From the archive: The ruthlessly effective rebranding of Europe’s new far right – podcast

We are raiding the Audio Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors.This week, from 2016: Across the continent, rightwing populist parties have seized control of the political conversation. How have they done it? By stealing the language, causes and voters of the traditional left. By...

20h

‘We need to break the junk food cycle’: how to fix Britain’s failing food system

From ultra-processed junk to failing supply chains and rocketing food poverty, there are serious problems with the way the UK eats. Will the government ever act?When I was younger, and at war with my own body, I was a sucker for diets. I tried The Rotation Diet (Lose Up to a Pound a Day and Never Gain it Back), The Beverly Hills Diet (a 35-day programme,...

1d

Meet the ‘inactivists’, tangling up the climate crisis in culture wars – podcast

As climate science has gone mainstream, outright denialism has been pushed to the fringes. Now a new tactic of dismissing green policies as elitist is on the rise, and has zoned in on a bitter row over a disused airport in Kent. By Jack Shenker Continue reading...

2d

How two BBC journalists risked their jobs to reveal the truth about Jimmy Savile – podcast

Listening to the women who alleged abuse, and fighting to get their stories heard, helped change the treatment of victims by the media and the justice system. By Poppy Sebag-Montefiore Continue reading...

5d

Is society coming apart? | Jill Lepore

Despite Thatcher and Reagan’s best efforts, there is and has always been such a thing as society. The question is not whether it exists, but what shape it must take in a post-pandemic worldIn March 2020, Boris Johnson, pale and exhausted, self-isolating in his flat on Downing Street, released a video of himself – that he had taken himself – reassuring...

6d

From the archive: ‘London Bridge is down’, the secret plan for the days after the Queen’s death – podcast

We are raiding the Audio Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors.From 2017: She is venerated around the world. She has outlasted 12 US presidents. She stands for stability and order. But her kingdom is in turmoil, and her subjects are in denial that her reign will ever end. That’s...

1w

A tale of two pandemics: the true cost of Covid in the global south | Kwame Anthony Appiah

• Reconstruction after Covid: a new series of long readsWhile the rich nations focus on booster jabs and returning to the office, much of the world is facing devastating second-order coronavirus effects. Now is the time to build a fairer, more responsible international system for the futureFor the past year and a half, people everywhere have been in...

2w

Why progressive gestures from big business aren’t just useless, they’re dangerous – podcast

From climate crisis to anti-racism, more and more corporations are taking a stand. But if it’s only done because it’s good for business, the fires will keep on burning. By Carl Rhodes Continue reading...

2w

Has Covid ended the neoliberal era? – podcast

The year 2020 exposed the risks and weaknesses of the market-driven global system like never before. It’s hard to avoid the sense that a turning point has been reached. By Adam Tooze Continue reading...

2w

Ten ways to confront the climate crisis without losing hope | Rebecca Solnit

• Reconstruction after Covid: a new series of long readsIt’s easy to despair at the climate crisis, or to decide it’s already too late – but it’s not. Here’s how to keep the fight aliveThe world as we knew it is coming to an end, and it’s up to us how it ends and what comes after. It’s the end of the age of fossil fuel, but if the fossil-fuel corporations...

2w