When Russell Brand called for revolution last month it struck a chord with hundreds of thousands of British people. Not simply because a long-haired dandy known for his tight leather trousers and desire to defile the granddaughter of Manuel from Fawlty Towers surprised us with his eloquence and political passion to trounce a tired Jeremy […]
The drudgery of revolution Read More »
The storm has blown away the last of the summer. Winter is on its way. And for Britain’s poorest families, forced by a soaring cost of living and the government’s austerity onslaught to choose between heating and eating, it promises to be a winter of discontent. George Osborne may be cheering the country’s return to
Left Unity will fight for the poor if Labour won’t Read More »
I have a letter in the Evening Standard responding to the policies Labour finally announced at its conference this week and arguing that it must go further if it really wants to address the plight of hard-up people.
Letter in the Evening Standard: Labour is just tinkering around the edges Read More »
Long before I’d ever been on an anti-war march or read of book of Marx, the first spark of left wing thought emerged in my brain as I was growing up listening to The Levellers. It was this Brighton-based folk-punk outfit that provided the voice of a generation opposed to repressive Tory rule, sticking two
There can be few on the progressive side of the political spectrum who have not yet heard of the rapid rise of Left Unity movement. Ken Loach’s appeal to found a new party of the left was greeted enthusiastically by 10,000 people who have since gone on to establish 100 local groups across the country
If Left Unity doesn’t provide an alternative, who will? Read More »
The Guardian’s John Harris has written a brilliant feature on the rise of Left Unity, which has hit the shelves just as Miliband prepares to face the wrath of the TUC conference as he presses ahead with his plans to reform the Labour-union link. I spoke to Harris last week and he quotes me warmly
Guardian’s John Harris: Is it time for a left wing UKIP? Read More »
On the back of last week’s article in the New Statesman, I was back on Voice of Russia, the Russian world service radio station, having a very interesting discussion with Scott Craig on why we need a new party of the left, what it might stand for, and why splitting Labour’s vote is a good
Appearance on Voice of Russia: Founding a new party Read More »
Andrew Sparrow from the Guardian quoted my New Statesman article yesterday, picking up on a growing movement behind a new party of the left. Interestingly, he drew parallels between this trend and Len McLuskey giving his strongest hint yet that he is questioning Unite’s link with Labour. Sparrow writes: In the light of Shaheen’s article
Guardian’s Andrew Sparrow spies worrying signs for Labour Read More »
“There is a spectre haunting Britain,” Ken Loach warned a packed conference hall at the first national meeting of a political movement in its genesis. “It’s called Nigel Farage.” There will be few more haunted by the spectre of Farage’s UKIP than David Cameron as he heads into conference season. With the European Parliament elections
Why Left Unity could become Labour’s UKIP Read More »
Josiah Mortimer from the Bright Green blog interviewed me on the potential for electoral collaboration between Left Unity and the Green Party. As a former member of the Greens who is now in Left Unity, I think this is essential and something I am very keen to see happen. You can read the full interview
Interviewed by Bright Green Read More »
