local government | Novara Media

A politician in a suit and turban against a background of blurry council chamber

Long Read: Jas Athwal Claims He Was Cleared of Sexual Assault. Was He?

Rivkah Brown

The newly elected Labour MP gained instant notoriety as the biggest landlord in the Commons. Less known is that in 2019 he was accused of serious sexual assault. Athwal claims that he was cleared by the party. The truth wasn’t so clear-cut, Novara Media can reveal.

Feature: A South London Council Is Firing Its Two Key Union Organisers, Before Making £25m of Cuts

Michael Chessum

27-year-old Justine Canady revived Lewisham council’s dormant union. Now the local authority is firing her and a fellow rep, leaving 3,000 employees facing major cuts without their support.

Man carries briefing box outside whitehall

Report: A Government ‘Best Value’ Inspection of Tower Hamlets Council Turned Out to Be Very Bad Value

Rivkah Brown

Michael Gove signed off on paying inspectors more than £1,000 a day to make sure Tower Hamlets council was spending money well. Ironically, their enquiry is now more than £130,000 over budget, Novara Media can reveal.

An aerial shot of large boats docked at Portsmouth International Port

Feature: How One Councillor’s Vote Saved Portsmouth Port From Privatisation

Aaron Bastani

Local government matters, writes Aaron Bastani, and Portsmouth Port proves it. In 1990, it was saved from privatisation by just one vote. Now it makes the city £8m a year.

A security guard patrols a 6-foot high grey security wall

Feature: Private Companies Are Stealing Public Parks

Rivkah Brown

Across London, cash-strapped councils are signing away people’s gardens to entertainment mega-corporations – forcing small community groups to take action. Rivkah Brown reports.

a group of men with dark skin, a variety of darkly coloured clothing pose together for a picture

Feature: Where Are the Shadwell Fire Survivors Supposed to Go?

Rivkah Brown

Two months after their state-sanctioned slum burned down, killing one of their housemates, six of the Tower Hamlets fire survivors remain homeless. Rivkah Brown reports.

three women in blue, black and maroon suits wave at the cameras

Opinion: Neoliberal Politicians Are Destroying Glasgow

Jonathon Shafi

Privatisation-loving council leader Susan Aitken once partnered with McDonald's to organise volunteer-run clean-ups as she slashed refuse collection budgets. Now she's charging locals £50 to have their garden waste collected. Jonathon Shafi on the crisis unfolding in Glasgow.

Image shows Liverpool docks area at twilight.

Feature: Developer Landlords Are Trying to Take Over Liverpool

Abi O’Connor

Aided and abetted by local government, developer landlords are bidding to buy up the city.

Novara Live: Local Elections 2022 & Stormont, Starmer Under Investigation, ‘Long-Corbyn’ Nonsense

Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani break down the local elections results across England, Scotland and Wales, as well as the Northern Ireland elections to Stormont.

Opinion: Does It Even Matter How Labour Does in the Local Elections?

Michael Chessum

As canvassers make their final rounds before polling day, Michael Chessum asks whether trying to get ‘our people’ elected to local government is really a good use of our time.

Opinion: Mayors Are Blairite Nonsense and We Don’t Need Them

Owen Hatherley

The left should not be campaigning for better mayors - we should be arguing for no mayors at all.

Novara FM: After Storming Heaven

James Butler is joined by Laura Forster to trace the many red threads of the Paris Commune, which began 150 years ago this week.

Opinion: Does Labour Have a Future in Scotland?

In the 2019 general election, Labour won just over 18% of the vote in Scotland - its lowest vote-share since its formation as a party. Ahead of its upcoming leadership election, Rory Maclean takes a look at what Scottish Labour must do to make sure it survives.