Left Foot Forward was founded in 2009 by Will Straw to provide hard-hitting news and comment, written by and for the UK left.
Since then we’ve published thousands of pieces of analysis, exclusive stories, and op eds from activists, public figures and civil society. We’re here to shine a light on the right, to be a space for open debate among progressives, and to act as an evidence-based balance to the right-wing press.
LFF is run by trained journalists, and edited by Basit Mahmood. Our editorial policy is set by the editor with input from our board. Chris Jarvis is LFF’s Head of Strategy and Development. Gabrielle Pickard-Whitehead provides our weekend coverage and oversees Right Wing Watch.
Comment pieces do not necessarily represent the views of LFF as a whole, and we welcome diverse debate. LFF publishes pieces from across the left, from all over the UK.
If you would like to support our work, please click here.
LFF’s Purpose: What we exist to do
- Shine a Light on the Right: Exposing regressive policies, cronyism and hypocrisy
- A Forum for Fresh Thinking: Promoting progressive solutions to key issues facing the UK and the world
- A Platform for Debate: Providing a cross-party and independent space for respectful discussion among progressives
- More Space for the Margins: Highlighting news and ideas that get buried in the wider media, and striving to be as diverse as possible
LFF’s Values: What drives our journalism
- For the Left: We stand with progressive movements and campaigns to create a more equal, green and socially-just society
- Evidence-based: We stand by our high journalistic standards, and will always strive to publish the truth. Journalism should be rigorous and rebellious
- Transparent: We stand for honesty. We’ll be clear about our funders and when we make mistakes, too
- Open: We’ll be accessible to our readers and want an open, ongoing conversation – to constantly improve our hard-hitting journalism
- Non-partisan: We’re not aligned with any one party. We’ll be a space for progressive ideas and values across and outside of parties
Advertise on LFF
LFF can offer bespoke advertising packages, reaching a large and engaged UK audience, including around party conferences. To advertise on Left Foot Forward email chris[at]leftfootforward.org
Contributing Editors
Contributing Editors to the site include accounting professor Lord Prem Sikka, former Green Party of England & Wales leader Baroness Natalie Bennett, and President of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions and former assistant general secretary of Unite Tony Burke.
Board
Left Foot Forward‘s board consists of Henry Tinsley (Chair), Basit Mahmood and Bess Mayhew. Josiah Mortimer and Becky Jarvis are advisers to the board.
Funding
Left Foot Forward is funded by grassroots reader support, partnerships, and advertising. Prior to 2018, LFF was funded largely through our membership of media cooperative Political Pixel, which was itself funded largely by trade unions.
We are committed to transparency, and publish details of any donors who contribute more than £5,000 in any calendar year. In 2023, we received donations above £5,000 from three sources: Betterworld Foundation, which gave a total of £30,000, Unite union, which gave £18,000 and the McIntosh Foundation which gave $15,000.
We are also very grateful to our many readers and supporters who generously donate to LFF either via monthly or one-off gifts. Reader donations now represent about a third of our income.
If you would like to support LFF’s work, please become a Supporter. You can also set up a standing order to these details: Left Foot Forward LTD, Sort code 60-83-01, Acc no 20452641
Complaints
Left Foot Forward is a member of IMPRESS, the independent press regulator. Please direct any complaints about editorial content or decisions to editor@leftfootforward.org.
You can read our full complaints policy here. LFF follows the IMPRESS Standards Code.
Correspondence address
Left Foot Forward c/o Charterhouse Group, 5 Eastern Avenue, Burton-on-Trent, DE13 0AT