December | 2019 | Novara Media

Uniting Communities: Organising for Real Change in Greater Manchester at Christmas and Beyond

by Craig Gent, additional reporting by Thomas Barlow

This Christmas, a hard-working group of volunteers has been trying to bring some festive spirit to children and parents in their local community. It's all part of a wider effort to build up community confidence and an ethos of neighbourhood self-organisation - and an exciting example for anyone interested in community organising.

The Man Behind the Keir Starmer Campaign, and His Links to Owen Smith

by Aaron Bastani

A senior member of Keir Starmer's team was a chair for the Owen Smith campaign in 2016, reveals Aaron Bastani. Consider this alongside Starmer's participation in a collective effort to displace Jeremy Corbyn that same year, his public support for Smith and his position on Brexit, and it brings his credibility as a left candidate into question.

Left, Actually

In the last #TyskySour of 2019, Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani discuss who’ll be Labour’s next leader, and how Boris Johnson will govern with his newly won majority.

Opinion: Left Leadership Will Never Be Accepted by Labour MPs Unless There Is Mandatory Re-selection

by Aaron Bastani

The day a new left Labour leader takes office, the media and several dozen MPs will begin to undermine them in a bid to completely obliterate any Corbynite legacy. Another coup will unfold, writes Aaron Bastani, unless Labour adopts mandatory re-selection, the only guarantee of party discipline.

Letters: Members Should Have the Say on Who Momentum Backs for Labour Leader

by Kallum Pembro and Elliot Dugdale

In this letter to Momentum and its members, Kallum Pembro and Elliot Dugdale argue that the process for deciding the organisation's Labour leadership endorsement shouldn't happen behind closed doors.

It Woz Remain Wot Lost It?

On this episode of #TyskySour Aaron Bastani is joined by Paul Mason as they discuss Labour’s election results. Did the commitment to a ‘people’s vote’ destroy any chance of winning?

A Letter to Our Readers

by the Novara Media Team

A letter to our readers following the general election.

Opinion: From Despair to Where? #McStrike Shows Us Where Labour’s Rebuilding Must Start

by Alex Wood

Alex Wood argues that Labour's declining support in former industrial areas should be understood alongside the decline of the trade union movement. Revitalising Labour, he argues, will require a labour movement rooted in post-industrial realities.

Long Read: Labour’s Economic Plans: What Went Wrong?

by James Meadway

In this post-election long read, James Meadway explains how Labour’s 2019 plans got caught up in policy at the expense of politics.

It Cost Everything

Thursday Ian Lavery watched as the “Red Wall” collapsed around him. He joins Michael Walker and Ash Sarkar to discuss the cost of a Second Referendum, and what next for Labour.

Opinion: Learning the Lessons of Labour’s Northern Nightmare Will Take Longer Than a Weekend

by Craig Gent

Beyond Brexit and Corbyn, Labour's foothold in England's mining belt has been weakening for years, writes Craig Gent. Rebuilding trust and confidence will require a patient process involving hard truths - and no amount of hot takes on social media will change that.

What Went Wrong?

Despite the heroic efforts of tens of thousands of activists knocking on doors, Labour were thoroughly routed in last week’s general election. What went wrong, and what now for Labour? With Aaron Bastani and Huda Elmi.

Electionsesh2019

From 9:30pm til 5am Novara Media stayed with you for the GE2019 election results.

GE2019: No False Consolations

by Richard Seymour

Disaster nationalism has just cut through swathes of Labour's former safe seats, having been forced into a Brexit election to which there was no easy solution. It is a momentous defeat, and we have to own it - writes Richard Seymour.

GE2019: Banking on Brexit: Is a Pro-remain Platform Enough to Win Canterbury?

by Louis Matheou

With Labour MP Rosie Duffield fighting for her Canterbury seat on the basis that she is the only pro-Remain candidate, could her neglect of the party's transformative manifesto be a sorely missed opportunity?

GE2019: This Election Campaign Showed the Left’s Power. Win or Lose We Must Continue to Build a Socialist Future

by Grace Blakeley

Whatever happens today, the task of the left over the coming years must be to continue to build up a self-confident socialist movement that understands itself as independent of, though tightly linked to, the Labour party, and with organic links to communities up and down the country, argues Grace Blakeley. Whatever happens today, we are still living through the interregnum between worlds and our choice remains: socialism or barbarism.

Long Read: The Centrist Delusion: ‘Middle Ground’ Politics Aren’t Moderate, They’re Dangerous

by Raoul Martinez

In every civilisation, the centre ground of political opinion has been home to dangerous, inaccurate and oppressive ideas. The toxic centrism currently pervading Britain and rest of the world requires a rapid, bold, ambitious change of direction, writes Raoul Martinez.

Shut the Fridge!

On this episode of #TyskySour Aaron Bastani is joined by Bhaskar Sunkara and Ellie Mae O’hagan to discuss the days events with one sleep before #GE2019 polling day.