Latest news with #CommonWealth
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘We wanted to tell the wider story': play highlights impact of ‘spycops' scandal
There's one moment from the public inquiry into undercover police officers – known as 'spycops' – that sticks in the theatre director Rhiannon White's mind. It was during the questioning of Bob Lambert, an officer who deceived at least four women into sexual relationships in the 1980s, and fathered a child with one of them. 'Lambert's lack of attention to detail was shocking; the whole thing seemed like a process to him. Whereas Belinda Harvey, one of the women, meticulously remembered every single detail of their relationship, every feeling, every thought. She said she was in her early 20s when she met him, and she was basically groomed into activism by him. This is someone whose life was completely turned inside out and upside down by the state. This is someone who was raped by the state.' White, the artistic director of Cardiff and Bradford-based theatre company Common/Wealth, is directing a new play based on the scandal and inquiry. Entitled Demand the Impossible, the play – written by Taylor Edmonds and initially commissioned by National Theatre Wales – interrogates police injustice and the infiltration of more than 1,000 political groups between 1968 and 2010. The play has been developed in close collaboration with campaign groups including Undercover Research Network and Police Spies Out of Lives, drawing on the victims' enormous sense of betrayal and their ongoing fight for justice. 'My own friends who were part of the Cardiff Anarchist Network [CAN] were spied on by the police,' White said. 'My friend Tom Fowler found out his best friend of four years was an undercover copper called Mark 'Marco' Jacobs.' According to CAN, Jacobs took minutes at meetings and made newsletters and banners, but in reality he was gathering intelligence, disrupting the group's activities, and using it to infiltrate other groups, including a European network of activists. 'Tom was frustrated because a lot of people were taking on the spycops story and sensationalising it without talking to the activists involved. So we decided to put on our own play,' White said. 'We wanted to tell the wider story of how activism has been affected. The impact on society has been massive. Some of the changes that historically activists have campaigned for, and which are now enshrined in law, like the right of women to have bank accounts, or animal rights, were slowed down because of the effects of infiltration. The spycops turned people against each other, pulled them apart. 'We also wanted to ask: how do we go beyond that state interruption, to really demand a better world and be defiant with it?' The spycops scandal, one of the most closely guarded secrets in British policing, has been the subject of extensive reporting, spearheaded by the Guardian since 2010. At least 144 undercover officers in deployments typically lasting four years were sent to infiltrate mainly leftwing and progressive groups, and at least four of the undercover officers are known or alleged to have fathered children with women they met during their deployments. Fowler, who hosts the Spycops Info podcast, said it was challenging to express 'how fundamental the impact of the infiltration of progressive social movements has been, not just on the individuals who were targeted but also on society at large. 'We are in Britain all haunted by successive governments' decisions to suppress dissidents on the left and allow the far right to flourish – so much so that through the vetting and the blacklisting, nobody with any serious leftwing credentials gets into any positions of influence within society, whilst those on the right are all around us. 'I really hope the play serves as a glimpse into just how dystopian this country has become,' he added. Demand the Impossible premieres at the Corn Exchange, Newport, from 6 to 13 October 2025.
The Guardian
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
A great prize, but a great risk: why we all need the nationalised South Western Railway to work
A historic journey took place this week, when the first renationalised South Western Railway (SWR) service departed from Woking for Waterloo. Yet unfortunately, passengers had to disembark at Surbiton and board a rail replacement bus as a result of engineering work. The incident highlights that this is a moment of maximum vulnerability in the push for greater nationalisation in Britain. SWR is the first train company to be nationalised under this Labour government, which has plans to renationalise nearly all services in England by 2027. But at the launch, the transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, said she couldn't promise that nationalisation would yield lower fares. If services don't improve and fares don't fall, critics will have their attack line ready: 'We told you nationalisation doesn't work – just look at the trains.' It is critical that public ownership is seen to deliver better value for money, lead to reinvestment to improve services and genuinely meet the transportation needs of communities across Britain. Success or failure will shape attitudes towards it for years to come. Success could build momentum for bringing other essential services under democratic control. Failure will provide ammunition for privatisation advocates across every sector. The case for change is overwhelming. Since privatisation, rail fares have risen by a fifth in real terms, while analysis by the thinktank Common Wealth in 2023 found UK passengers pay five times as much per kilometre as those in France, where rail is publicly owned. Overall, privatised rail costs taxpayers £1bn more annually than public ownership would. This is extraction, not efficiency. Between 2006 and 2022, an estimated 65% of train operating company profits were paid out in dividends to shareholders, while passengers endured cancelled services and eye-watering fare increases. Our railways have become engines of profit for investors and overseas state enterprises, with the Italian, French and Hong Kong governments owning major franchises alongside global asset managers such as BlackRock. Labour's approach must address three critical challenges to ensure that nationalisation delivers tangible benefits rather than disappointment. First, the government must not stop at train operators. In 2022-23, the rolling stock companies, which lease trains and carriages to operators, saw their profits treble, with more than £400m paid to shareholders and profit margins rising to a whopping 41.6%. As the RMT union found, 87% of Britain's rolling stock is controlled by just three companies. Without nationalising rolling stock companies as well, train operating companies being brought into public ownership will continue to be beholden to enormous lease payments to private companies, as we saw between 2016 and 2024, when such payments rose by 78% in real terms (compared with staff costs, which attract much more controversy but only rose by 11%). These firms are extracting enormous profits while the public sector bears the risk. Nationalisation should mean bringing the entire system under democratic control, including the trains. Second, passengers must feel real benefits quickly. Travellers boarding these trains will not initially notice any difference, because the changes that matter – reinvestment rather than extraction, service improvements over dividend payments – will take time to materialise. Meanwhile, any delays, cancellations or fare increases will be attributed to public ownership, regardless of their actual cause. Plans for automatic refunds for late trains are a start, but change for commuters must not end there. The new public operator should freeze fares immediately and introduce simplified, integrated ticketing across the network. Revenue that previously flowed to shareholders should fund service improvements – more staff, better cleaning and extended opening hours at stations. Visible changes will build public support for broader transformations. Third, the government cannot simply replace private managers with civil servants. This means recruiting rail professionals and devolving decision-making to regional teams, rather than centralising everything in London. Most importantly, it means embedding passenger representation and worker participation from day one. There are signs that Labour understands the scale of the challenge. The party has committed to establishing Great British Railways as an integrated public body, moving beyond the fragmented structure that has plagued the network since privatisation. But integration on paper is not enough. It must translate into coordinated investment, simplified passenger experience and democratic accountability. Only when the entire system operates under public control can passengers fairly judge its performance. Labour's rail nationalisation represents more than transport policy – it's a test case for 21st-century public ownership. For this to succeed, passengers must pay less for better services, workers must have a voice in their future and communities must benefit from integrated planning rather than fragmented profit maximisation. As Common Wealth's research has shown, the economic case for rail nationalisation is clear. Now comes the harder task of making it work in practice. This requires courage to challenge vested interests, operational expertise to improve services and democratic innovation to ensure public ownership serves the public. If nationalised operators deliver visible improvements while keeping costs under control, public support will grow and opposition critique will ring hollow. But if it is business as usual with a different logo, we'll have squandered a once-in-a-generation opportunity to prove that public ownership works. The prize is enormous: affordable, reliable rail transport that serves communities rather than shareholders. The risk is equally significant: discrediting public ownership for years to come. Labour must get this right. Sarah Nankivell is deputy director of Common Wealth
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Business Standard
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Kashmir's atmosphere of fear has reduced to large extent: Farooq Abdullah
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday asserted that the atmosphere of fear in Kashmir has significantly reduced and urged the tourists to visit the valley again to enjoy its beauty. The former chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir also urged the External Affairs Ministry to make efforts for getting revoked the negative travel advisories issued by some countries against visiting J-K. Tourism in Kashmir has been hit after the April 22 Pahalgam attack that left 26 people dead. "What happened here (Pahalgam attack) was very sad, it should not have happened. People were coming here happily. People were busy with their work, they were not asking for government jobs. The situation was such in Pahalgam that there were no rooms available here," Abdullah told PTI Videos here. The NC chief visited the tourist resort and played golf at the Pahalgam Golf Course along with some friends. He said while the attack created an atmosphere of fear, the government has taken some steps to improve the security situation in the valley. "There was an atmosphere for fear, but I feel now the atmosphere of fear has reduced to a large extent. You can see how many people are coming to Pahlagam. I was in Gulmarg, there were 400-500 tourists," he observed. "Thank God, the fear is now leaving. The government has also taken some steps to make the security system stronger. I think the people should come," he added. The former Union minister appealed to the Centre to make efforts to withdraw travel advisories issued by several countries against visiting J-K. "I also request the Central government, the Foreign Minister, that the time has come to remove the block placed by foreign countries on visiting India. Peace has come to both the countries and we are hopeful that peace will continue in the future as well. They should also be given permission to come here as they also want to see this place. Many of them are golfers and I hope they will come," he said, in an apparent reference to Pakistan. Abdullah said many people play golf and the game has now got a place in Khelo India games as well. "It is played in Olympics, Common Wealth games and Asian Games, so, now there is a need to have it everywhere. I think our people should come here in large numbers, play this sport so that India gets medals in these games," he said. Praising Kashmir's natural beauty, he said, "Look at this weather and beauty, I have travelled to various places across the world, but I have not seen such beauty anywhere. I hope the people who watch your channel come here in large numbers, see this beauty and make the country stronger. We should not be afraid, if we are afraid, then we are dead". On the annual Amarnath Yatra scheduled to begin on July 3, Abdullah said the pilgrimage is very important for us. "It has been going on for many years. I hope more and pilgrims will come here to have a glimpse of Shankar Bhagvan, Bhole Nath comfortably, and then tell people back home how beautiful this place is," he said. To a question about J-K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah holding a meeting of his council of ministers, as well as a meeting with tourism stakeholders at Pahalgam later in the day, the NC president said it is important and will send out a message that there is peace. "One the people will get to know that the whole cabinet is here and there is peace. They will also meet the stakeholders. That will also have an impact because the people here, whether it is the ponywalla, palki wallah, hotelliers, taxiwallah, are bearing the most brunt "These people have taken loans, some have taken it for renovation of houses and hotels, cabs, for horses. I hope that more and more people from our country come here and we show them that we have exhibited hospitality in the past and we will do that in future as well," he said. Asked about reports of differences in the party especially with its Srinagar Lok Sabha MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Abdullah said attempts were always made to break his party but the leadership was not worried. "This is not something new for us. It has been happening. They will continue their attempts. They did it in my time, in my father's time. It is not new for us, we are not worried. Why should we be worried? "We are here to resolve the problems of the people and we will do that Insha Allah (God willing). You see how much change will come to this state in five years," he said.
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
‘Atmosphere of fear reduced in Kashmir': Farooq Abdullah plays golf in Pahalgam with friends
National Conference President Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday (May 27, 2025) asserted that the atmosphere of fear in Kashmir has significantly reduced and urged the tourists to visit the valley again to enjoy its beauty. The former Chief Minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir also urged the External Affairs Ministry to make efforts for getting revoked the negative travel advisories issued by some countries against visiting J-K. Tourism in Kashmir has been hit after the April 22 Pahalgam attack that left 26 people dead. "What happened here [Pahalgam attack] was very sad, it should not have happened. People were coming here happily. People were busy with their work, they were not asking for government jobs. The situation was such in Pahalgam that there were no rooms available here," Dr. Abdullah told PTI Videos. The NC Chief visited the tourist resort and played golf at the Pahalgam Golf Course along with some friends. He said, 'While the attack created an atmosphere of fear, the government has taken some steps to improve the security situation in the valley'. "There was an atmosphere for fear, but I feel now the atmosphere of fear has reduced to a large extent. You can see how many people are coming to Pahlagam. I was in Gulmarg, there were 400-500 tourists," he observed. "Thank God, the fear is now leaving. The government has also taken some steps to make the security system stronger. I think the people should come," he added. The former Union minister appealed to the Centre to make efforts to withdraw travel advisories issued by several countries against visiting J-K. "I also request the Central government, the Foreign Minister, that the time has come to remove the block placed by foreign countries on visiting India. Peace has come to both the countries and we are hopeful that peace will continue in the future as well. They should also be given permission to come here as they also want to see this place. Many of them are golfers and I hope they will come," he said, in an apparent reference to Pakistan. Dr. Abdullah said 'many people play golf and the game has now got a place in Khelo India games as well'. "It is played in Olympics, Common Wealth games and Asian Games, so, now there is a need to have it everywhere. I think our people should come here in large numbers, play this sport so that India gets medals in these games," he said. Praising Kashmir's natural beauty, he said, "Look at this weather and beauty, I have travelled to various places across the world, but I have not seen such beauty anywhere. I hope the people who watch your channel come here in large numbers, see this beauty and make the country stronger. We should not be afraid, if we are afraid, then we are dead". 'Amarnath Yatra is very important to us' On the annual Amarnath Yatra scheduled to begin on July 3, Dr. Abdullah said 'the pilgrimage is very important for us'. "It has been going on for many years. I hope more and pilgrims will come here to have a glimpse of Shankar Bhagvan, Bhole Nath comfortably, and then tell people back home how beautiful this place is," he said. To a question about J-K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah holding a meeting of his council of ministers, as well as a meeting with tourism stakeholders at Pahalgam later in the day, the NC President said 'it is important and will send out a message that there is peace'. 'One the people will get to know that the whole cabinet is here, and there is peace. They will also meet the stakeholders. That will also have an impact because the people here, whether it is the ponywalla, palki wallah, hoteliers, taxiwallah, are bearing the most brunt'. 'These people have taken loans, some have taken it for renovation of houses and hotels, cabs, for horses. I hope that more and more people from our country come here and we show them that we have exhibited hospitality in the past and we will do that in future as well,' he said. Asked about reports of differences in the party especially with its Srinagar Lok Sabha MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Mr. Abdullah said 'attempts were always made to break his party but the leadership was not worried'. 'This is not something new for us. It has been happening. They will continue their attempts. They did it in my time, in my father's time. It is not new for us, we are not worried. Why should we be worried?' "We are here to resolve the problems of the people and we will do that Insha Allah [God willing]. You see how much change will come to this state in five years," he said.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New condominiums to be built on Montague Road in Amherst
AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) – MassHousing has announced $9.9 million in funds to create 30 new homeownership opportunities in Amherst. The money is coming from the CommonWealth Builder Program and will create 15 duplex buildings for moderate-income, first-time homebuyers. The homes on Montague Road will create 18 new two-bedroom units and 12 three-bedroom units. Student loan default collections resume: What you need to know Ten of the units will be restricted to homebuyers earning up to 80 percent of the area median income, and 20 of the units restricted to homebuyers earning up to 100 percent of the area median income. The homes are expected to sell at prices ranging from $162,900 to $267,000. 'This project will turn an underutilized area in the town into 30 brand new homes for first-time homebuyers,' said MassHousing CEO Chrystal Kornegay. 'The people who purchase these homes will be able to set down roots in Amherst and begin building wealth, along with all the other benefits of homeownership.' 'This development is over three years in the making, and we could not be more excited to add affordable homeownership opportunities to the Amherst community,' said Alexis Breiteneicher, Executive Director of Valley Community Development. 'Having affordable housing options from rental to homeownership is critical in addressing the housing crisis. Valley is deeply grateful to MassHousing and the CommonWealth Builder program for being committed to decreasing the homeownership wealth gap.' WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
