Finding Communism in Katy Perry?
A new book by Toby Manning argues that the best music of the past 60 years has often reflected, foreshadowed or even embraced the turmoil and radicalism of its time.
20 Articles by:
Alex Niven
Alex Niven is a writer, editor, and lecturer in English at Newcastle University. His books include Folk Opposition, Definitely Maybe 33 1/3, and New Model Island.
Nurturing Acts
Is motherhood political? In a new book, Helen Charman examines how politics in Britain and the north of Ireland have been defined by motherhood as a state of radical possibility.
David Peace: ‘Culture Needs to Change Politics’
From the Red Riding Quartet to GB84, David Peace exposed the seedy underbelly of Britain’s Establishment with rare candour. In this interview with Alex Niven, the seminal novelist discusses his youth in a mining town, the complexities of post-war Britain, and the need for socialists and artists to move beyond defeatism.
Grey Labour
The hollow and apolitical style that looks set to define a Keir Starmer government can’t survive a world riddled with profound crises. When this unambitious offer crumbles, the Left has to be prepared to answer seriously.
Tish Murtha’s Art of the Excluded
A new film celebrates photographer Tish Murtha, who intimately captured life on the margins during Thatcherism’s rise – and demonstrated art’s potential to undermine the powerful.
The North Will Rise Again
The history of the North of England — from the birth of the Industrial Revolution to the neglect of recent decades — has produced a culture at once pragmatic and hopelessly ambitious.
In Search of a New North
Alex Niven speaks to Tribune about his new book The North Will Rise Again – an attempt to revive a future for the North from its modernist, radical traditions.
The Liberal Myth of London 2012
London’s 2012 Olympics opened a decade ago today. In the time since, the event has become a symbol for centrists of an ideal, progressive Britain that never really existed.
The Northern Roots of Modernist Sci-Fi
In the dying days of industry, northern England supplied the crucial animating backdrop to classic sci-fi in its formative stages.
The Sound of Socialism
Welsh Labour’s plans for a National Music Service are a reminder that socialist policies aren’t just about cold, hard economics – they’re about allowing the creativity and personal joy so often stifled by the market to flourish.
How Sam Fender Became the Voice of the North
Sam Fender’s ‘Seventeen Going Under’ gives passionate expression to the experience of young, left-wing northern England – combining rousing rock with lyrics decrying the dark impact of austerity.
Labour’s Return to Blairism in Education Is a Disaster for Young People
By embracing the Blair-era legacy of Ofsted ratings, Keir Starmer is signalling that Labour is no longer committed to progressive education reform – and abandoning young people to a broken system.
How Blairism Failed the Working Class
Despite pursuing a number of redistributive policies, Blair’s Labour government left the fundamental architecture of Thatcher’s economy in place – and failed to break the cycle of deepening inequality.
Our Debt to Mark Fisher
Mark Fisher passed away five years ago today. In bleak times, his writing showed a new generation that another world was possible – and paved the way for socialist revival.
Our Debt to Mark Fisher
Mark Fisher passed away four years ago today. In bleak times, his writing showed a new generation that another world was possible — and paved the way for socialist revival.
The Yellow Man
Ten years after the first Coalition austerity budget, we recall the rise of Nick Clegg – British centrism’s last great hope – who appealed to the radical instincts of his supporters, only to march them to the right.
The Great Unravelling
The United Kingdom is unlikely to survive in its current form. Now is the time for socialists to imagine what comes next.
Football for the Many
Across the country, football supporters are growing alienated from the modern game – soulless, expensive and dominated by oligarchs. Labour wants to give power back to the fans.
Has Labour Lost the North?
Deindustrialisation, privatisation, and then austerity produced decades of decline in the north of England. Labour must fight its corner again — before it’s too late.
The Socialism of T. Dan Smith
Often derided as a symbol of corruption, T. Dan Smith’s vision of a modern, socialist ‘Brasilia of the North’ transformed Newcastle and deserves to be remembered.