Ansell, Pascal

‘Come what may; we’re here to stay’. This rallying cry of the Asian Youth Movements (AYMs) of late ’70s Britain evokes a defiant identification with a new and radical Britishness. Facing the brunt of fascist abuse and police indifference, these second-generation South Asians, unlike their parents, knew that they wished to stay in Britain and grew up in an environment both challenging and hopeful.

Another popular chant went: ‘Labour, Tory, both the same: both play the racist game’,…

Spontaneous and deeply demanding of intuition: such is childcare.

This collection of essays from various activists, offers experiences and advice about the ‘gendered and low value’ work that is childcare in social change movements. And, while not quite as inspiring as it promises, it nonetheless raises interesting and often uncomfortable questions about this hyper-political topic. Read selectively though, and skip the rants loaded with unhelpful neologisms (edukkkated,…

David Nutt is the former government drugs advisor who was sacked for comparing the risks posed by ecstasy and horse-riding – the latter being a heavier tax burden.

Having set up the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs, Nutt’s mission is to provide objective information on drugs to the public, educators and academics, reassessing the harms of all drugs, and treating addiction as a medical, not a moral, issue for society to tackle.

His reading of…