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The NHS proves there’s always been an alternative

As Britain’s National Health Service celebrates 70 years today, its troubles expose neoliberalism’s lies.

openDemocracy.net - free thinking for the world

The NHS proves there’s always been an alternative

As Britain’s National Health Service celebrates 70 years today, its troubles expose neoliberalism’s lies.

openDemocracy.net - free thinking for the world

Two neoliberal infernos: Grenfell, and Piper Alpha 30 years on

Profit-before-safety, warnings ignored, 239 people dead. Britain’s oil bonanza and London’s gentrification have much in common.

Let's not romanticise the World Cup

Can we share the joy of communal football watching without glossing over the toxic, discriminatory effects of its commodification? 

Who actually are Vote Leave?

The Electoral Commission is expected to find that the largest pro-Brexit campaign group broke the law during the EU referendum. Who are the people involved?

Why I'm an emotional and embattled European

The public has tuned out. Labour is ambiguous. Do we really want to leave Europe so we can fiddle on the fringes?

The NHS proves there’s always been an alternative

Britain’s health service celebrates its 70th birthday in a precarious position. But we can do better.

New UK counter-terror strategy lacks a coherent approach to conflict overseas

The UK’s updated counter terrorism strategy (CONTEST) acknowledges the links between terror threats in the UK and conflict overseas. Yet it fails to apply the hard lessons from flawed efforts in recent years.

What does the government know about you - and have they got it right?

Personal data is now used not only to deliver but to deny services, so it's more important than ever to check what's on your records. Here's how.

Vote Leave is using media to bury bad news

The Electoral Commission is expected to find that Vote Leave broke electoral laws. Now Vote Leave is trying to set the media agenda before the report is released

To honour campaigners of old, challenge injustices of today

The Government wants us to celebrate our democracy. What better way to do so than to demand fair and equal representation?

6 Brexit myths – and why both Hard Brexiteers and Ultra Remainers are being un-British

What happened to British values of fair play, pragmatism and compromise?

Owning the future: strategies for a democratic economy

Why new models ownership must be at the heart of our economic reimagining.

How to cure media amnesia

It's time to think about what kind of media we actually want. 

England expects

Philosophy Football’s Mark Perryman outlines what we can expect from the last 16 stage of the World Cup – and what we should hope for.

To save democracy the left must fight for both collective and individual freedoms

The first National Democracy Week launches amidst front page headlines warning of right wing coups. How should the left respond? 

Highly skilled migrants are having their lives wrecked due to minor tax issues

Imagine being deported on implied terror-related grounds just because of a minor issue on your tax return. Will Sajid Javid sort out the scandal before it becomes the next Windrush?

Why does the left ignore the British nationalism of the post-war government?

British liberals have historically seen nationalism as a threat to Britain – either external or internal – and as a result, have ignored how nationalistic the post-war Labour governments were.

Shadows of Empire – a review

How far do ideas of the Anglosphere explain Brexiteer thought? David Edgerton reviews a new book by Michael Kenny and Nick Pearce.

Of Brexit, the fracking lobby and the revolving door

Fracking firms are keen to benefit from Brexit, and are hiring firms staffed by well-placed insiders to lobby on their behalf.

"Serious flaw" in management of Brexit donor Arron Banks's charity

Charity Commission finds Love Saves the Day “inadequately” managed and administered. Trustees, including Banks and other senior Leave.EU staff, failed to properly account for charitable funds.

Why Tory support for fracking makes less sense than ever – and what you can do about it this summer

As the environmental, economic and political risks of fracking mount up – and the renewable alternatives ever more viable – it’s up to us to make our pro-fracking government see sense.

Under what circumstances is inequality OK?

Imagine an economy where the rewards don’t flow to the rentiers, but to the rest of society.

Insecure UK defence work

It is the government’s job to keep people in work, by encouraging the growth of new industries amid rapid technological change, preserving high skilled jobs through manufacturing diversification.

Mapped – hard Brexit guru Singham's 'unparalleled' access to government

As Shanker Singham steps down from advising the Brexit trade department following openDemocracy's revelations of a potential conflict of interest, we reveal the full extent of his government access.

Why Brexit won’t work: the EU is about regulation not sovereignty

Brexiteers like Boris Johnson inhabit an outdated form of sovereignty. A new realm of power - regulation - demands shared authority and is the EU's greatest achievement. Britain helped create it and can't leave it. 

Is the government telling us the truth about GDPR and our NHS medical data?

If you want to make sure your medical data isn’t shared with third parties for unknown purposes, you may need to take action now. Here’s why – and how.

Diversity at the BBC: At last, significant progress, but still a long way to go

On the basis of his last three months work on diversity, Davie looks like the person to ride to the rescue. The board should not ask Tim Davie to change horses now.

If a week is a long time in politics, it’s a very long time in the World Cup

Both England’s performance – and the tournament atmosphere – in the first week of the Russia’s World Cup, have been better than many predicted, so far. But let’s not get carried away….

UK Government minister hides leading role with hard Brexit group

Exclusive: Steve Baker accused of playing "fast and loose" with ministerial rules after openDemocracy investigation finds Brexit minister had undisclosed meetings with European Research Group

England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales - time for all to jump in to the debate

Pretending we can re-enact the Referendum tragedy with a different final act is monumental self-deception – instead we Welsh, Scots, and particularly English must ask – as the Irish have – who are we?

Amidst Brexit chaos, Scotland has had enough of ‘grace and favour devolution’

Scotland’s soft, determined pro-Europeanism, just like that of Northern Ireland, is seen by Brexit England as just another reason to hold entire nations in contempt. 

The political censorship of Britain's streets

How unaccountable organisations called 'Business Improvement Districts' are just one of a number of attempts to shut down democratic debate in our towns.

To tackle inequality, we must first understand the exploitation that creates it

A new theory of exploitation is needed to understand the dynamics of exploitation that underpin the growing gap between rich and poor.  

Liam Fox caught in fresh “lobbyists as advisers” scandal

Former Legatum trade chief Shanker Singham takes role with commercial lobbying firm – while also advising key Brexit minister Liam Fox.

No red carpet for Thai junta leader, Mrs May

As Theresa May welcomes the Thai Prime Minister to Number 10 today, does she care about democracy and human rights? Or are business deals the only real priority?

What kind of capitalism is it possible for the left to build?

To win power, the left must build a narrative around ending privatisation, empowering the workforce and borrowing to invest. To stay in power, left governments must transition to an economy based on high automation, shorter working hours and free services. 

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