United Kingdom

Boris Johnson and the Grenfell Tower inferno

Last year, a report by Lancaster University statistician Dr. Benjamin Taylor found that Johnson’s cuts had led to deaths. Analysing response-time data to 24,000 house fire call-outs between 2012 and 2015, Taylor found that the average time in some areas before the fire stations were shut was “well under five minutes,” whereas some stations afterwards were taking up to 10 minutes to respond.

Grenfell Tower and the Search for Truth

This article is dedicated to all those who search for a full understanding of the tragedy at Grenfell Tower, both official and unofficial investigators. Most of all, it is for the survivors of the inferno, and the friends and relatives of those who were lost. It is offered in the hope that it will help you find the right questions to ask.

“How The Fuck Is That Even Possible?”

Sent to ‘Save The UK Fire Service’ group, a powerful and emotional story from a firefighter who attended Grenfell Tower. “Some things I will miss out as they don’t need to be said, some I can’t say, other things I will simplify so hopefully everyone can understand them, I’m not looking for praise, I just want to let you know we did all we could.”

Don’t you dare say the fatal Grenfell Tower fire is not ‘political’

From poor safety standards to Tories rejecting laws to make all homes fit for human habitation, this morning’s tragedy in London is a political matter. Some tragedies are wholly unavoidable, others the result of wanton negligence. As events come into sharp relief, and evidence accumulates, it looks increasingly likely that this morning’s events at Grenfell Tower – near London’s Notting […]

The Breaking Of The Corporate Media Monopoly

Last week, Jeremy Corbyn humbled the entire political and corporate media commentariat. With a little help from Britain’s student population. And with a little help from thousands of media activists. Without doubt this was one of the most astonishing results in UK political history. Dismissed by all corporate political pundits, including the clutch of withered fig leaves at the Guardian, […]

Why Are We Attacking the Syrians Who Are Fighting ISIS?

We were told that if the Syrian government was allowed to liberate Aleppo from al-Qaeda, Assad would kill thousands who were trapped there. But the opposite has happened: life is returning to normal in Aleppo. The Christian minority there celebrated Easter for the first time in several years. They are rebuilding. Can’t we finally just leave the Syrians alone?

What connects Brexit, the DUP, dark money and a Saudi prince?

If Northern Ireland were a normal democracy, the election campaign would be dominated by a single question: how did the Democratic Unionist Party end up advancing the cause of a united Ireland through its support for Brexit? More specifically: what role did dark money play in that extraordinary decision? This story has all the makings of a John le Carré […]

The Facts Proving Corbyn’s Election Triumph

With Corbyn, the election campaign proved that there is a huge appetite for his honesty, his passion, his commitment to social justice – at least when audiences got a chance to hear from him directly, rather than having his policies and personality mediated and distorted by a biased and self-serving corporate media.

Tories Leap Into the Unpopularity Abyss

The DUP are corrupt, homophobic, racist and above all religious bigots of the worst kind. The nastiest people in politics. The utterly discredited Theresa May refuses to resign and intends to continue to rule over us with the support of this ugly faction. Popular support for the Tory government is going to plunge to unprecedented levels.