The term modernity is synonymous with a specific kind of progress. We’re only 20 years into the 21st century and already we’ve seen mammoth advances in our ability to research, build and harness the powers of science and technology. And since many of these developments…
Last week, 15 pro-democracy lawmakers resigned en masse after Beijing passed a resolution that resulted in the disqualification of four of its members from the legislature. The move comes as the latest fallout in the ongoing struggle for democracy that engulfs Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s…
At a time of pandemic induced recession and nationwide child poverty, Boris Johnson has agreed a £16.5bn rise in defence spending. Sending a clear message of prioritisation to the British public, it’s the military before hungry children. The increase of the defence budget will mostly…
This article is part of a series exploring job-hunting in the pandemic and the difficulties that face young people in particular. The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect Backbench’s stance as a whole. To find out…
This article is part of a series exploring job-hunting in the pandemic and the difficulties that face young people in particular. The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect Backbench’s stance as a whole. To find out…
Well, it has taken me over a fortnight to recover from all that drama. Joe Biden did something a presidential candidate has rarely done in turfing Donald Trump out of office after one term, something which has not occurred since the 1992 election when Bill…
The annual discourse of International Men’s Day once again illuminated us on November 19th with its heady mix of sexism and bad-faith politics. It’s a meme rather than a day of dutiful political activism. You only need to glance at social media on International Women’s…
In 1599, a group of 218 merchants in London led by Sir Thomas Smythe, put their investments together to form a joint stock company. Raising over £3 million, the corporation was set up to obtain spices from the East Indies to then be sold in…
Dominic Cummings, a government advisor who was dubbed the ‘architect of Brexit’ has often been in the limelight this year. After showing COVID19 symptoms, he drove his family 260-miles to Durham where his extended family lives, implicitly breaking the ‘Stay at Home’ protocol the Prime…
Last week, BBC News reported that the government had ended its funding for several projects tackling the bullying of LGBT+ students in schools. These projects have been running since 2014, costing around £4 million, and this is the first time that funding for them has…
12 December 2020. Save the date. It could be the most crucial in the planet’s history… On that day, the UK will host a virtual UN Climate Summit. It’s already been dubbed “the sprint to Glasgow”, as organisers seek to build momentum for the global…
Boris Johnson shocked many when he told Conservative MPs in a meeting that devolution has been a ‘disaster’ for Scotland. Like any other Unionist, I understood this was said not to discredit the concept of local government. Instead, Boris’ comment serves merely as an explanation…
This article is part of a series exploring job-hunting in the pandemic and the difficulties that face young people in particular. The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect Backbench’s stance as a whole. To find out…
In 2020, 45 million people or 66% of the total UK population had an active social media presence. That pales in comparison to usage in countries in Asia and North America where between 70-90% of the population have social media accounts. With these figures in…
Former President Barack Obama this week referred to social media-fuelled misinformation as “the single biggest threat to our democracy”. This, alongside countless other examples of the breakneck speed with which falsities travel around our world, begs the question: how did we get here? It wasn’t so long…
Press conferences are a staple part of the political cycle. In allowing politicians to make theirarguments, they also provide a space for journalist scrutiny to take place. A speech is given,questions follow and hopefully, the audience turns off the press conference feeling better informed. Usually,…
This article is part of a series exploring job-hunting in the pandemic and the difficulties that face young people in particular. The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect Backbench’s stance as a whole. To find out…
The rhetoric around issues of migration, particularly in the UK, has increasingly taken on a vitriolic resonance within media reports and political discourse. People migrating to the UK come from all over the world, made up of students, workers and those seeking asylum. Most of…
The Manchester United and England star – who turned 23 in October – has demonstrated a remarkable will with his heartfelt free school meals campaign. Uninfluenced by spin or “political affiliation”, Rashford has centred on a cross-party initiative that has ‘united’ people on opposite sides…
2020 has undoubtedly been a very difficult year for most people. While older people have borne the brunt of health impacts from COVID-19, younger people have faced a crisis of their own: job losses and unemployment Increasingly, news outlets are referring to children and young…