Andy Burnham’s growing stature has fuelled hopes of a Labour revival – but ALAN SIMPSON warns that Britain’s crisis runs far deeper than just its leadership and traces its roots to decades of financialised capitalism
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On the edge of extinction?
PETER FROST is planning a seasonal outing. Let’s hope he doesn’t make a clown of himself
TIMES GONE BY: (left) The Hippodrome designed by architect Ralph Scott Cockrill is designated as a building of ‘outstanding importance;’ (below) elephants with clowns practice ahead of the opening of Gerry Cottle’s Christmas Circus at Wembley Conference
Centre, London, December 1989
Editor BEN CHACKO looks at the invaluable contribution the paper makes, and the headwinds it has to struggle against to get by, following the Morning Star’s 80th AGM this month
Recent violence in Belfast was not spontaneous — it was built on years of failure and political neglect, argues STIOFAN O NUALLAIN
The nationalisation move to Great British Railways (GBR) must be about more than just changing the livery, writes MARYAM ESLAMDOUST
Activists will urge MPs to protect the five-year settlement route and cut visa costs, warning reforms risk deepening inequality and labour shortages, says HARSEV BAINS
ANSELM ELDERGILL examines the issues of liberty, safety and risk in relation to people receiving psychiatric treatment
Many of these weekly ramblings focus on something in grave danger of extinction. It might be a bird, or a tiny insect or a huge and dangerous big cat but today I’m looking at the threat of extinction to something rather different. Today I’m looking at the traditional circus.
I’ve always been in two minds about circuses. As a small child in north-west London huge touring circuses like Billy Smart’s or Chipperfield’s would set up their huge colourful marquees on Wormwood Scrubs – in the shadows of the famous prison – and off would go the family Frost to see the clowns, the tightrope walkers, trapeze artists and the horses, elephants, lions and tigers.
At Christmas those same big circuses would set up in huge indoor arenas like Olympia, Earls Court, Alexandra Palace. And I’m sure other cities and towns all enjoyed their own local touring shows.
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