Guy Rundle

Europe

UK and European Correspondent at Crikey

Guy Rundle is UK and European correspondent for Crikey, Australia's online political daily

Articles

We must say no to war with China - and understand the propaganda tricks taking us there

3 weeks ago | johnmenadue.com | Guy Rundle

China is an authoritarian state, which appears bent on creating a system of steady totalitarian control lasting decades, if not longer. It is bent on consolidating the country that was fractured by colonialism and politics, with the eventual reincorporation of Taiwan and Hong Kong. There is no possibility that Tibet will re-emerge as a fully independent polity.
The PM, the spy and the governor-general: what John Kerr didn't tell the palace (Crikey 17.5.20)

3 weeks ago | johnmenadue.com | Guy Rundle

July 21, 2020 It was Monday November 3, 1975, and on a practice track somewhere in Melbourne, champion horse Think Big was being taken for a light canter. It was the day before the Melbourne Cup, and the 1974 winner was widely tipped to get the double. Think Big she was a crowd favourite and the name was much in the air. Was it on the minds of the nation’s leaders that morning, as they descended on Melbourne for the race that stops a nation?
Instead of defending its artists, Creative Australia hangs Sabsabi and Dagostino out to dry

2 months ago | inkl.com | Daanyal Saeed |Bernard Keane |Charlie Lewis |Guy Rundle

Unlike a seat at the football, few politicians make a point of playing up their love of local arts and culture. And until last Thursday, the career of artist Khaled Sabsabi wouldn’t have piqued the interest of many politicians or journalists outside western Sydney. But politics and art are not easily separated, as Sabsabi must know.
As Trump goes free jazz, Harris fails to strike a chord

Oct 16, 2024 | crikey.com.au | Guy Rundle

With three weeks until polling day, Kamala Harris has not sealed the deal. That can be said with certainty. Her candidacy wiped out the Democrat voter deficit arising from Joe Biden’s infirmity. She has taken the fight to Donald Trump, to some degree. She has brought the polling to a neck-and-neck state. But that’s all she has managed to do. And that, really, is a failure. It may well be an inevitable failure, given the nature of contemporary politics, but a failure it is.
Anthony Albanese beach house gets Grand Designs treatment

Oct 15, 2024 | crikey.com.au | Guy Rundle

OPENING: SHOT OF SWEEPING COASTAL VISTA SHOT OF KEVIN McCLOUD AT FOOT OF HILL LEADING UP TO IT KEVIN (every bored married woman’s dreamboat voice): Anthony, Richard, Jim, Penny and Tanya are middle-aged professionals who run a marketing consultancy for the corporation known as the current Labor government. They’re also in a five-person polycule, and they’ve been building their dream home on the top of a polling bump for some time now. But the project has run into problems.
As Hurricane Milton hits, America faces a perfect storm

Oct 9, 2024 | crikey.com.au | Guy Rundle

US authorities are warning of what’s gathering off the Florida coast: a giant rotating fury of wind and fog, larger than any seen for decades, with the capacity to destroy everything in its path. Yes, it’s Hurricane Milton (Milton?), and it is the largest metaphor to threaten America for some time. “Milton is a category-five metaphor,” the Met, the US Metaphorical Service, has declared.
Israel's wars are now out of control — and its defenders hysterical

Oct 8, 2024 | crikey.com.au | Guy Rundle

The first anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel was followed by another first anniversary: the collapse last year of the proposed Israel-Saudi Arabia peace agreement. Due to be signed in October 2023, the proposal had followed agreements with UAE and Bahrain, but they were mere prelude. The Saudi agreement was to be the big one. It would mark an end to something that had been withering for decades: pan-Arabism and solidarity with the Palestinians.
Tim 'Aw Shucks' Walz lost the debate on everything but January 6

Oct 1, 2024 | crikey.com.au | Guy Rundle

The vice presidential debate is usually a low-rating undercard to the three presidential debates. But with Trump and Harris not scheduled to face off again, it may do rather better in the ratings. Democrat Tim Walz better hope not, because he lost it. Or I think he did. Walz was nervous, dorky, stop-starting and on the defensive.
How the most powerful country in the world behaves in the next four years is going to determine how we live

Sep 25, 2024 | crikey.com.au | Guy Rundle

War and destruction is slouching towards Bethlehem. With Israel about to invade Lebanon for the, what is it, fourth, eighth, nineteenth time, and Vladimir Putin about to escalate the stalemated war against NATO’s proxy, Ukraine, the US election should be and feel momentous. How the most powerful and extended country in the world behaves in the next four years is going to determine how we live.
The Albanese government: A safer pair of hands to do the selling out

Sep 23, 2024 | crikey.com.au | Guy Rundle

Boy I bet Anthony Albanese and those who have to be led by him are looking with envy at the UK right now. Here, it’s chaos and the slog, and suspended above the pit. Nothing’s working, everyone’s realised Albo’s not a great leader — including perhaps Albo himself — and the bright vision has long since faded. There? The exact same. But the difference is, Keir Starmer and co have 10 years. Surely. Even with the big swings of first-past-the-post, a 200+ seat majority surely gives you two terms at least.