The jessamine is odorous; so Maid lilies are, and clematis And where tall meadowsweet flowers grow A rare and subtle perfume is; – What can there be more choice than these? – A rose when it doth bud and blow.” By Christina Rosetti (1830-1894) When I began interviewing people about their memory of smell […]
When compared to the enormous impact of proper funding and provision in our education sector, the argument now that certain year groups returning to school to catch a few weeks before the summer holidays will have some sort of critical benefit for learners who are vulnerable or struggling academically is a very weak one. These […]
The Turkish government provides free universal health care, and made early investments in its health care infrastructure that are paying off now. Our efforts and strategy have been central in turning the tide. The number of new cases of coronavirus has decreased significantly in recent few weeks to its slowest pace since the first case […]
Two photographs, two family tragedies. The first of these show a three-year-old girl, Ayşe, wiping tears off her grandmother’s face with a tissue, oblivious to the tragedy her family has just suffered. The grandmother, also called Ayşe, is shedding tears for her daughter, little Ayşe’s mum Sonya Kaygan, who has just lost her life to […]
Ten days ago, I highlighted the plight of some 120 British nationals, many of Turkish Cypriot descent, stranded in North Cyprus due to the coronavirus pandemic. Lots of affected individuals, their British MPs, and community groups have all been lobbying the UK Foreign Office to demand their return. Since then, there has been a flurry […]
Over 120 British nationals, many of them of Turkish Cypriot descent, are currently stranded in North Cyprus, unable to get any flights back to the UK. All international flights on both sides of the Cyprus divide were grounded In March to contain the coronavirus pandemic. In the same month, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced […]
I was deeply saddened to hear the news of Aysın Yılmaz’s passing. I had the honour of working with her during my time as a committee member of the Council of Turkish Cypriot Associations in Britain (CTCA UK) when she was president (2013-2015). She took on the presidency at a time when the CTCA had […]
The run-up to Thursday’s General Election has seen furious debates and deep divisions among friends and families as we try to promote the best party we feel best reflects our world view, values and aspirations. One politician who has managed to unite the entire British Turkish community in condemnation is Theresa Villiers, the long-standing Conservative […]
One of the most closely contested constituencies of this General Election is one in East London. Labour are after a big scalp: that of Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative leader and architect of the widely despised Universal Credit benefits system. Standing against him is Faiza Shaheen, a 36-year-old British economist. The Labour candidate grew […]
On Thursday, 12 December, the United Kingdom will head to the polls in a bid to break the current Parliamentary deadlock, in what is sure to be a pivotal moment in our country’s history. For the Conservative Party, this election is about getting Brexit done. Ever since the UK voted to leave the European Union […]
