Fownhope’s Heart of Oak Society traces its roots to the age of friendly societies, when communities provided their own safety net. Its anniversary celebrations reveal a tradition still very much alive, says MARK SEDDON
A HOME OFFICE document presented to the Commons in July makes some bold claims and further restricts rights of movement into Britain in a way that could impact many citizens.
This plan is in fact nothing new, it just reaffirms Britain’s restrictive policies. It ignores the failings highlighted by the Williams report into the Windrush affair and it fails to respond to the independent chief inspector of borders and immigration’s report into small boat crossings in the Channel.
It fails to mention Britain’s international obligations at all — obligations which require it to honour commitments to refugees and asylum-seekers whatever route they are forced to take. I could see no mention of victims of slavery.
MARJORIE MAYO recommends a highly useful guide to the benefits and hazards of different approaches to immigration
As extremist movements grow on the streets and at the ballot box, the emergence of the Together Alliance points to a vital strategy: unity across trade unions, campaigners and communities, says TONY CONWAY
Listening to our own communities and organising within them holds the key to stopping the advance of Reform UK and other far-right initiatives, posits TONY CONWAY
From anonymous surveys claiming Chinese students are spying on each other to a meltdown about the size of China’s London embassy, the evidence is everywhere that Britain is embracing full spectrum Sinophobia as the war clouds gather, writes CARLOS MARTINEZ


