The Left, “Englishness” and voting conservative
Speaking up for an English identity should form part of Labour’s new conservative narrative.
Ben Mitchell
Website Ben writes for Left Foot Forward on a number of issues, from foreign affairs and civil liberties to public policy. He is a freelance political analyst whose blog can be found here. He is deputy editor of Speaker’s Chair as well as being contributing editor of Shifting Grounds.
Responding to the riots: We need more than fuzzy buzz words from the government
Ben Mitchell analyses the final report of the Riots, Communities and Victims Panel set up to examine the causes of last summer’s London and UK-wide riots.
England in Sri Lanka: When sport and politics collide
Following the questioning of England captain Andrew Strauss over the tour to Sri Lanka, Ben Mitchell looks at what happens when sport and politics collide.
Why haven’t we intervened in Syria? Is Iraq to blame? Is Libya?
Ben Mitchell argues that the examples of Iraq and Libya are scaring western governments from intervening in Syria – and maybe that’s a good thing, he says.
We’re all economists now, part two
How we got here from there; Ben Mitchell finishes his economic primer at the present day.
We’re all economists now, part one
Ben Mitchell presents the first part of his two-part primer in economics. Essential reading for all Left Foot Forwardistas.
Must the left give up on the EU?
Ben Mitchell argues that being a left-wing supporter of the European Union is getting harder and harder.
Anger with police sparked the riots
Ben Mitchell writes about how the role of the police in sparking, and then failing to deal with, the England riots is becoming clearer.
IDS jumped the gun: Gangs had nothing to do with the riots
Three months on, Ben Mitchell goes through what we now know about the reasons for the riots.
Occupy London needs to catalyse a new Left
Ben Mitchell argues that the Occupy protests can only succeed in London if they build a broader left and enter electoral politics.