Background The Troubles describes a 30-year long period of sectarian violence that wrecked Northern Ireland (NI), leading to more than 3,500 deaths between 1968 and 1998 (though violence is still ongoing). The Troubles came to an end with the signing of the Belfast Agreement (also…
Jasneet Samrai is the Deputy Director of Centre Think Tank, a think tank and pressure group that supports a comprehensive welfare system alongside free markets. All views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent Backbench’s stance. Members of Centre Think Tank…
On Sunday night, what some have called a new dawn for British broadcasting began with GB News’ first programme. From its first announcement, GB News said it wanted to be controversial and spark debate – it has certainly done that, but perhaps not in the…
With a firm handshake and a smile, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin began their highly anticipated summit in Switzerland on Wednesday. The meetings were divided into two sections with the staff of both world leaders joining them in the room. After…
The 2021 local elections already seem like so long ago. Even though they were less than two months ago, their influence and significance appear to have receded into the past. While there is a lot of commentary in the immediate hours and days following them,…
As we soak up the heat of summer, what could be a better way to enjoy the sun than lounging about with a good book? If you’re in need of some reading recommendations, the Backbench editorial team is here to help. So, without further ado,…
In yet another article comprising equal parts codswallop and delusion, the Daily Mail has marked out several ‘no-go areas’ in Britain, where white people apparently cannot venture without risking their safety. The Daily Mail puts this down to the Muslim populations in these areas, and…
It’s been 11 months since I last hugged my family. I was fortunate though, as I made it back before the UK’s first lockdown last year – most Australians overseas haven’t been so lucky. Australia’s borders have been shut since March 2020 and the government…
When Joe Biden’s choice for his Secretary of Defence was recently retired general Lloyd Austin, he found himself in a similar position to Donald Trump and his chosen Secretary of Defence, Jim Mattis four years ago. They both needed a Congressional waiver for the requirement…
Upon the death of famed trade unionist Bob Crow, former London Mayor Ken Livingstone noted that the ‘only working-class people who still have well-paid jobs in London are [RMT] members’, a sentiment probably truer now than it was on Crow’s death in 2014. With the…
On 2 February, Peter Cruddas, who has donated millions to the Tories and Vote Leave campaign, was appointed by Boris Johnson to the House of Lords. This move by the Prime Minister and the “buying” of political appointments once again raises concerns over our nations…
At first glance, Keir Starmer’s leadership appears to be in crisis. In May’s elections, he failed his first big test, then compounded his vulnerability with a botched reshuffle that left his deputy leader, Angela Rayner, with much more power than he intended. Since then, he…
More than anything, May’s local and Holyrood elections highlight an increasing trend towards localism. While we know that actual appetite for Scottish independence has dropped in recent years, the SNP secured a fourth term in Holyrood and pro-independence parties also secured a majority. So what…
On 6 May, the UK had a series of elections dubbed Super Thursday, the most local elections in a single day since 1973, where 48 million people were eligible to vote. One of the councils going to the polls was Cornwall, which saw a landslide…
The BBC’s “flagship political debate programme,” Question Time, hasn’t had a representative of the Green Party on since 2019. This is symptomatic of the abysmal, almost non-existent, media coverage that the Green Party of England and Wales receives. Despite this, the results of this month’s…
Boris Johnson has always sought to increase his power. The now Prime Minister who once said he wanted to be ‘world king’ now seeks to eradicate any legislation that constrains his authority. His actions provoke the need to write down the constitution. Johnson has proposed…
Day however many hundred since that very first lockdown. Times have been pretty turbulent since March 2020, but now it seems that the UK might be turning a corner. The sun is shining (occasionally) and the pubs are open. Bit by bit, we seem to…
One year on from his election as Labour leader, Keir Starmer faced his first test: the local elections. What was predicted to be a moderately successful evening for Labour, turned out to be one of their biggest failures in a decade. After losing control of…
If only I had a pound for every opinion piece written over the past decade titled: ‘Labour must embrace … if it wants to win another election’. Insert your own quasi-ideology. Some options include, but are not limited to: socialism, centrism, Corbynism, Blairism, its working-class…
It would be ignorant to deny the progressive legislation regarding gender equality passed in the last few decades to protect women – and their rights – haven’t correlated with societal attitudes towards women. From a simple catcall to sexual assault in broad daylight, it is…