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.
11 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.
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.
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.