Grassroots music venues are rooted in our communities and play an invaluable role in building bridges, giving a voice to marginalised groups and the fight against genocide. 🇵🇸 My latest piece on Grassroots For Gaza in @labouroutlook.bsky.social:

The charges against KNEECAP’s Mo Chara are a disgraceful attempt to intimidate artists and suppress voices speaking out against the genocide in Gaza. We will never stop calling out Israel’s atrocities in Palestine — and the British government’s participation in them. 🇵🇸

When the politicians fail, the people stand up to demand an immediate arms embargo… The British government will remain an active participant in Israel’s genocide in Gaza for as long as sites like BAE Systems in Kent remain open.

At this point you have to question if the British government would even condemn Israel, let alone suspend arms sales, if it bombed London. Nothing resembling that has happened when bombs have rained down on the civilians in Gaza, Beirut, Sanaa or Tehran.

We’ve only got a summer to save music. 🪩

60,000+ people have been murdered by Israel in Gaza with British bombs since October 2023 — without a single charge brought against those complicit in genocide. The charges against KNEECAP’s Mo Chara are nothing more than a distraction. We know who the real terrorists are.

We need to build a strong coalition of genuine progressives to defeat the rise of the far-right, which has been enabled by the cowardly and unambitious Starmer government. The fight back has to start now. Support @ZackPolanski as the next leader of the Green Party.

Starmer’s idiotic response to the local elections disaster, such as plans to abolish DCMS, shows how incompetent he and his top team are. More pound shop Farage politics that wrongly smear grassroots music venues, art and sports as “waste” whilst protecting the obscene wealth of the super rich.

sat down with the incredible jordan gray a couple of weeks ago and chatted ethical non-monogamy, writing real life trans people, the death threats that inspired her new edinburgh show and a ceramic chicken called maude... www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Qzw...

The intention of Zionist attacks on KNEECAP is clear: they want to make artistic expressions of solidarity with the Palestinian people a no-go zone for all artists. This assault on artistic freedom must be resisted — and those speaking out against genocide must be defended.

Why is anyone still listening to Tony Blair?

Me and @bencsmoke.bsky.social are getting married if you even care…

Tens of thousands of us showing up for trans rights after last week’s Supreme Court injustice. When trans rights are under attack, stand up fight back. 🏳️‍⚧️

Trans people face the most devastating demonisation from many in the political and media establishment on a daily basis — and today’s Supreme Court ruling will be used as ammunition by those rancid people to attack the LGBTQ+ community. Solidarity with trans people everywhere 🏳️‍⚧️

We need to tax billionaires out of existence.

The rigged capitalist system has pushed millions into poverty and our economy to breaking point. From steel to energy, water, mail and rail — we must take every single bit of British industry into public ownership and hand power back to our communities.

The British government’s role in providing arms, surveillance and political cover for Israel’s slaughter of tens of thousands of civilians in Gaza cannot be understated. We need a comprehensive inquiry to bring about justice for the Palestinian people.

Whilst bills continue to rise and the cost of living crisis pushes millions into debt, the super rich have never had it easier. We need nothing short of a revolution with wealth tax and mass nationalisation to transform the society torn apart by a rigged economy.

Labour’s welfare cuts will push millions of sick and disabled people into poverty whilst pumping billions into the global arms trade. This is a moral outrage. Proud to sign the #DignityDeclaration alongside other progressives demanding a fairer society. thedignitydeclaration.co.uk

Labour are heading for a crushing defeat at the next election — and it will be the result of their embarrassing failure to stand up to the far-right and punching down austerity whilst letting the super rich off the hook.

hello good morning please enjoy this video which i helped make and was, perhaps, my favourite ever day at work www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2tY...

Israel has intentionally slaughtered thousands of Palestinian civilians, aid workers and journalists in its genocide in Gaza and will continue to do so - aided and abetted by the British government. Keir Starmer and David Lammy have blood on their hands.

Wishing the happiest birthday to my beautiful daughter Kiri! 9 today! ♥️

The stigmatisation of mental health issues is the latest in the punching downwards mean streak at the heart of this Labour government. A cynical and uneducated attack on the most vulnerable people in society to try and justify the murderous austerity Streeting supports.

Whilst Starmer, Reeves and this appalling Labour government demonise the sick and disabled whilst pushing them into poverty by cutting vital welfare, they accept freebie concert tickets from their super rich donor masters. A government of scroungers.

Our future financial security through pensions shouldn’t be dependent on the speculation of warmongers and the global arms trade. We must dismantle the military industrial complex and break its grip on our society.

Keir Starmer is pumping infinite billions into war and blowing people to pieces whilst cutting vital support for sick and vulnerable people. The global arms trade cashes in whilst our children go hungry, our pensioners freeze and our communities suffer.

For months, Israel flatly denied it would or could cut off humanitarian aid supplies into Gaza — but they know they can act with such impunity that the starvation of millions of Palestinians can be casually slipped into a press release. Israel’s genocide continues.

None of the complaints about the BBC’s Gaza documentary were about the film’s content, which accurately showed Palestinian life under siege throughout Israel’s genocide. The BBC’s decision to bow to Israeli lobby pressure dehumanises Palestinians and is deeply shameful.

The rise of the far-right in Germany and around Europe is extremely concerning and should shock the Labour government in Britain into action. Working class communities need hope — not more austerity, scapegoating and pandering to the likes of Farage and Reform.

Thames Water is appealing against limits on how much more it raise its bills and to rip-off customers to make profits for greedy shareholders. Water privatisation has been a disaster and must be brought to an end. Public ownership now.

The fossil fuel giants are the world's biggest arsonists and they've handed themselves the world's biggest box of matches.

Labour are once again punching down on the sick and disabled with the scrounger narrative pushed by so many in the right-wing press. The government is hellbent on pushing more vulnerable people into poverty whilst the super rich hoard their wealth. Reprehensible.

With his pledge to invade Gaza, Donald Trump has confirmed ethnic cleansing as US foreign policy. Any government, politician, journalist or commentator who fails to call it what it is — a grave crime against humanity — is complicit in one of the worst atrocities in history.

Your mum’s favourite socialist in the gym.

How the government can support grassroots music venues and why it absolutely must. 📰 @samuelsweek.bsky.social writes for The Good Fight: bit.ly/mftmivwtgf #IVW25

it's independent venues week so i asked @peaceandjustice.bsky.social's @samuelsweek.bsky.social to write for this weeks' newsletter about the music for the many campaign, plans for this week + more! you can find it, and the usual listings, here! wefightthegoodfight.substack.com/p/music-for-...

London is blue! 🟦 Freezing cold and soaking wet afternoon at Stamford Bridge cheering on Chelsea WFC with Sonny and Kiri — but the Blues march on!

Israel’s ethnic cleansing of the illegally occupied West Bank of Palestine continues with a sharp increase in attacks on refugee camps and the arbitrary detention of civilians. The British government turns a blind eye to justify its unconditional diplomatic cover and complicity.

The government is planning to shoot down the Climate & Environment Bill. This is a dereliction of duty to their obligation to global climate commitments. Once again Starmer refuses to put people and planet before the profits of fossil fuel giants.

Donald Trump's return to the White House is a grave concern for our planet, human rights and social justice. Progressives in the US and around the world cannot afford a weakling response. We must unite and defeat the far-right once and for all.

new newsletter just dropped, includes the crackdown on those fighting for palestinian liberation, the DWP in the mud + listings for this week and beyond! check it out: open.substack.com/pub/wefightt...

The violent arrest of @stwc.bsky.social organiser Chris Nineham by the Met Police at today’s national march for Palestine is a dangerous affront to our right to peaceful demonstration. Our right to protest is sacred and authoritarianism must be resisted.

new newsletter just dropped! you can check it out here if you’re not already subscribed! open.substack.com/pub/wefightt...

🚀 PETITION LAUNCH 🚀 We’re calling on the government to urgently introduce a ticket levy on the corporate sponsors of large arena and stadium shows to save Britain's grassroots music venues. ✍️ Sign our #MusicForTheMany petition: thecorbynproject.com/savegrassrootsmusic

The ceasefire in Gaza comes after months of Israeli refusal to end their genocide in Gaza — and the blood will never wash from the hands of those responsible. This ceasefire must bring peace, recognition of a Palestinian state and an end to Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. 🇵🇸

From raging wildfires in LA and low pay gig economy workers being forced to work through the smoke whilst fossil fuel giants make record profits — to vulture landlords jacking up rent prices during the horrific reality of the climate crisis. Disaster capitalism is killing us all.

tgf bulletin 01 is now out including LA burning, climate protestors jailed for having wrists, the met at it again PLUS listings for the week ahead and dates for your diary! check it out below and if you haven’t already, do subscribe :) wefightthegoodfight.substack.com/p/bulletin-0...

seeing the way abuse has been weaponised and used for political gain over the last couple of weeks has been horrifying. i wrote about the experience of watching it, why so many of those up in arms are opportunists and why survivors deserve so much more www.bensmoke.com/blog/2025/1/...