrites. Tacking child poverty but introducing a two-child cap on the old Family Allowance – hypocrites. Promising to cut energy bills while the costs continue to........

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