Politics and International Relations

Ed Bridges discusses how Andy Burnham's devolution agenda could face a major test if it expands powers within England while resisting greater devolution for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.…Read more

Aaron Martin, author of 'The Trust Gap', argues that the perceived "crisis of trust" is overstated: while public trust in politicians is often low, survey data shows that many people continue to have confidence in institutions such as universities, the courts, the police, and scientific experts.…Read more

Lee Gregory suggests that the next Labour leader should reject the false choice between welfare and defence by arguing that reducing poverty is an essential investment in national security, economic strength, and long-term prosperity.…Read more

Will Snell, author of 'The Fair Necessities', examines how extreme wealth, exemplified by a trillion-dollar fortune, is rapidly widening inequality, with largely unearned and extractive wealth growth that harms economic growth, social mobility, democracy, and the environment.…Read more

Joanna Mack, author of 'Impoverished', argues that tackling poverty in the UK requires bold, long-term reforms that combine fairer incomes, lower costs for essential goods, stronger public services, and a more universal welfare system rather than relying mainly on means-tested benefits.…Read more

The article argues that rising inequality, scapegoating and misinformation are driving social division in the UK, but history shows societies can renew themselves by confronting structural problems rather than blaming vulnerable groups.…Read more

Lee Gregory discusses how the May 2025 local elections showed that despite Labour offering stronger evidence-based anti-poverty policies than Reform UK, voters punished Labour’s cautious and unconvincing leadership while rewarding Reform’s emotionally resonant populist messaging.…Read more

These authors argue that universities must actively defend academic freedom and human rights, especially in response to the destruction of Palestinian education, because silence risks complicity and undermines their democratic role.…Read more

Frank T. Manheim, author of 'American Environmental History and Policy', argues that Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement reflects a long-building political polarisation over environmental policy in the US, rooted in conflicts in the 1970s, and that future climate progress depends on overcoming this divide.…Read more

Oz Hassan, author of 'Why the European Union Failed in Afghanistan', argues that despite rapid military success using advanced technology, the 2026 Iran strikes demonstrate that destroying targets does not translate into political victory, instead strengthening adversaries, undermining alliances, and exposing the limits of US global power.…Read more