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
British books and the crisis
Why is there so little literature that deals with the reality of the recession on our shelves here in Britain, asks SOLOMON HUGHES
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
Apart from a bright spark of hope in the victory of the Gaza motion, this year’s conference lacked vision and purpose — we need to urgently reconnect Labour with its roots rather than weakly aping the flag-waving right, argues KIM JOHNSON MP
In the face of funding cuts, closures and a shift into women’s centres providing criminal justice-only services rather than a holistic approach, RUTH HUNT urges women to protect existing resources, volunteer and build new networks of support
I HOPE the BBC adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Normal People goes well — Rooney’s novels are deservedly popular, so the series could be good. But it is hard to adapt fiction to TV drama. I worry how Rooney’s deadpan way of describing emotional turmoil will translate to TV.
The forthcoming series having 12 parts might also stretch the story to meet the “box-set” format for marketing rather than aesthetic reasons. Still, the team behind the adaptation is strong: Rooney herself is writing the script. The directors are Lenny Abrahamson, who made a good film from the novel “Room” and Hettie McDonald who has a long, effective TV drama career.
Normal People takes a couple from teens to twenties in an on-off love affair. Rooney has been rightly celebrated as a voice for “millennials” because she can get across all the anguish, anxiety and confusion of young adulthood — including how people can hurt each other when they mean to do the opposite.
More from this author
The new angle from private firms shmoozing their way into public contracts was the much-trumpeted arrival of ‘artificial intelligence’ — and no-one seemed to have heard the numerous criticisms of this unproven miracle cure, reports SOLOMON HUGHES
It is rather strange that Labour continues to give prestigious roles to inappropriate, controversy-mired businessmen who are also major Tory donors. What could Labour possibly be hoping to get out of it, asks SOLOMON HUGHES
Keir Starmer’s hiring Tim Allan from Tory-led Strand Partners is another illustration of Labour’s corporate-influence world where party differences matter less than business connections, writes SOLOMON HUGHES
MBDA’s Alabama factory makes components for Boeing’s GBU-39 bombs used to kill civilians in Gaza. Its profits flow through Stevenage to Paris — and it is one of the British government’s favourite firms, reveals SOLOMON HUGHES
