*Estimate based on contract expiry and government plans to nationalise every three months. Operator route maps are approximate The majority of Great Britain’s major rail operators are now in public ownership, as the Labour government continues its efforts to make the railways “more reliable, affordable and accessible”. The nationalisation of Greater Anglia on 12 October represents the ninth major passenger service to be brought back into public ownership, leaving seven to go before the government’s deadline of completing every operator by 2027. The rollout, which is resulting in an operator being nationalised roughly every three months, is gradually bringing an…

A cross-party group of more than 100 MPs has written to the government, highlighting the plight of Palestinian students unable to take up scholarships at UK universities because they have been barred from bringing their children. The British government has now evacuated from Gaza almost 60 scholars with fully funded university places and more are expected soon, but others have been forced to abandon their plans in order to remain with their families. Among them is 26-year-old Loay*, who has a place to study at the University of Oxford, but chose to remain in Gaza when told his family could…

For the first time in three years, hate crime in England and Wales is on the rise. The latest statistics released by the Home Office, showing religiously motivated offences at a record level, are deeply disturbing. But for those who have witnessed some of the appalling scenes on our city’s streets in recent months, they will not be surprising. Over the past two years, Jewish people have faced a rising tide of antisemitism, and the heinous terrorist attack in Manchester on Yom Kippur was a terrible reminder of just how pervasive this poisonous form of hatred continues to be. Between…

Charities have warned of growing racial abuse, intimidation and threats of violence towards their staff and beneficiaries amid increasingly toxic rhetoric around immigration and race by politicians and extremist activists. Voluntary organisations say they are being forced to introduce extensive security measures to protect staff and property – a trend described by one charity head as in danger of becoming the “new normal” – after being targeted. Refugee and asylum seeker charities, Muslim, Jewish and ethnic minority organisations, women’s groups, youth bodies, homelessness charities and even charity shops have reported being subject to violence, threats and abuse. Incidents include threats…

At Labour’s latest conference, one thing stood out: the party no longer believes in democracy. Members and trade union affiliates voted to back, first the findings of a UN commission of inquiry that Israel is committing genocide, and second that the government must do all it can to prevent it. It is now two weeks since this motion was passed, but still the Labour government refuses to recognise the genocide in Gaza and allows the supply of weapons to Israel. Over the past 40 years in parliament, I have witnessed at first-hand the democratic deficit in our political system. For…

Reform UK’s deputy leader has admitted the party cannot deliver the £90bn in tax cuts promised in its manifesto, saying it would concentrate on public spending cuts once in government. Richard Tice said key election pledges such as lifting the income tax threshold would be an “aspiration” and that once in government Reform would concentrate on cutting the civil service and scrapping net zero. Reform’s leader, Nigel Farage, is said to be planning a speech next month to overhaul the party’s economic policy – which Labour and the Conservatives see as a key weakness. The Times reported that Farage would…

The families of the murdered MPs David Amess and Jo Cox have voiced concern about a recent surge in violent political rhetoric in Britain. While the fatal attack on a synagogue in Manchester and targeting of Muslims have placed a renewed spotlight on violent antisemitism and Islamophobia, there are also concerns over an increasing normalisation of language calling for political figures to be killed. Examples include the suspension of a Reform UK councillor linked to a social media account calling for Keir Starmer to be shot and the arrest of a man allegedly captured on film at major far-right rally…

Imagine a movement arising in this country that seeks to overthrow established power. Imagine that it begins with a series of rebellions, in Scotland and south Wales perhaps, that shut down workplaces, confront police and soldiers (sometimes peaceably, sometimes with crude weapons), set up roadblocks and lay siege to the places where fellow protesters are imprisoned and government officials are meeting. Imagine that this movement goes on to smash or disable machinery across the country. Imagine that it organises a general strike, nixing much of the UK’s economic activity for three months. Imagine that it keeps protesting in the same…