Lobbying

Lovebombed by lobbyists: How Labour became the party of Big Business

— A year before its historic election win, Labour engaged with major corporate lobbyists, including arms, oil, and financial sectors. This unprecedented access influenced Labour’s policies, risking a significant corporate sway over future government decisions, potentially harming public interests.

US Politics

The Gospel of Matthew Trewhella: How a militant anti-abortion activist is influencing Republican politics

— Wisconsin Pastor Matthew Trewhella campaigns against abortion, gun laws, and the US government, using his affable demeanour and religious arguments to gain influence. Once a fringe figure, he is now courted by mainstream Republicans.

Long-Read

The day the country turned on the Tory Party

— Brexit, barely discussed during the general election campaign yet ever-present, catalysed the Tory downfall, culminating in a significant vote share drop. The new Labour government faces challenges, but now is a moment to celebrate the defeat of a damaging political ethos.

Long-Read

(Still not) facing up to Brexit

— The Brexit process caused significant shifts. Two recent announcements — one about a delayed Brexit-related import control, another on a potential EU-UK Youth Mobility Scheme — highlight the ongoing complexities and political strategies surrounding Brexit negotiations and their impacts.

Long-Read

Gibraltar, and reviewing the Brexit ‘bill of goods’

— UK and EU leaders, including Gibraltar and Spain, report nearing a post-Brexit agreement for Gibraltar, dubbed the last major Brexit issue. Gibraltar’s complex status and its 96% EU support contrast starkly with broader UK sentiment.

Long-Read

Britain’s Brexit drift

— The UK government’s new ‘common user charge’ on EU imports adds significant costs, affecting particularly small firms and highlighting the ongoing economic and political instability post-Brexit, with broader impacts on sectors like agriculture and financial services.

Argentina

Women fight back as Milei’s government tries to starve their soup kitchens

— In Buenos Aires, community kitchens face food shortages, affecting millions. Javier Milei’s government cuts worsen the situation, as women, central to these efforts, struggle against poverty and hunger in slums.

Long-Read

How the failures of Brexit feed Radical Brexitism

— Brexit was expected to end the blame on the EU and foster political accountability. Yet, Brexiters like Truss, Anderson, and Braverman shift blame to globalism and wokeism, fuelling radical Brexitism, seeking new targets, and desiring to “smash the system.”

Long-Read

Britain is slowly learning what Brexit means

— Brexit’s repercussions on UK-EU ties, notably in defence, are evident amid recent events like Navalny’s death and Russian threats. Despite challenges, closer integration seems unavoidable, exposing Brexiters’ impractical expectations.

Long-Read

Brexit, Brexitism, and the Trump and Russian threats

— Brexit fractures the UK’s geopolitical strategy, hindering cooperation with the EU on security. Amidst the Russian threat and potential European conflict, deeper UK-EU security ties are crucial for stability.

Long-Read

Brexit: A mug’s eyeful

— Brexit’s promises prove illusory with issues like stalled UK-Canada trade talks and delayed import controls exposing failures. Changes in Northern Ireland reveal ongoing challenges, while public opinion increasingly sees Brexit as a failure, prompting calls for accountability.

Long-Read

Evaluating Brexit, honestly

— Brexit’s impact is complex and hard to disentangle from other factors. It hasn’t helped issues like medicine shortages, steel jobs, or environmental protection. Brexit promised concrete benefits, not just abstract ideas, and has failed to deliver.

Long-Read

The scandal of the settlement scheme for EU citizens

— Last week’s focus on the Horizon Post Office scandal prompts reflection on the ongoing EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) issues affecting EU citizens in the UK, revealing a systemic problem requiring attention.

Long-Read

Immigration and asylum rows are another sign of Brexit’s total failure

— Brexit has not only failed to deliver on its promise of reducing immigration and controlling borders, it has also made the immigration issue worse and more difficult to manage. The government’s chaotic and ineffective immigration policies, such as the Rwanda policy, have only added to the problem.

Long-Read

What the COVID Inquiry tells us about Brexit

— The Hallett Inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic unveils dysfunction in the UK government, revealing intersections with Brexit. Testimonies depict Boris Johnson’s incompetence, a toxic culture, and how Brexit hampered pandemic planning.

Long-Read

Brexit has driven the Tory Party mad

— The influence of Brexit on the Conservative Party has bolstered populism and pushed the party further from moderate conservatism towards the influence of Nigel Farage, which is characterised by detachment from reality and ideological purity.