In his fortnightly column MARK SEDDON reflects on the death of Major Oak and why such ancient trees matter to us
It was announced this week that the families of soldiers killed in the illegal Iraq war are to bring legal action against the Chilcot Inquiry if it fails to produce its findings by the end of the year.
It may be a controversial opinion but this column’s sympathies do not on primarily focus on the men and women in uniform who died, except that the loss of any human life through manufactured conflict is abhorrent.
Likewise it has long been perplexed and frustrated at the fact that when any member of the armed forces dies, they are automatically “a hero.”
PATRICK CHURA reflects on the mass murder of civilians in wartime and his own visit, 10 years ago, to My Lai where US soldiers slaughtered over 500 men, women, children and infants
On January 2 2014, PJ Harvey used her turn as guest editor of the Today programme to expose the realities of war, arms dealing and media complicity. The fury that followed showed how rare – and how threatening – such honesty is within Britain’s most Establishment broadcaster, says IAN SINCLAIR
JOHN GREEN has doubts about the efficacy of the Freedom of Information Act, once trumpeted by Tony Blair


