This week’s most read: Arms dealers, sex work, and Tory plots

The top articles on Left Foot Forward this week.

It’s been a week of two very different gatherings: one for global arms dealers and dictatorships, the other for the UK’s trade union movement.

On Sunday we headed to Brighton for TUC Congress – and there was news from the start.

The TUC voted to back staying in the Single Market after Brexit as the ‘best option’, going beyond Labour’s position. But is it guaranteed?

  1. The TUC just called for the UK to stay in the single market – potentially for good

A day later we shed light on the Defence and Security Equipment International Exhibition taking place in London. The attendance list is something to behold…

Read the roll-call of shame in our fourth most-read piece this week:

  1. Revealed: the repressive regimes attending the world’s largest arms fair in London this week

But it’s been a dark week for democracy in other ways, too. The Tories have pushed through a change to how key Parliamentary committees work – effectively guaranteeing themselves a majority in many cases.

See here for the full story – and sign our petition:

  1. The Tories are trying to rig Parliament to stifle opposition to Brexit

And now for that other conference – TUC Congress in Brighton. We were pleased to attend and cover the union movement as it enters its 150th year. It’s a difficult time for unions – but there are some fascinating debates going on as work shifts in the 21st.

One debate relates to one of the world’s oldest industries however – sex work. We covered how some big players are getting behind decriminalisation. Though the motion fell, the narrative appears to be changing (for the other side of the story, see Prospect Deputy Gen Sec Sue Fern’s comment on it today).

  1. Major unions are getting behind decriminalisation of sex work in the UK

Finally, some good news to cheer you up: UKIP may soon be given the final kiss of death.

Here’s this week’s most read. Hope it sets you up well for the weekend:

  1. The hard-right is about to lose one its most important newspaper allies

 Josiah Mortimer is Editor of Left Foot Forward. Follow him on Twitter.

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