EU politics
An interview with Steven Forti: Two Catalonias
A lengthy but very informative interview with Steven Forti, Professor of Contemporary History at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Read here
National Politics
Austerity
Aditya Chakrabortty: Our benefits system has become a racket for cheating the poor
Behind the “News” are people, who are seldom mentioned. When they do appear briefly and rarely, it is mostly in a sanitised and aestheticized version. Aditya Chakrabortty has been trying for years to turn this […]
Corruption
The Guardian: Cloud of corruption hangs over Bulgaria as it takes up EU presidency
Among journalists there is a trick to getting controversial articles past the powers that be: wait until between Christmas and New Year. This is a real corker in the Guardian, explaining why despite the horrendous […]
Austerity
Bill Mitchell: Germany – a most dangerous and ridiculous nation
In this typically lengthy article Mitchell reviews how and why Germany is imposing its economic policy upon Europe. Read here
EU politics
Slugger O’Toole: Spain’s unionist prime minister has just given us an object lesson in how not to hold a country together
This is an interesting Northern-Irish take on the current Catalan conflict. Read here
Economics
Simon Wren-Lewis: Voting Labour isn’t going to turn the UK into Venezuela
Wren-Lewis explains why the policies of Britian’s labour Party are not lunacy, but sound economics – for some policies of which he carries a share of responsibilty. Read here
EU politics
Paul Kennedy and David Cutts – Catalonia’s snap election: how to understand a confusing result
This is a bit late, but is the only objective article we could find concerning the recent Catalan elections. Paul Kennedy is a Lecturer in Spanish and European Studies at the University of Bath David […]
Austerity
Steve Tombs – Grenfell: unfolding dimensions of harm
The fire at Grenfell Tower is a turning point with regard to austerity and Britain, although It is being under reported in corporate media or channelled into an emotional outpouring. It was a crime, but […]
EU politics
The Guardian: Europe sends people ‘home’ to Afghanistan, where they have never been
Corporate media has portrayed Germany and Sweden as progressive nations with regard to refugees. As this article demonstrates, in reality things are very different. Read here and here
EU politics
Owen Jones: Look at Tory Britain. No wonder people yearn for solidarity
Though Thatcherite individualism has taken a heavy toll on us as a nation, it is now becoming clear that there’s another way Read here