The UK Prime Minister may have the regal touch in northern England, but he’s been wrong-footed on the constitutional challenges posed by the Celtic Alliance of first ministers from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, argues KENNY MacASKILL
IN AUGUST all four members of staff at Peace News — Gabriel Carlyle, Emily Johns, Milan Rai and Emma Sangster — resigned in protest at how they have been treated by the activist newspaper’s parent company, Peace News Trustees.
Five members of the Peace News board also resigned. The group’s resignation letter noted the staff had experienced a “tidal wave of intimidation, harassment and threats” and a “relentless bullying campaign” from some of the trustees. The Morning Star’s National Union of Journalists chapel kindly published a statement of solidarity with the #PeaceNewsFour.
Like the Morning Star, Peace News has a long and fascinating history. First published in 1936, it was the official paper of the pacifist Peace Pledge Union until 1961, and from 1990 to 2004 was co-published with War Resisters International. Early contributors included Vera Brittain, Mahatma Gandhi and the Labour Party’s George Lansbury.
Media Lens at 25: David Cromwell and David Edwards reflect on a quarter-century of media criticism, explaining why independent journalism is more important than ever
IAN SINCLAIR examines the curious memory lapses across liberal media when it comes to British government crimes
On January 2 2014, PJ Harvey used her turn as guest editor of the Today programme to expose the realities of war, arms dealing and media complicity. The fury that followed showed how rare – and how threatening – such honesty is within Britain’s most Establishment broadcaster, says IAN SINCLAIR
A chance find when clearing out our old office led us to renew a friendship across 5,000 miles and almost nine decades of history, explains ROGER McKENZIE


