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New Statesman
3 hours ago
- Politics
- New Statesman
Inside Labour students' revolt over Gaza
Students from University College London (UCL) attend a pro-Palestinian rally to mark Nakba Day on 15th May 2024 in London, United Kingdom. Two female UCL staff members and an alumna later shaved their heads in support of Palestinian women in Gaza forced to do so due to lack of access to water. UCL students have also set up an encampment on campus to apply pressure on UCL to end academic partnerships with and divest from Israel. (photo by Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images) The government's pledge to conditionally recognise a Palestinian state in September (unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire) was meant to signal moral clarity. Instead, it has deepened a rift between Labour HQ and the party's young members, some of whom see the leadership as out of touch with the emotional and political urgency of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. For a number of these young members, the move was not read as a bold moral stance, but a delayed and insufficient provisional gesture in response to a crisis that demanded urgency months ago. This development was yet another pledge too little, too late – a continued pattern of incoherent and reactive policy on Gaza. The result? Youth membership has collapsed – from 100,000 to just 30,000 under Starmer's leadership. What was once a proud pillar of the party's infrastructure had now been almost entirely hollowed out. Just days after the announcement on Palestinian statehood, some of this frustration came to a head. Warwick Labour Club – long regarded as one of the most active and engaged in the country – publicly backed the resignation of local councillor Grace Lewis, who left the Labour party in favour of Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana's Your Party. In her resignation letter, Lewis accused Labour of being 'active participants in the genocide in Gaza', alongside explicit criticism of the party's welfare policy as a continuation of austerity, and a comparison between the treatment of minorities by Labour and Reform. The party's response was swift: Warwick Labour was formally disaffiliated and quickly rebranded itself as the Warwick Labour Movement. Though no other Labour clubs have followed yet, the rupture sent a warning shot. Warwick's departure was the most dramatic break to date between the party and its youth movement – the language used by the club's chair, Ed Swann, struck a wider chord in a post on Instagram on August 1st. He described the increasing difficulty of justifying 'continued involvement in the Labour Party' to peers. Similar sentiments have been echoed across Labour's political spectrum: Young Labour's international officer, Ryan Bogle, told me of the frequency with which members have contacted him asking how they are supposed to defend the party's stance on Gaza to friends and family. Your Party has already begun to position itself as a political refuge for young people alienated by Labour's direction under Starmer. As the new academic year approaches, the party's foothold amongst students may deepen further, especially if Labour continues to offer little that resonates with first-time voters. Polling still remains thin, but recent data by YouGov suggests that 42 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds would choose Jeremy Corbyn as prime minister over Keir Starmer – who was the preferred candidate for just 16 per cent. Though anger over Gaza is widespread, the alienation playing out is not merely a question of young voters versus older voters. It's about a disconnect between political instincts rooted in moral urgency, and a leadership perceived as coldly transactional in the pursuit of votes. Many young activists feel that issues such as Gaza and transgender rights are non-negotiable moral causes. For these voters, Labour's position on Gaza feels not just disappointing, but indefensible. Senior figures within the youth movement describe what they see as a profound 'naivety' from the leadership about the scale and seriousness of younger members' anger. Instead of recognising students' frustration as part of a wider humanitarian concern, party officials continue to frame the dissent as a fringe issue: an ideological hangover from Corbynism or a potential antisemitism liability (a characterisation which Labour HQ firmly denies). The parallel with No 10's treatment of dissenting MPs is striking after the suspension of four Labour MPs earlier this summer, effectively stalling their parliamentary careers and signalling to backbenchers that public dissent comes at a professional cost. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe Young Labour and Labour Student groups have described increased restrictions on their work and communications, speaking of the emotional toll of being 'pressured by our members to act' on Gaza, while feeling abandoned by leadership-affiliated organisations they had previously supported and 'felt welcome in'. The party, however, said it has no record of such measures, and instead pointed to its role in supporting Young Labour to hold its largest congress in a decade earlier this year in Wales (where polls show Labour currently losing next year's Senedd election), and the creation of a next generation training programme. Behind the scenes, rumours have circulated that students have been warned against speaking out on Gaza, with the threat of reputational damage or future career jeopardy. Youth committee members describe being strongly cautioned by HQ staff that speaking out on this issue could damage their reputation and credibility. These warnings were even given to senior, well-established youth figures who have spent a long time working in an unpaid capacity for the party. In one case, a young member's non-Labour employer was contacted by a senior backbench MP, who warned the employer to be 'wary' of the student, and to 'not trust them' after they were unable to attend an organised study trip to Israel. Others have allegedly been offered secure jobs after graduation if they toe the party line (Labour strongly refutes this claim). Senior figures within the youth movement have also indicated a fear of speaking out – even among fellow moderates – for fear of being labelled a Corbynite. They feel that for HQ, constructive criticism is no longer productive but a real and dangerous threat, whether coming from senior MPs, party grandees or a simple student. This criticism stretches far beyond the party's internal left-right divide. What unites those voicing concern – whether from the parliamentary benches or from student halls – is a shared sense that internal dissent is being met with defensiveness and discipline, rather than reflection and reform. A growing number of politically engaged students are no longer just frustrated – they're actively stepping back, disengaging or seeking out alternatives. Lewis Warner, national vice chair of Labour Students, said 'good, hard-working activists are switching off and disengaging, and it's going to take a lot of time and effort to persuade them to come back'. Warner linked this directly to the party's handling of the crisis in Gaza, describing how Labour has 'completely underestimated' how this has 'affected young members across the party'. For Labour Gaza, is becoming not just a question of party management, but of its identity and survival. The risks aren't just to campaigns. Labour has long been reliant on its young members as a key talent pipeline. Young people continue to dominate amongst staffers in party HQ and in parliament, and lots of current MPs and cabinet members began their political journey in university Labour societies, from Keir Starmer at Leeds to Bridget Phillipson, Ed Miliband and Rachel Reeves at Oxford. The party's longevity depends on talented young people seeing Labour as a place where their voice matters. Right now, increasing numbers no longer do. Ahead of next year's local elections Labour cannot afford to ignore this rupture. The crisis in Gaza may have been the trigger, but the disillusionment it has uncovered runs much deeper. Unless the party finds a way to listen, respond and rebuild trust, it risks losing not just the strength of its youth movement, but a generation of voters that once believed that by backing Labour, they could change the world. [See also: Keir Starmer would be a much happier politician in Japan] Related
New Statesman
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New Statesman
The BBC is afraid
Photo by Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images Since 27 May, Israel has killed and wounded hundreds of unarmed Palestinians at aid distribution sites – the latest in 21 months of continuous Israeli violations of international law. Here in the UK, the government's support for Israel has resulted in increasing state repression of those who support Palestine. A South Asian woman was tried and acquitted over a coconut placard at a Palestine protest. The group Palestine Action will soon be proscribed as a terror organisation. Meanwhile, Kneecap and the rap duo Bob Vylan are under police investigation for their Glastonbury sets. Well-worn methods of protest – direct action, placards, and chants – have all drawn a heavy-handed response from the state. In such a climate, we need our fourth estate to stand firm while focusing on accurately and bravely covering what's happening on the ground in Gaza. Instead, our public broadcaster is afraid. The past six months have been a sorry saga for the BBC. In February, the broadcaster apologised for 'serious flaws' in the documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, because its child narrator was the son of a Hamas civil minister. In March, it apologised 'unreservedly' to the Israeli embassy in London after a BBC producer asked someone at the embassy for an anti-Netanyahu voice to interview. In June, it shelved a documentary it had commissioned but not yet aired, Gaza: Doctors Under Fire, after months of delay without adequately explaining why to the filmmakers. This week, it has expressed 'regret' at airing Bob Vylan's Glastonbury set live, after the lead singer chanted 'death to the IDF' onstage. Apology after apology. But nowhere has it apologised for failing to communicate the disproportionality, illegality, and gravity of Israel's actions in Gaza across the past 21 months. This includes a clear disparity in emotive language between Israelis and Palestinians, and the omission of context that should be regularly mentioned, like the International Court of Justice ruling in January 2024 or the International Criminal Court arrest warrant out for Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. These are a few of many examples cited in a new Centre for Media Monitoring report on how the BBC's Gaza coverage has failed. Taken together, these apologies and obfuscations depict a BBC that caves to complaints from only 'one side' – a BBC that's compromised and enfeebled, unable to safeguard its own independence. The bad faith critics demanding these apologies aren't interested in either the BBC's independence or the quality of its journalism. Their aim is to establish more oversight and to ensure that the BBC stays editorially anxious, unwilling to take risks and commission the sort of ground-breaking journalism that fearlessly follows the evidence to its conclusion. This is already happening: Gaza: Doctors Under Fire, the documentary the BBC shelved, will now be aired by Channel 4. We need an editorially brave BBC, willing to battle against external pressure and back its best journalists. More than a hundred BBC journalists have just signed a letter calling the board's decision not to air Gaza: Doctors Under Fire a 'political decision', that doesn't reflect the quality of journalism in the film. The job of the board and the executive should be to protect the conditions under which good journalism can happen – journalists shouldn't have to be concerned that they'll be trolled when they cover Gaza, or that their painstaking work will be delayed and canned without adequate editorial justification. A meeting between BBC board members and the Culture Secretary should not be a reason for journalists to panic. Working at the BBC on Gaza over many months, I watched many journalists make crucial decisions within this culture of fear. The BBC felt more exposed than independent, and many colleagues were concerned about complaint campaigns on social media or getting told off by bosses. I watched too many gently dislocate from the critical journalistic burden of speaking truth to power, or burn themselves out fighting to get good quality work published. We also need a BBC that stands firm around the core freedoms this government is eroding – like free speech, and freedom to protest. 'Impartiality', reads the BBC's own guidelines, 'does not mean detachment from fundamental democratic values, including freedom of expression, the right to vote, the rule of law and freedom from discrimination.' The BBC isn't expected to be detached when human rights and basic freedoms are under threat, whether this is the human rights of Palestinians or the basic freedoms of the British public. So why isn't it ready to act in accordance with this line of its own policy? While the BBC claims it's independent, the public increasingly believes otherwise. Many of us saw a palpable shift in tone around its Gaza coverage at the end of May, when the UK joined France and Canada in calling on the Israeli government to 'stop its military operations' and 'immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza'. Instead of standing as a lighthouse in a growing storm – the collapse of international law, the erosion of democratic freedoms – the BBC sways with the prevailing wind. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe As state repression grows, we have no evidence that the BBC will act as part of a robust fourth estate – challenging and resisting government influence. My issue is not that the BBC makes decisions I disagree with. My issue is that it makes panicked decisions while its independence is under threat. To the bosses at the top of the BBC, I say: amid all the apologies and prevarications, audiences are losing trust in their public broadcaster and government ministers are talking about a 'leadership' problem at the organisation. Was it all worth it? [See also: Stop taking Glastonbury so seriously] Related
Wales Online
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Why the Championship play-off final kick-off time has been moved
Why the Championship play-off final kick-off time has been moved Sheffield United and Sunderland meet at Wembley Stadium in the Championship play-off final Wembley Stadium hosts the Championship play-off final today (Image: Mark Kerrison ) Sheffield United and Sunderland lock horns in the Championship play-off final on Saturday afternoon. The two teams will face off against each other under the famous Wembley arch for a place in the Premier League and all the riches that entails. The Blades will be smarting that they missed out on an automatic promotion place to Leeds United and Burnley but have the perfect opportunity to address that this afternoon against the Black Cats. One thing to note is that the traditional 3pm kick-off time has been moved forward a minute, with the game scheduled to officially get under way at 3.01pm. The League One and League Two finals, scheduled to take place on Sunday and Monday respectively, are also kicking off 60 seconds later, at 1.01pm. The reason is because the EFL are looking to raise awareness for the 'Every Minute Matters' campaign, which aims to encourage football fans to learn CPR. Article continues below Wales international Tom Lockyer is an ambassador for the project after the defender collapsed with atrial fibrillation in the 2023 Championship play-off final between his club Luton Town and Coventry City. He said: 'I was just one of the more than 30,000 people who suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest every year in the UK. "I am lucky to be alive today, but the reality is that less than 1 in 10 people usually survive, which is why it's vital that we continue to raise awareness. "The symbolic kick-off times are the perfect way to make our lifesaving message impossible to ignore. 'Over the course of the last year, the EFL community – fans, players and the clubs – have come together and united behind the Sky Bet Every Minute Matters campaign to achieve something I never thought possible. "And now, as we approach the business end of the season, the Sky Bet Play-Off Finals provide an incredible platform to continue to spread the word and bring the curtain down on a game-changing year in the fight against cardiac arrest." The dates and times in full Article continues below Championship: Sheffield United vs Sunderland, Saturday, May 24, 3:01pm League One: Charlton vs Leyton Orient, Sunday, May 25, 1:01pm League Two: AFC Wimbledon vs Walsall, Monday, May 26, 3:01pm
Wales Online
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Rising production costs threatening viability of UK theatre, says report
Rising production costs threatening viability of UK theatre, says report he cost of running and creating theatre has soared, rising "significantly faster than inflation", according to a report into the state of British theatre in 2025 from the Society of London Theatre (SOLT) and UK Theatre The London Pavilion in Piccadilly Circus was built in 1885 as a theatre (Image: Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images ) Rising production costs are threatening the viability of UK theatre, a report has said. The cost of running and creating theatre has soared, rising "significantly faster than inflation", according to a report into the state of British theatre in 2025 from the Society of London Theatre (SOLT) and UK Theatre. "The economics of theatre are finely balanced. Without strategic support and investment, rising costs threaten the viability of even the most commercially successful productions," it said. The report outlines potential threats to the sector's financial sustainability, including the cumulative effect of rising inflation, heightened international trade tensions and the potential impact of new US tariffs. On Wednesday official figures revealed that UK inflation surged to its highest level for more than a year last month after households were hit by a raft of "awful April" bill increases. In spite of growing costs, members of the SOLT and UK Theatre welcomed more than 37 million audience members in 2024, with the West End surpassing 17.1 million attendees, generating more than £1 billion in revenue for the first time in history, according to the organisations. Article continues below The report estimates that the average price of a West End ticket is 5.3% lower in real terms than in 2019 and says that "most theatre tickets remain affordable". Another issue is investment, with one in five UK venues requiring at least £5 million over the next decade simply to remain operational, according to a 2024 survey from the organisations. Out of the 65 venues surveyed, it was found that nearly 40% of them could close or become unusable in the next five years without substantial capital funding. Rising costs in transport, accommodation, freight and staffing are also affecting domestic touring and the report said these financial pressures are "straining the viability of touring models that rely on lean margins and collaborative delivery". At the same time, audiences are facing their own cost-of-living challenges and this means that "simply raising ticket prices is not a viable solution if theatre is to remain accessible to all". The report said higher-priced tickets help "cross-subsidise lower-cost options, enabling more people to attend while preserving financial sustainability". It also said the Government needs to make a "sustained investment in infrastructure, skills, access and innovation". International productions can also face complex issues, such as trade uncertainty, but the report added that "UK theatre continues to punch above its weight globally". Six The Musical, which has toured across the world, is an example of "the power of UK theatre as a world-leading cultural export", according to the report. SOLT and UK Theatre co-chief executives Claire Walker and Hannah Essex said: "From the West End to regional stages, our members are working harder than ever to keep theatre accessible and inclusive, even as costs rise and funding declines. "But the reality is stark: theatres are doing more with less – and the strain is showing. "Rising costs, shrinking support and ageing infrastructure are putting the sector under unsustainable pressure. Article continues below "We are seeing world-class organisations forced to cut programmes, delay maintenance and scale back outreach. "If we want to maintain the UK's position as a global leader in theatre – and continue to inspire the next generation of actors, writers and technicians – then Government must act. "That means restoring public investment, investing in infrastructure and ensuring that every child can experience the life-changing power of live performance."
