Scottish Councils Don’t Just Need More Money – They Need Real Power
Adam Ramsay
Scotland is set for the biggest council tax rises in 20 years. But this won’t be enough for local authorities to really transform communities, writes Adam Ramsay.
We Infiltrated a Tragic Far-Right Afterparty
Luther Blissett
The ARC conference saw dreary, repetitive rightwing talking points, but the real action happened at the unofficial afterparty: a boozy gathering of racists, trolls and fantasists.
Should We Stop Paying Our Water Bills?
Richard Hames
Privatised water symbolises everything wrong with Britain. Asking nicely hasn't worked, argues Richard Hames - we need a protest movement that can force change.
No Other Land Has Exposed the Film Industry’s Cowardice
Juliet Jacques
Despite being nominated for the best documentary Oscar, the Israeli-Palestinian co-production has struggled to find a US distributor. This sorry situation is a reflection of the spinelessness of an industry that loves to trumpet its liberal values, writes Juliet Jacques.
This Psychologist Is Challenging the Way We See Mental Illness
Harriet Williamson
Do psychiatric diagnoses obscure the impossible circumstances many of us find ourselves in? Harriet Williamson spoke to Dr Lucy Johnstone about why we can’t separate psychological suffering from its context.
Tory Councillor Accused of Smearing Teenager As Antisemite for Palestine Petition
Simon Childs
When Tommy Oliver started a BDS petition, he had no idea it would be debated on Holocaust Memorial Day. That didn't stop the leader of the Sutton Conservatives calling the petition antisemitic and running to the Times.
Trump’s Gaza Resettlement Plans Didn’t Come Out of Nowhere
Ash Sarkar
From Biden’s "humanitarian corridor” to Jared Kushner’s dreams of Miamifying Gaza, Trump’s ethnic cleansing programme is not brand-new territory for the US, writes Ash Sarkar.
Luton’s Auto Workers Are Being Abandoned to the Far Right
Ben Norman & Lewis Norton
In November Vauxhall announced the closure of its van plant in Luton, home of Tommy Robinson and Andrew Tate. As the government dithers, the far right is waiting in the wings, write Unite officers Lewis Norton and Ben Norman.
Heathrow’s Third Runway Would Make Regional Inequality Even Worse
Adam Ramsay
Forget the climate change impacts. Expanding Heathrow is a bad idea, even on the chancellor’s own terms: the economy. Adam Ramsay explains.
Trump Has Found a Way to Blame Minorities for the Washington DC Plane Crash
Ash Sarkar
The embers were still burning at the crash that killed 67 people on Wednesday when the president took to the podium to name the culprit: affirmative action.
How the Establishment Laundered Jean-Marie Le Pen’s Reputation
Olly Haynes
The death of French fascist leader Jean-Marie Le Pen was accompanied by cloying tributes from fascists, conservatives and liberals alike, writes Olly Haynes – quite a send-off for a man once described as the ‘devil’ of French politics.
The Scandal-Hit US Health Insurance Company Deeply Embedded in the NHS
John Puntis
US health companies which have used AI to deny giving patients care are providing NHS services. The government must stand up to them, argues John Puntis.
Labour’s Culture Secretary Is Missing in Action
Juliet Jacques
Labour had a massive opportunity to counter the media onslaught and brighten the public mood, writes Juliet Jacques - and they’ve squandered it.
Why Is the Science Museum Laundering a Coal Giant’s Reputation?
Adam Ramsay
The Science Museum is facing fresh scrutiny over its sponsorship by Adani Green Energy, part of coal giant Adani Group, after fraud charges were brought against the company’s directors. Ignore the denials, writes Adam Ramsay - this is pure, unadulterated greenwashing.
No Legal Term – Even Genocide – Can Fathom Israel’s Atrocities in Gaza
Rob Howse
Israeli soldiers filming themselves killing civilians surpasses legal definition, writes international law professor Rob Howse.
GB News Hates Muslims – And Now We Have Receipts
Simon Childs
Almost half of all mentions of Islam or Muslims on UK news channels since October 2022 came from a single source, a new report has found, confirming what many have suspected: GB News is an engine of Islamophobia.
Elon Musk Is the Perfect Mascot for Trump 2.0
Kojo Koram
If Trump’s first campaign wooed nostalgists for a once-great America, his second resonated with a younger demographic hunting for treasure in the ruined temples of the future, writes Kojo Koram.
Assisted Dying Could Make Some Lives Not Worth Living
Matty Hall
Assisted dying laws seem compassionate, writes Matty Hall, but not in a society that devalues sick and disabled people’s lives.