Let the People Piss
Hundreds of public toilets across Britain have been closed by a decade of austerity, meaning many people have to pay in pubs or cafés to go to the toilet – it amounts to the privatisation of taking a piss.
4358 Articles by:
Miriam Pensack
Miriam Pensack is a writer, editor, and doctoral candidate in Latin American history at New York University.
The Enduring Legacy of Berlin’s Rent Cap
This month, Berlin’s rent cap was overturned by Germany’s constitutional court, leaving tenants facing millions in back payments – but the idea remains a popular solution to the growing urban housing crisis.
How Motherwell Is Leading the Way for Fan-Owned Football
In 2016, Motherwell became the first top-flight club in Britain to be owned by its fans. Five years later, their model has strengthened ties with the local community – and provided a real alternative to corporate football.
Labour’s Climate Open Goal
Polling shows huge public support for climate action, and a Green New Deal could revive the very parts of the economy worst hit by Covid and austerity – but Labour is refusing to make a bold case for change.
Italy’s Partisan Revolution
Today, Italy celebrates Liberation Day in memory of the victory against fascism, but many of its partisans fought for more than a return to liberal democracy – they wanted a revolutionary new society.
Football Can’t Go Back To ‘Normal’
After the European Super League debacle, football’s authorities are planning a return to normal – but the game was broken long before this week, and can only be fixed by real democratic reforms.
Remembering Rana Plaza
Eight years ago today Rana Plaza collapsed, killing more than 1,000 garment workers. The tragedy exposed the dire conditions in much of the world’s fashion industry – and the corporate elite which profit from them.
How Capitalism Created Doomscrolling
The combination of boredom and anxiety that produces ‘doomscrolling’ isn’t some generational quirk – it’s intimately linked to an economy where greater numbers of people work unfulfilling and precarious jobs.
I Love a Man in Uniform
The 1940s novels of Patrick Hamilton are marinaded in seediness and booze, but they also reveal the author’s radicalism – and contain one of the clearest and darkest portrayals of British fascism.
The Philosophy of the Gilets Jaunes
A new book on France’s ‘Gilets Jaunes’ movement explores its demands for radical change, explosive social impact – and legacy amidst an increasingly authoritarian French political landscape.
The Great Post Office Trial Verdict Is a Vindication for Workers
Today’s court decision to overturn the convictions of 39 Post Office workers highlighted an enormous miscarriage of justice – now we need a criminal investigation into how post bosses ruined so many lives.
The Battle For Brick Lane
In the 20th century, Brick Lane’s migrant communities fought efforts by the far-right to drive them out. Now, amid plans for a shopping mall and rising rents, they face a different enemy: gentrification.
The ‘Chumocracy’ Is Just British Capitalism in Action
For a clique of Tory-aligned business figures, the pandemic hasn’t been a crisis – it’s been a golden opportunity to hoover up government contracts and make millions at the expense of the public.
Evictions Are a Public Health Threat
New research from the US shows that, on top of being cruel, evictions increase Covid-19 transmission throughout the population – making it clear that extending eviction bans is a public health issue.
Fan Ownership Is the Future of Football
German football’s 50+1 model gives supporters a real say in their clubs and a better culture in the stands – if English fans want to be treated as more than consumers, it’s time to build a movement demanding the same.
In Low-Wage Britain, the People Who Produce Our Food Can’t Afford to Eat
A new survey from the bakers’ union shows that 1 in 5 food workers are in food poverty – wages in Britain are so low that the very people who produce our meals often can’t afford to eat.
We Can’t Defeat Climate Change Without Defeating Capitalism
Corporate interests want to divert the climate movement into individual solutions, but paper straws and low-energy light bulbs won’t save the planet – we need a movement to end the system that’s destroying it.
The Evil Empire of Florentino Pérez
Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez wasn’t just a key player in the botched European Super League – he is also a voracious capitalist, profiteering from outsourcing and privatisation at the expense of the Spanish public.
How Britain’s Pensions Were Neoliberalised
Pensions now account for over 40% of all wealth in Britain, but pro-market reforms under Margaret Thatcher individualised the system – leaving what should be a vast store of public wealth in private hands.
Ending the Forever War
After 20 years and an estimated 200,000 deaths, American and British troops are due to withdraw from Afghanistan this year – but the destruction, surveillance and prejudice the war created will endure for a long time yet.