Over the past 40 years, neoliberalism has demolished trade unions and stripped away financial restrictions which has led to more wealth for people with money and a stagnation in wages for the rest of us. President Reagan imposed this in the USA and Thatcher did so in the UK. In later years, neoliberalism repurposed theContinue reading “Idea-ology: Neo-liberalism, where it started (part 3)”
Category Archives: Blog post
Idea-ology: Doctrine for the Masses (Part 2)
Neo-liberals believe that the free market is the best way to organise society. They claim that the government should be just an administrator, not a supervisor or a player in the market, even to the point that private companies should provide services such as hospitals, schools and prisons. This is a common misconception, or aContinue reading “Idea-ology: Doctrine for the Masses (Part 2)”
Idea-ology: Creating the Illusion (Part 1)
Idea-ology: Creating the illusion of neo-liberalism
Leyendas de Leganés: Don Juan de Austria, el Jon Snow de Leganés
¿Quién fue Don Juan de Austria? En Leganés hay comunidades, colegios, y una calle que se llama Juan de Austria. Y como Jon Snow de Juegos de Tronos, Juan fue un bastado del Rey y un luchador. Un héroe Cerca de 1545, el Rey Carlos I de España, también Santo Emperador Romano desde Alemania hastaContinue reading “Leyendas de Leganés: Don Juan de Austria, el Jon Snow de Leganés”
Que es una ‘Centrist Dad’?
Hay un concepto en el mundo político anglo saxon que es un ‘centrist dad’ (padre centristas). Quiero introducir esto concepto a España porque es una idea fundamental por Twitter, memes y por una broma durante la cena de navidad cuando tu tío hablar sobre ‘que es posible’ en esto mundo. Un padre centralista normalmente esContinue reading “Que es una ‘Centrist Dad’?”
Leyendas de Leganés: Avenida Salvador Allende
En Leganés, hay una calle se llama Salvador Allende después del primer presidente marxista en Chile y América Latina. Allende fue elegido en eleciones democráticas en 1970. Allende quiso mejorar las condiciones para la clase obrera en su país. Mejorar la educación, el sistema de salud y nacionalizar las industrias más grandes en Chile. PeroContinue reading “Leyendas de Leganés: Avenida Salvador Allende”
Nigel Farage is a bigger threat to the left than the Tories. Here’s why.
Nigel Farage is a bigger threat to the left than the Tories. Here’s why.
Keir Starmer: Labour Aristocracy
Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer: “I don’t think there is a case for re-joining the EU…that is not realistic” Originally tweeted by BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) on January 10, 2021. On Sunday 10th January, Keir Starmer turned his back on a large group of people that voted for him in the leadership elections. Remain-backing Labour membersContinue reading “Keir Starmer: Labour Aristocracy”
Shove your ‘Hot Take’
Is anybody else tired? I certainly am. Following the threat to democracy, the ‘coup’, the backlash of populism (and any other over inflated name you want to give it) in the United States on Wednesday, all I have seen online so far are personal hot takes. These have mainly been poor interpretations of what wasContinue reading “Shove your ‘Hot Take’”
What is a ‘Good Immigrant’?
Today Pablo Iglesias welcomed the decision to give James Rhodes, a British Pianist and activist, Spanish nationality. With Rhodes only having been in the country for four years, he would be six short of getting the passport if it had not been gifted to him. Whilst respecting his activist work (which I do), some feelContinue reading “What is a ‘Good Immigrant’?”
Cultural Marxism, Covid-19 and a Broken Ideology
On the 17th December, Liz Truss, the Secretary of State for International Trade, who is also minister for Women and Equality, gave a speech announcing the government’s new approach toward equality. As part of this announcement, the Secretary claimed that recent governments had concentrated on ‘empty gestures’ such as anti-racism and gender equality whilst ignoringContinue reading “Cultural Marxism, Covid-19 and a Broken Ideology”
Coronavirus: A Test For Europe
The European Union will not survive coronavirus unless it evolves. To do that it must break its own rules
Book Review: Fully Automated Luxury Communism
By Aaron Bastani Published by Verso, 2019 The truth is I had been waiting for this book for a long time, as an avid viewer of Novara media this made me, not only intrigued but also sceptical about this book. As anyone that follows Novara media may well know, the pundits are a bit ofContinue reading “Book Review: Fully Automated Luxury Communism”
How Communists Helped Establish Democracy in Spain
At 10:30 pm on the 24th January 1977 eight lawyers were working late at the offices of Comisiones Obreras (CCOO), one of Spain’s trade unions which was set up by the Spanish Communist Party. At the time Spain was in the middle of a temperamental transition from Franco’s dictatorship to democracy. Many people were tense due to the possibleContinue reading “How Communists Helped Establish Democracy in Spain”
The History of Spain and Covid-19: Rinse and Repeat
If not having a functioning government in 2019 wasn’t enough drama for the Spanish population, then the introduction of Covid-19 would make up for it. Spanish society has revolved around political crisis since the turn of the 20th century. Being a late bloomer when it comes to industrialisation and the growing of a middle class, SpainContinue reading “The History of Spain and Covid-19: Rinse and Repeat”
Lockdown diaries: Alan, writer & former psychiatric nurse (UK) — Naked Madrid
Originally published at http://www.nakedmadrid.com on March 25, 2020. It’s ok to be stressed, and it’s normal to be losing it. Most of us are. But we are doing it together. “It’s ok to be stressed, and it’s normal to be losing it. Most of us are. But we are doing it together,” says Alan, who used to beContinue reading “Lockdown diaries: Alan, writer & former psychiatric nurse (UK) — Naked Madrid”
Abolish Eton: Ideological ideas will ruin Labour
Socialist ideology overtakes electoral common sense.
Abolish Eton shows that Labour is losing its touch.
Who is looking after the Nurses?
300 nurses have died by suicide in the past seven years. This is an average of 43 nurses a year.
Who is looking after the Nurses?
Defining the Left’s culture
What do we mean by Left culture?
A Society for People, not Profits, is why we need Universal Basic Services.
Universal Basic Services definition: the provision of sufficient free public services, as can be afforded from a reasonable tax on incomes, to enable every citizen’s safety, opportunity, and participation.
Doesn’t sound too bad , does it?
Future Socialism— Why Socialism is Sexy Now
Future Socialism- we need to look to the future to give home and help shape a world that we want to live in.
Does Spain have a problem with racism?
Does Spain have a problem with racism?
Night in an Airport
24 hours no sleep and too much time in airports.
Orwell in Barcelona
George Orwell went to Barcelona in December 1936 to fight fascism.
If you read Homage to Catalonia you may see the Ramblas very different.
Spain’s less than picturesque white coast: European slavery lives here
When you say Costa del Sol you think of drunk Brits, and the more romantic of us may think of olive farms and flamenco. Well, this is only partly true. What about hundreds of Green houses? And Africans? Recently, I became aware of Norvara Media, a growing underground news channel that has a website, YouTubeContinue reading “Spain’s less than picturesque white coast: European slavery lives here”
Franco café and a fallen angel
Just driving home What could be more Spanish than driving back from Granada; stopping in a no frills services station for a ‘Menu del Dia’ and then seeing one of the legendary black bull signs on the side of the motorway. Well, this was how my Sunday was going until my wife made a suggestion.Continue reading “Franco café and a fallen angel”
Pub series: The Great British living room.
Last in the pub series What can I say about British pubs? Well, they are home! From your generic Wetherspoons with its 1970s carpet and flowery plates, to your local that has been in the family for generations, British pubs are irreplaceable. Many pubs have similar features, from the warmth of the sofas to theContinue reading “Pub series: The Great British living room.”
Pub series: My new found affection for no-frills Spanish bar
Photo from Madrid No-frills As you may well know, there are many bars in Spain: one for every occasion and with several different names. Cafeteria, restaurante, cervecería and all the bars in between. Yet the best –and more authentic ones – have similar characteristics, though not all of them are visible. When I wasContinue reading “Pub series: My new found affection for no-frills Spanish bar”
Pub series: The Similar Curiosities of an Irish pub
I’ve decided to take a small break from moaning about the Conservative party or writing of trying to survive as an Englishman in Madrid. So, I’ve decided to embark upon a series of something I consider myself to be a connoisseur and expert on. Drinking establishments. Far away from the Spanish jammon franchises and AmericanContinue reading “Pub series: The Similar Curiosities of an Irish pub”
Why joining the Labour Party is like going to the pub.
So you arrive to a new town, where you are meant to meet a new group of people. It took you a while to find this group. You um and ah about it, but you join the group and this is your first meeting. Finally get to the destination, which was hard to find, youContinue reading “Why joining the Labour Party is like going to the pub.”
