With more strikes taking place and ever rising inequality, you’d think the left would be well-placed to talk about class with authority. But what if the movement had made a disastrous error when trying to understand the state of our nation? And what if we’re still missing a fundamental bit of understanding? Sociologist and trade […]
Since 2016 we’ve seen mainstream politics take a turn for the weird, epitomised by the surprise success of populist projects like Brexit and the election of Donald Trump. And fringe views have continued to muscle into the middle ground, with conspiracy theories and far-right talking points trickling into political discourse. Julia Ebner has been charting […]
Vicky Spratt is a London-based journalist and campaigner who writes on housing and the rental crisis. Her book Tenants is out now with Profile Books.
Britain is unique in the way that public schools (that’s private schools to anyone outside of Britain) have a stranglehold on the establishment. Alumni of these schools are massively overrepresented in the upper echelons of society – so is it any wonder that the media, the judicial system and the political class treat normal people […]
With the media furore around the world cup being held in Qatar, one might think that the mission to launder their reputation and establish themselves as a player on the world stage has failed. One might also think that the arguments about LGBT rights, migrant labour and FIFA corruption haven’t actually bothered the Qatari elites […]
On the morality of having children, the Just Stop Oil protests and Southampton F.C.
Last year in Britain raw sewage was pumped into rivers and coasts 375,000 times. Not a SINGLE river in England has a clean bill of health. Aaron Bastani explains how private water companies are killing the country’s waterways – and why water bosses should face jail time.
Eating is supposed to be fun, so why has food culture become so difficult to navigate without feeling anxious? Ash Sarkar meets food writer Ruby Tandoh, former Great British Bake-Off contestant and author of Cook As You Are.
On 2nd October, Brazil will be faced with a stark choice. The incumbent president, Jair Bolsonaro, has overseen economic calamity and nearly 700,000 Covid deaths in his first term. His challenger, Lula Da Silva, is hoping to regain the presidency – just three years since being freed from prison. To discuss the state of Brazilian […]
On the 8th of September this year, Queen Elizabeth II died. In a special episode of Downstream, Aaron and Ash discuss her life and the aftermath of her death.
We are constantly told that we are witnessing unprecedented innovation in technology, and that our problems will be solved by new apps, electric cars or space exploration. But is this innovation truly liberating? Or does it serve to outsource labour and further consolidate power and money in the hands of the few? Ash Sarkar meets […]
Amidst a grave cost of living crisis, bosses in The Royal Mail, BT and others are imposing pay increases on their employees way below inflation. Aaron Bastani speaks to CWU General Secretary Dave Ward about corporate greed, the shadowy world of CEOs and how he plans to coordinate direct action beyond his union’s particular dispute.
While company management are paid in the millions, and receive bonuses for failure, postal workers at Royal Mail are being treated like mud. Today they are going on strike. Aaron Bastani explains the reasons behind the strike – and how bosses at the top are out of control.
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