High pressures squeeze and crush, but low pressures damage too. Losing the atom-level buzz that keeps us held safe in the balance of internal and external pressure releases dangerous storms, disorientation and pain, write ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT
Tatties, neeps and bombs
SOLOMON HUGHES spotlights arms manufacturer Raytheon’s Burns Night supper
[David Monniaux] 
EDMUND GRIFFITHS makes a robust defence of sortition, the chosen method of picking attendees for the new left party’s inaugural conference from the membership at random, but sounds the alarm on the eye-watering number of suggested delegates
The NEU kept children and teachers safe during the pandemic, yet we are disgracefully slandered by the politicians who have truly failed our children by not funding a proper education recovery programme — here’s what is needed, explains KEVIN COURTNEY
The appalling bigotry and bias of London’s police force has been obvious for years – and the police leadership does not appear inclined to do anything about it, writes CLAUDIA WEBBE
As Holyrood elections approach, BRIAN LEISHMAN MP argues that Labour’s time has come — to open a new chapter which puts an end to the years of managed decline
ASSAF TALGAM talks to an Israeli Communist lawmaker about the need to use every tool of democratic and non-violent struggle; how Israeli society has changed since October 7 2023; and the persecution of the left in the parliamentary arena
EVERY year arms firm Raytheon holds a Burns Night supper in the House of Lords, so the missile-maker should be serving haggis again on January 25, when this column appears.
Raytheon is a US arms firm which makes billions selling bombs to the Saudis. The Saudis use Raytheon’s weapons to blow up men, women and children in the Yemen war.
Its arms sales are so important that President Donald Trump’s Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, overruled advice from his officials to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia over the Yemen war to preserve a $2 billion Raytheon deal.
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