When Unions Spy for the State
Last month, Norman Tebbit revealed that senior figures in the old EETPU helped Thatcher's government spy on trade unionists – it's a cautionary tale about labour leaders who side with the state against their class.
Blog
Kurt Vonnegut’s Socialism From Outer Space
Writer Kurt Vonnegut, who died on this day in 2007, used science fiction to explore the failings that turned humans against each another – and came to view socialism as the alternative to a world of exploitation.
Covid-19 Proved that Homelessness Could Be Ended
In England's first lockdown, 15,000 rough sleepers were given a place to sleep. The policy proved that homelessness could be ended – now it's time to campaign for a statutory right to housing.
You Can Never Go Home Anymore
'Peterdown', David Annand's novel of class and regional divides, threatens to be the state-of-the-nation novel we badly need – but settles too often for easy caricature.
How ‘Kill the Bill’ Protests Have Reawakened Solidarity
The Covid-19 pandemic has been an isolating experience, but protests against the Police Crackdown Bill have shown the power of collective action – and the solidarity we need to build a better society.
When the Right Tried to Cancel the Turtles
In the 1980s and '90s, successive moral panics about hooliganism and violence on TV culminated in a right-wing campaign against a dangerous social phenomenon: the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
The Extraordinary Life of Zygmunt Bauman
Sociologist Zygmunt Bauman is known for his academic work, but he also played an active role in some of the major events of 20th century Europe – and retained a deep commitment to his socialist politics.
Remembering Eric Gordon
Eric Gordon, who passed away this week aged 89, founded the Camden New Journal in the fire of 1970s industrial struggle – and in the decades that followed neither the paper nor its editor lost their radical edge.
The Radical Paul Robeson
Paul Robeson was born on this day in 1898. A pioneering black singer and actor, he was also a lifelong radical – and committed his life to the struggle against oppression and exploitation across the globe.
Biden’s $100 Billion Plan Shows Labour Was Right About Public Broadband
After the 2019 election, Labour's bold plans for public investment in high-speed broadband were mocked by the commentariat – but now Joe Biden is embracing the idea, and polls show it is growing in popularity.
Big Finance Is Bleeding the Global South During Covid-19
Big financial institutions like BlackRock and HSBC are making up to 250% profit on the Global South's debts during the pandemic – undermining Covid response in some of the world's poorest countries.
How Liberals Rewrite Their Own History
Ian Dunt's new book 'How to Be a Liberal' is part of a broader intellectual exercise to drape liberal history in comforting myths – ones which conceal its role in abetting imperialism, slavery and fascism.