Britain is trapped in a new build nightmare
Yes we have a severe shortage of housing, and the government has promised to build 1.5million new homes by the end of parliament – but something which is affecting many people but remains underreported is the terrible quality of the houses being built.
Will Dunn is joined by Anoosh Chakelian who has written this week's cover story: Britain's new-build nightmare
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Telegraph
a day ago
- Telegraph
‘The Left blacklisted me for criticising smug London Review of Books'
The founder of a literary magazine claims he has been blacklisted by the Left for criticising the London Review of Books (LRB) as 'smug'. Booklaunch, the UK's most widely distributed literary magazine, had previously given out tens of thousands of free copies of its publication with The Spectator and The New Statesman. But now Dr Stephen Games, its founder and editor, claims his independent literary magazine has been 'no-platformed' and 'cancelled' by The New Statesman under pressure from the LRB. Dr Games alleged the LRB 'poured poison in the ear of The New Statesman', causing it to sever its ties with Booklaunch. 'It's dirty and shabby and inexplicable that magazines that ought to be committed to free expression and plurality of expression should feel that Booklaunch is so threatening to them that they have to shut it out of existence,' he claimed. The New Statesman and the LRB have declined to comment on the row, and it remains unclear exactly why the relationship has soured. However, Dr Games believes it can be traced back to last summer's Issue 20 of Booklaunch, which carried an editorial that read: 'We used to worship at the LRB's altar. Not any longer.' The editorial went on: 'Something has happened at the LRB that makes one warier of its contributors and less confident about their judgments. The magazine's once unrivalled openness has been replaced by small-mindedness in which the rigour of proper argumentation is now accompanied by labelling, dog whistles and taunts. 'Fun for those who like that sort of thing; dishonourable if you hold the LRB to a higher account. So limited has the LRB become in what it will examine openly that it seems to be suffering from locked-in syndrome.' LRB coverage of Middle East criticised The editorial goes on to criticise the LRB for its coverage of the Middle East as 'uniformly one-sided', and compares it to Nazi 'propaganda', adding: 'Such a lack of balanced analysis does a disservice to the complex and deeply contested nature of the conflict... 'Der Stürmer [the Nazi propaganda tabloid] was similarly effective in its day: we often underrate propaganda as always crude and obvious; on the contrary, it can be intelligent, sophisticated, difficult for the ordinary reader to find fault with and attractive to read. Those who commission these essays are complicit... 'As it stands, its writing on the Middle East is reminiscent of the Inquisition – admit you're a heretic so we can burn you or deny it until we've tortured you to death.' The piece also accuses the LRB for endorsing 'the culture of the smug', with its 'side operation selling commercial fripperies, from branded tote bags to high-priced picnic blankets and umbrellas', and for having an array of writers hailing from 'upper class stock', citing Mary Wellesley, the daughter of the Marquess of Douro and Princess Antonia of Prussia, as an example. It also alleges the editorial team are 'ensconced in their Bloomsburian towers, away from the practical realities they critique and the divisions they promote'. Dr Games said the LRB also used to distribute Booklaunch, but claimed it terminated that arrangement following a misapprehension about Booklaunch allegedly telling an advertiser that it was part of the same stable as the LRB. Despite this, Booklaunch continued to have a positive relationship with its other distributors, The New Statesman and The Spectator, for around six years. 'Suddenly, and completely out of the blue, these two important media vehicles of the political Left [The New Statesman and the LRB] are acting in concert to squeeze us out,' Dr Games claimed. 'They must have a motive, but I can only guess what it might be. It looks to me like spiteful political cancelling.' 'Fine upstanding organs of the Left' Dr Games claimed it was 'very odd' that 'two major players should collude – which is what it looks like – to shut another player out of the market', describing Booklaunch as a 'minnow' by comparison. He said: 'It feels like the sort of thing that a cartel would do to prevent competition. 'It's an action which goes against what you would expect to be each magazine's commitment to free speech and free expression... they're both fine upstanding organs of the Left, and fine upstanding organs of the Left have recently been getting into the habit of, you know, cancelling people they don't like and no-platforming them. 'And this would seem to be an example of that.' The Telegraph has seen confirmation from The New Statesman that it planned to circulate Booklaunch in May, but that this never happened. The New World has since replaced The New Statesman as a distributor of Booklaunch.
New Statesman
3 days ago
- New Statesman
Hiring: New Statesman Events Producer
About the job The New Statesman is the leading progressive political and cultural magazine in the United Kingdom. Celebrated for its dynamic and liberal politics, intelligence, diverse opinions, and high-quality writing and analysis, it remains committed to truth-telling and journalistic excellence in the modern era. Our goal is to expand our international coverage, analysing and explaining the defining political, economic, cultural, technological, and social issues of our time. Our group's titles span a wide range of topics from consumer luxury to capital markets. Role overview We are seeking an Events Producer to join our team. Reporting to the Head of Event Content, you will play a pivotal role in producing the New Statesman's multi-million-pound events portfolio. From one-day conferences featuring key figures in British politics to private roundtables in Westminster, you will engage with senior policymakers and contribute to the New Statesman's growing party conference fringe line-up at Labour and Conservative party conferences. Collaborating with commercial partners, you will curate editorially robust fringe sessions that meet client expectations. Your focus will span regional development, healthcare, energy, climate change, and business. Key deliverables Produce and project manage the New Statesman's core and bespoke event portfolio, including full-day conferences, client roundtables, and fringe events. Research and write cutting-edge agendas and synopses that are editorially robust and commercially viable. Recruit high-level speakers and develop strong relationships with policymakers, industry executives, and clients. Work closely with internal stakeholders to drive new product development and identify opportunities, scaling existing events and creating new ones. Demonstrate event goals, USP, target audience, and commercial opportunities to all stakeholders. Provide regular updates to project stakeholders, including editorial, commercial, and marketing teams. Forge close relationships with NS journalists to refine event ideas and ensure they reflect our editorial standards. Produce clear and concise briefing documents for speakers and event moderators in advance of events. Assist with creating original and innovative marketing copy to drive delegate engagement and create event buzz. Support the sales team on sponsor calls to align commercial partners with editorially driven content. Qualifications, skills and experience Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe Previous events production experience, ideally in the politics and policy space. A keen and deep interest in politics and the current affairs landscape. Commercially minded with a track record in producing profitable events. Ability to adopt a consultative approach when dealing with speakers and sponsors. Excellent organisational, communication, research, and interpersonal skills. Diligent, well-organised, and able to manage time and work well under pressure. Articulate and creative copywriting skills. Strong project management skills. Company benefits 25 days' holiday (plus bank holidays) Additional days off for your birthday, health and well-being day and volunteering day Hybrid working arrangements Subscription to NS publications and all other online content Access to a discounted shopping program Cycle to work scheme Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay Enhanced company sick pay after probation The New Statesman values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer. Please inform the hiring manager if you require any reasonable adjustments so that you can fully participate in the recruitment process. Please note, candidates must have, or be able to independently obtain, the right to live and work in the United Kingdom as we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role. Please send a CV and covering letter to Related
New Statesman
4 days ago
- New Statesman
Can Europe stop Trump selling out Ukraine?
Photo by. This summer, in between hosting JD Vance at Chevening and visiting Switzerland, David Lammy has been reading Edward Luce's Zbig: The Life of Zbigniew Brzezinski. The book charts the intellectual and political rivalry between the Polish-born US diplomat and Henry Kissinger. While Kissinger championed a foreign policy centred on the great powers – an approach Lammy regards as 'cynical' – Brzezinski consistently advocated for smaller countries, noting how they can act as 'geopolitical pivots' (a world-view that has influenced the Foreign Secretary's 'progressive realism'). Contemporary examples are not hard to find. As Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin prepare to meet in Alaska on Friday, the question is whether Ukraine will merely be a spectator to its fate or, as Brzezinski would have wanted, a participant. For Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump's election appeared to promise the worst. The US president had praised Vladimir Putin's 2022 invasion of Ukraine as 'genius' and repeatedly hailed his leadership of Russia. It was no surprise, then, when Trump treated Zelensky as a helpless vassal during their Oval Office encounter back in February. Ever since, through patient diplomacy, the UK has sought to bridge the gap between Ukraine and the US. Rather than rushing to denounce Trump for his treatment of Zelensky, Keir Starmer 'hit the phones'. Ahead of today's virtual meeting between European leaders and Trump, No 10 has similarly avoided making public demands of the US president. The UK government's position, insiders emphasise, remains unchanged: any peace deal must be agreed with Ukraine rather than 'imposed' upon it and must be backed by security guarantees that will deter Russia from attacking again. But unlike Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz, Starmer has avoided publicly demanding that Zelensky be present at the Alaska summit. After the nadir of the Oval Office meeting, government officials insist that there are encouraging signs. They point to Trump's increasingly public anger over the war – 'It's disgusting what they're doing,' he declared of Putin's actions earlier this month – and the announcement of sanctions on India over its purchase of Russian oil. But the danger is clear: that Trump resolves to impose a land-swap deal on Ukraine – weighted in Russia's favour – and declines to offer any security guarantees to Zelensky. (With this risk in mind, Starmer will co-chair a meeting of the 'coalition of the willing' this afternoon, after their call with Trump.) For Starmer, there is domestic as well as international peril in any capitulation by Trump to Putin. The British public is among the most pro-Ukraine in Europe: 79 per cent believe that protecting Ukrainian sovereignty matters to the UK, a sentiment shared across all voter groups, including nearly two thirds of Reform supporters. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe Britain has consistently sought to flatter Trump into a just peace (as opposed to insulting him). 'What I do know about Donald Trump is that he doesn't like losers and he doesn't want to lose; he wants to get the right deal for the American people,' Lammy told me last year. 'And he knows that the right deal for the American people is peace in Europe and that means a sustainable peace – not Russia achieving its aims and coming back for more in the years ahead.' The latter scenario is precisely what Zelensky is now invoking. 'We will not leave Donbas. We cannot do this… Donbas for the Russians is a springboard for a future new offensive,' he has warned. The question, then, is whether Ukraine's fate will be one in which the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must or whether, as Brzezinski intended, a more enlightened outcome is possible. This piece first appeared in the Morning Call newsletter; receive it every morning by subscribing on Substack here [See also: Visions of an English civil war] Related
