It's time to turn up the volume of independent progressive voices.
When we broke the news that a British MEP had been released from custody on Wednesday following a nuclear arms protest, it was an example of the space Left Foot Forward has carved.
Take a couple of other examples: this week we’ve also highlighted the Immigration Bill – legislation that has been buried by party splits. And last week we sounded the alarm on legislation that has disability activists deeply concerned. There was radio silence in the rest of the media.
In that time, support has poured in for our campaign to build a better media.
The IWGB union – the radical union campaigning for ‘gig’ economy workers – recognises the importance of keeping Left Foot Forward going:
.@LeftFootFwd is one of the few outlets that's consistently covered precarious workers and their fights for better conditions.
— IWGB (@IWGBunion) February 19, 2019
Now they need our help. Donate what you can & share their crowdfunder, so that they can keep on covering these stories for another 10yrs. https://t.co/K8MwiE1cci
And figures from across the political spectrum have praised LFF as a space for diverse, open and democratic debate:
From exposing tax dodging and poverty poverty pay to covering the fight against Brexit @LeftFootFwd is building a better media. Support them here: https://t.co/dCbMmTaMIR
— Alex Mayer MEP (@alexlmayer) February 13, 2019
As well as campaigners for social justice:
Left Foot Forward is a unique platform that turns up the volume of independent voices. I’ve pledged my support to help build a better media. Consider supporting @leftfootfwd crowdfunding https://t.co/x8uUxK54kF— Koldo Casla (@koldo_casla) February 19, 2019
But it’s the backing from readers that has inspired us to keep going.
Like this from Pauline: “Great journalism has to thrive in this hostile right wing climate.” From Judith: “Democracy is stretched thin in Britain today – we need LFF. Keep up the good work.” And from Jane: “We need a whole new way of doing things – a more honest, caring way. LFF is a little daily bit of comfort.”
As I told Press Gazette, the messages of support on there show there’s an appetite for what we’re doing – for coverage of issues that don’t get a huge hearing in the rest of the media.
In less than a week, we’ve reached a quarter of our crowdfunding target to support our progressive journalism. But we need to raise £10,000 to keep the campaign for a better media alive.
There’s an added catch. We have just 19 full days left to reach our target. This is an all-or-nothing crowdfunder: if we don’t reach the target, we get nothing.
We don’t have long. Please chip in, share the campaign in your networks – and help us keep shining light on the right.
Josiah Mortimer is Editor of Left Foot Forward. Follow him on Twitter.
Left Foot Forward doesn't have the backing of big business or billionaires. We rely on the kind and generous support of ordinary people like you.
You can support hard-hitting journalism that holds the right to account, provides a forum for debate among progressives, and covers the stories the rest of the media ignore. Donate today.
