Photographing Thatcher’s Britain
In the 1980s, documentary photographer Paul Graham used his camera to capture the bleakness of Social Security and Unemployment Offices, painting a stark image of life under neoliberalism.
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Ellie Whittaker
Ellie Woolstencroft is an activist with Labour for a Green New Deal.
Israel’s New Government Won’t Help Palestinians
Benjamin Netanyahu is no longer prime minister, but the racism he represented remains a major force in Israeli politics – meaning no relief for the Palestinians still living under an apartheid regime.
The Property Cult
The right-wing proclaims itself a champion of freedom, but an interrogation of its history reveals an altogether different priority – the centuries-long defence of property and the propertied.
Why Local News Is Worth Saving
Britain’s local newspapers could be a major player in democracy, telling community stories that are shut out of the mainstream – but with 245 titles lost in the last 15 years, their power is growing weaker by the day.
41. Is Good Work Possible Under Capitalism? An Interview with Amelia Horgan
On this week’s show Grace speaks to Amelia Horgan, author of Lost in Work: Escaping Capitalism, about the changing nature of work, the impact of Covid, and whether it’s possible for ‘good work’ to exist in a profit-driven world.
Five Years After Jo Cox’s Death, Far-Right Violence Is a Growing Threat
On this day in 2016, a Labour MP was murdered in a politically-motivated terror attack. Five years later, the threat of far-right violence is only increasing – aided by a mainstream that echoes their arguments.
Art School Confidential
New research on Vkhutemas, the Moscow school of design dubbed the ‘Soviet Bauhaus’, reveals the sheer scale of revolutionary ambitions – but also a mismatch between mundane tasks and extravagant dreams.
The New Green-Red Zagreb
In May’s local elections, Croatia’s green-left platform won the capital’s assembly and its mayoralty. The new government has big plans for a clean, democratic city – but the challenges of building it under assault from the right remain.
The DVLA Strike Shows What Trade Unionism Looks Like Under Covid-19
Staff at the DVLA’s Swansea centre have been out on strike after weak workplace safety led to an outbreak of more than 600 Covid-19 cases – and with the government taking a hard line, the dispute is set to continue.
Hayek’s Bastards: The Populist Right’s Neoliberal Roots
Much of the media has framed the populist right as a backlash against neoliberalism – but they share common roots in the project to defend social hierarchies against the threat of equality.
Springhill: The Forgotten Massacre
In July 1972, British snipers in West Belfast shot five people dead in a spree that was quickly covered up by the British government – half a century later, their families have yet to see truth or justice.
Labour’s Equivocation on Palestine Is Self-Destructive
Last month’s huge protests against Israel’s assault on Gaza proved that solidarity with Palestine is not only morally vital, but massively popular – but the Labour Party’s leadership refuses to listen.
Grenfell and Covid: Two Preventable Tragedies
Four years have passed since the Grenfell Tower fire killed 72 residents, but the handling of the pandemic proves that those in power have not changed – they still consider poor and marginalised people’s lives expendable.
Beyond the Baby Box: How the Welfare State Supports Family Life in Finland
At every stage from pregnancy, Finland’s welfare state is set up to support those who choose to have a family – and stands in contrast with marketised societies which make that choice increasingly impractical.
How GB News Will Shift our Media Further to the Right
GB News, which launches today, will be Britain’s most openly reactionary broadcaster – but it is just one part of a much broader effort to drag our media rightwards, most notably by placing political pressure on the BBC.
A Shared World
The German-French duo Stereo Total, whose member Françoise Cactus died in February, made charming, cheap, and democratic music out of the wreckage of post-Wall Berlin.
The Social Architecture of Julian Sofaer
The late Iraqi-Jewish architect Julian Sofaer, who died in 2017, designed a variety of public buildings across London through a humanist lens – which have left an indelible and modern mark on the city’s landscape.
GB News Is the Latest Plaything for Britain’s Right-Wing Millionaires
GB News, which launches next week, portrays itself as an insurgent force in British media – but its funding reveals it to be just another attempt by right-wing millionaires to control public discourse.
The Radical Legacy of Bernie Grant
On this day in 1987, Bernie Grant was elected as one of Britain’s first black MPs. He spent his career dedicated to the trade unionism and racial justice – and changed the political landscape of the country for good.
How Capitalism Concentrates Power
For decades, we’ve been sold the myth that capitalism gives working people more power over their lives – but in reality, it’s concentrated power into fewer and fewer hands.