This year’s Bristol Radical History Festival focused on the persistent threats of racism, xenophobia and, of course, our radical collective resistance to it across Ireland and Britain, reports LYNNE WALSH
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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
A maverick’s self-inflicted snake bites could unlock breakthrough treatments – but they also reveal deeper tensions between noble scientific curiosity and cold corporate callousness, write ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT
The FBU is demanding 52 weeks of full pay for women firefighters, highlighting the unique health risks they face — and the continuing need to recruit and retain more women if policies like this are still not in place, writes SEONA HART
Israel continues to operate with impunity in what seems to be a brutal and protracted experiment, while much of the world looks on, says RAMZY BAROUD
A new report by Amnesty International pulls no punches in highlighting the Labour government’s human rights violations of those on benefits, says Dr DYLAN MURPHY
With Reform UK surging and Labour determined not to offer anything different from the status quo, a clear opportunity opens for the left, argues CLAUDIA WEBBE
A recent Immigration Summit heard from Lord Alf Dubs, who fled the Nazis to Britain as a child. JAYDEE SEAFORTH reports on his message that we need to increase public empathy with desperate people seeking asylum
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.
More from this author
It is mayors living close to the people who understand what is needed to tackle climate change better than national politicians in their private jets and chauffeur-driven cars, writes KEN LIVINGSTONE
With the 25th anniversary of his first election approaching this year, KEN LIVINGSTONE writes on the achievements and legacy of an important figure in Latin America’s history
KEN LIVINGSTONE writes on the importance of devolution – and using devolved powers for progressive ends
Wide-ranging attacks on ‘enemies within’ are reminiscent of Thatcher’s assault on the miners, GLC, and black and Irish communities in the '80s, writes KEN LIVINGSTONE
