Aaron Bastani

2 months ago | theguardian.com | Aaron Bastani

Illustration: Edward Carvalho-Monaghan/The GuardianAt the start of the millennium it was widely presumed each successive generation would achieve a higher level of prosperity than the last. Today that is no longer the case. Just 19% of Americans expect their children’s lives to be better than their own, while two-thirds believe their country will be economically weaker by 2050.

Sep 24, 2024 | novaramedia.com | Aaron Bastani

In a meandering, often listless speech – which mostly consisted in attacking the Conservatives and his Labour predecessor, albeit never by name, one line from Keir Starmer particularly stood out. Britain, the Prime Minister declared, had “fairness in the water”. Perhaps that wasn’t the best metaphor given the efforts of the country’s poultry farmers and privately owned water companies (fairness, effluent and e.coli is a little less catchy).

Sep 22, 2024 | unherd.com | Aaron Bastani

2024 General ElectionJeremy CorbynKeir StarmerLabour PartyPoliticsThe leftUK As Labour gather in Liverpool, in an attempt to regain some moral credibility after a dire first few months in power, a storm is gathering on Starmer’s Left.

Sep 18, 2024 | novaramedia.com | Aaron Bastani

Everyone knows that the economics of print media no longer stacks up. Where London’s Routemasters were once packed with readers of newspapers and magazines, today’s buses are full of passengers doom-scrolling on their phones or listening to podcasts. As a result, the circulation of titles like The Sun, The Mirror and The Times has collapsed. The Evening Standard, which used to run multiple daily editions that people once paid for (yes, really) has moved to once a week.

Jul 29, 2024 | novaramedia.com | Aaron Bastani

If a single question can ever be a useful guide to understanding another person’s politics it is surely the perennial: “What policy would you introduce if you were prime minister for a day?” If the respondent says something about public spending and poverty, it’s safe to presume they are on the left. Tax cuts indicate a Thatcherite bent. Immigration, meanwhile, is the likely response from someone on the hard right.