SOLOMON HUGHES uncovers government documents showing hidden dinners and meetings between Labour figures and disgraced Peter Mandelson’s lobbying firm, which collapsed after links to Epstein and sleazy influence operations came to light
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London’s congestion charge: tackling climate chaos needs radical solutions and courageous political leadership
This month marks 20 years since the introduction of the congestion charge — one of the achievements I am most proud of from my time as mayor of London that I knew would gain support once it had started, writes KEN LIVINGSTONE
A congestion charge sign in London
In the second of a series of interviews with leaders of progressive parties in Wales ahead of the May 7 Senedd election David Nicholson talks to Welsh Green Party leader ANTHONY SLAUGHTER
Oil and gas prices are rising due to the illegal war against Iran, but new nuclear power plants will only make things worse as their costs also escalate, writes LINDA PENTZ GUNTER
As women dominate public services yet face pay gaps, unsafe workloads and rising misogyny, this International Women’s Day and TUC Women’s Conference must be a rallying point, says ANDREA EGAN
As the government quietly begins reviewing the BBC’s Royal Charter, the moment should be seized to refound the corporation as a truly democratic, regionally rooted public service, writes PAUL W FLEMING
Like the president in Wag the Dog, Donald Trump faces scandal at home and turns to conflict abroad. But the conflict with Iran risks igniting a regional inferno with global consequences, warns ROGER McKENZIE
THE congestion charge was both a progressive tax and an environmental tax.
It was an environmental tax because it targeted one of the biggest sources of pollution — traffic. In many ways, it was an early form of a carbon tax. Although we didn’t call it that at the time, we were already very concerned about climate change and air pollution, which meant we knew we had to use pricing to discourage unnecessary driving.
The congestion charge was progressive because it was deliberately designed to primarily affect the wealthiest Londoners, who contributed the vast majority of car trips in that zone of central London.
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