Look Left: The G8 summit, East Coast Trains and rape apologism
James Bloodworth looks back at the week’s politics, including our progressive, regressive and evidence of the week.
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Serena Williams isn’t the only one indulging rape victim blaming
Tennis star Serena Williams made some silly remarks about rape the other day for which she has now apologised.
Responding to the outrage generated by her original remarks, in a statement posted on her website yesterday Williams said she was “reaching out” to the victim’s family to let her know that she “by no means would say or insinuate that she [the victim] was to blame”.
The success of East Coast shows that another model can work on our railways
Parliament will today debate a government proposal to re-privatise the East Coast mainline.
Despite the fact that the current not-for-dividend operator will have returned £800 million to the taxpayer by the end of this financial year, the government is keen to return East Coast rail services to private hands as speedily as possible.
It’s time to consider introducing rent controls
“Build build build. We must build more homes.”
Any politician who came out with such a statement would be greeted with near universal applause. Build them and they will clap.
‘If I had the opportunity to squeeze Nigella Lawson, her throat wouldn’t be my first choice’ – Nick Griffin’s vilest quotes
Predictably, British National Party leader and MEP Nick Griffin had a repulsive quote to hand when photos emerged that appeared to show British food writer Nigella Lawson being grasped by the throat by her husband Charles Satchi.
Taxpayers are looking increasingly exposed on the back of Co-op downgrade
This morning credit ratings agency Moody’s downgraded the Co-operative bank to Caa1. However the bank is still, as far as I am aware, open for business, despite the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) being told about the downgrade before the start of business today.
Opposing gay marriage today: as brave as being openly gay in 1970?
Charles Moore has written a piece for the Spectator in which he salutes the bravery of those standing firm against gay equality, saying that gay marriage today is “as brave as being openly gay was in 1970”.
The G8: Capitalism needs to be improved, not abolished
In the lead up to the G8 summit in Belfast this week, two narratives have featured heavily in the media’s coverage of the organisational build up: the pre-summit wrangling over Syria and the anti-capitalist protesters who’ve been causing a ‘scene’ in various symbolically ‘neo-liberal’ locations.
This week’s most read: Out of control welfare, Prism and Page 3
The most read articles on Left Foot Forward this week.