Democracy & State > UK state
Referendum has nothing to offer
07 Jun 2012
Neither Scottish independence nor British unionism. Sarah McDonald looks at the launch of the "Yes" campaign
Ban fraudulent legislation
19 Feb 2026
Judges have struck down the government decision to proscribe Palestine Action under terrorism legislation. This is an important victory - but a limited one, argues Mike Macnair. In the name of ‘national security’ the government can, and says it will, appeal
Heading to dreamland
12 Feb 2026
Separatism is taken as common sense by much of what passes for the left in Scotland nowadays. But, argues Peter Kennedy, socialism and nationalism contradict each other
More lies, more paranoia
05 Feb 2026
Rightwing media outlets continue to denounce the new Chinese embassy building - clearly they take their cue from Donald Trump and his claim that it is “very dangerous” for the UK do business with China. Mike Macnair explores what lies behind the entirely artificial campaign
No trust in the state
15 Jan 2026
Despite Elon Musk’s climbdown, there is still talk of further legislation to restrict X and other social media platforms. But should the left trust Keir Starmer and Liz Kendall when it comes to policing online content? Paul Demarty thinks not
Old corruption revived
08 Jan 2026
The latest right-populist smear tag is the ‘stakeholder state’, writes Mike Macnair. Fronted by Paul Ovenden, the Murdoch press rails against the bloated state apparatus and turns what is a half-truth into a big lie
Opposing genocide is no crime
18 Dec 2025
Britain supports Israeli genocide in Gaza in deeds, if not in words. Disagreeing with that complicity risks arrest under counter-terrorism laws and a draconian prison sentence, writes Tony Greenstein
Release the hunger strikers
18 Dec 2025
Palestine Action has been proscribed as a terrorist organisation. Now it is illegal to even chant ‘From the river to the sea’ or call for a ‘global intifada’. Government ministers, says Yassamine Mather, are determined to criminalise the entire solidarity movement
Return of gutter racism
11 Dec 2025
Nigel Farage will no doubt survive accusations of boyhood racism. This highlights the drift of politics to the right, argues Paul Demarty - and the total failure of liberal anti-racism
Twilight of the Beeb
20 Nov 2025
The current crisis of the BBC is the outcome of long-term transformation of the wider British establishment, and its total subordination to the USA, argues Paul Demarty
Was always time to talk about a republic
06 Nov 2025
Scandal alone is not enough to do away with the House of Windsor. We need determined political activity to put an end to the monarchy and establish the democratic republic, argues Paul Demarty
Not just one rotten apple
30 Oct 2025
Disgraced Prince Andrew’s antics are bad enough - the real scandal is the continued existence of the monarchy. Roll on the red republic, says Paul Demarty
Rightwing bidding war
09 Oct 2025
Kemi Badenoch promises a UK version of America’s ICE, part of a desperate attempt to stem Tory support haemorrhaging to Reform. Not only does this threaten mass deportations, whole areas would be subject to a reign of terror, says Eddie Ford
Uses and abuses of murder
09 Oct 2025
As Israel’s popularity in the west craters, Sir Keir Starmer and the entire establishment cynically use the attack on Manchester synagogue to abuse and further criminalise protest against genocide, argues Paul Demarty
Republicanism and the split
02 Oct 2025
It is not yet possible to assess whether Corbyn or Sultana are champions of the UK’s social monarchy or the English social republic, says Steve Freeman. Choosing between them is not a matter of age or experience, but politics
All the king’s men
25 Sep 2025
Behind all the talk of the ‘special relationship’, there is radical subordination. What about Trump, the man? Not only was his already huge ego fed, flattered and further inflated: there are the mid-terms and maybe even a third term, writes Eddie Ford