Tag Archives: Keir Starmer

Fṛm Đ Gardịn: Labour losing voters over Gaza matters – whether it hurts electorally or not

‘Patience with Keir Starmer’s position is running out.’ Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian
‘Peśns wɖ Cir Starmr’z pziśn z runñ ǎt.’ Foṭgraf: Mrdo McLaud/Ɖ Gardịn

Lebr luzñ votrz ovr Gaza matrz – ẃɖr it hrts ilectṛli or nt

Transcription of a Guardian article of 30 October 2023

Cir Starmr’z rspons hz xpozd a parti ǎt v tuć wɖ, n īvn cntmtẏs v, its grasrūts

Nesrine Malik
Nesrīn Malic

Munde, 30 Octobr 2023

Caʈi hd votd Lebr ol hr lîf. Ɖen ś hŕd an LBC inṭvy wɖ Cir Starmr. In it, h wz asct f it wz “aproprịt” ɖt Izrel śd bsij Gāza, cutñ of pǎr n wōtr. “I ʈnc Izrel dz hv ɖt rît,” Starmr rplaid. Caʈi imīɉtli rzînd fṛm ɖ parti, ẃć ś jônd ʈri yirz ago ẃn Starmr wz ilectd līdr. “Ɖs hz bn ɖ last strw,” ś tlz m. Prīvịs strwz, ś sz, includ a raft v poḷsiz ɖt Lebr hd wōtrd dǎn, n Tori poḷsiz ɖt Lebr wd nt rpil. Bt Lebr’z pziśn on ɖ sīj v Gāza hz cild of ɖ litl feʈ ś hd left.

Wɖ ɖt wn inṭvy n hiz rspons t its fōlǎt, Starmr hz demnstretd t sm Lebr votrz nt jst hiz fełr t ingej wɖ hǎ stroñli ɖe fīl, bt a wîdr, mor periḷs vulnṛbiḷti in hiz p’liticl project: a hartlis intranzijns ɖt ʈretnz t xōst ɖ gdwil so far xtndd t him.

Peśns z runñ ǎt, īvn amñ hî-profîl Lebr figrz. Sdīc Cān, Andi Brnm n Anas Sarwar hv ol brocn rancs wɖ ɖ Lebr līdrśp n cōld fr a sīsfîr. Az Izreli forsz step p grǎnd oṗreśnz in Gāza n ɖ hymaṇterịn sićueśn groz īvn mor despṛt, on ɖ cardz z nt jst a Lebr-parti rvolt bt a votrbôcót.

Ɖ cnsistnsi in ɖ pziśn v sevṛl Lebr votrz I spouc t ovr ɖ past fy dez z strîcñ. Ɖ mn asrśn: ɖe wl nt b votñ fr ɖs Lebr parti. Ɖ rīzn: ɖ parti crost a lîn bî ifctivli indorsñ Izrel’z cilñ n bsijñ v sviłnz. Ɖ lanḡj v a fînl rec̣nñ cem p a lot: “a red lîn”, “a lîn in ɖ sand”, “ɖ strw ɖt brouc ɖ caml’z bac”, a “masc hz slipt”. N ɖ angr z bî no mīnz secterịn. “It’s īzịr t frem it az a Mŭzlim iśu,” sz Caḷm, a membr hu hz left ɖ parti. “It’s nt a Mŭzlim iśu. It’s a hymn wn.”

Lebr’z damijliṃteśn rspons dd litl bt intrenć ɖs vy v an untruswrɖi, sinicl līdrśp. It tc Starmr dez t adres hiz LBC coments, n ɖen, bzarli, h clemd ɖt h nvr sd ɖm at ol. Ɖen ɖr wz hiz vizit t a mosc n Izlamic sntr in sǎʈ Wêlz, a saṇteśn x’sîz ɖt bacfîrd epicli. On sośl mīdia, Starmr postd iṃjz v smîlñ congrignnts, seyñ h hd “rpitd ǎr cōlz fr hosṭjz t b rlist, mor hymaṇterịn ed t entr Gāza, fr wōtr n pǎr t b swićt bac on, n a rnyd foc̣s on ɖ tū-stet s’lūśn”. A stetmnt iśùd bî Sǎʈ Wêlz Izlamic Sntr via ɖ Mŭzlim Caunsl v Wêlz rjctd Starmr’z vrśn v hǎ ɖ mītñ wnt, stresñ ɖt hiz “sośl mīdia post n iṃjz grevli misreprizntd ǎr congrignts n ɖ nećr v ɖ vizit”.

Ɖ dbācl z simbolic v ɖ tondefnis n rmotnis v ɖ upr rancs v ɖ Lebr parti. Ɖ episod left ɖoz involvd trōṃtîzd n unwilñ t coment frɖr on ɖ matr, ẃć mīnz ɖ sveṛti v ɖ afṭmaʈ hz nt bn fŭli graspt. Hvr, I spouc t Azim Āmed, ɖ secṛtri jenṛl v ɖ Mŭzlim Caunsl v Wêlz, n h tld m v a cḿṇti nǎ īvn mor angri at Lebr, bcz v hǎ ɖ vizit wz instṛmnṭlîzd; n v ɖ rzultñ damij t ɖ rleśnśp btwn locl partirepriznttivz n Wsminstr. “It’s riyli unḍmaind trust in poḷtiśnz az a hol,” h tld m. Fīlñz ran hî nt jst bcz v a “prínsipld abstract p’liticl standpônt. Ɖr r ppl in Wêlz hu hv hd ɖer faṃliz cmplitli wîpt ǎt in Gāza. Smtmz, ɖ dgri v seṗreśn fṛm smwn hu hz daid z tū dgriz, ʈri dgriz. Ɖs z ppl wurid abt ppl.”

Wn sīńr Lebr-parti membr dscrîbd ɖ reẓgneśn v Lebr caunslrz in rspons t ɖ parti’z pziśn on Gāza az “śecñ of ɖ flìz”. Ɖs aproć hz brōdli caṛcṭrîzd Lebr’z aproć t ɖ dsntñ vyz it hz atribytd en masse t a cranci left, bt it sīmz incrisñli risci ẃn a hî-octen p’liticl ivnt galṿnîzz ppl acrs a deṃgrafic profîl ɖt z tù larj t b so īẓli dsmist. S’leca, anɖr votr lost t Lebr in ɖ past tū wīcs, tlz m v an atṃsfir in hr locl eria in Hacni ẃr ppl r îdnṭfayñ wɖ ɖ Paḷstîn iśu ʈru “difṛnt inṭsx́nz” az it drwz in “grīnz, feṃnists n a brōdr libṛl cọliśn”. Mnẃl, poulñ rvilz a p’liticl istabliśmnt dṛmaticli at odz wɖ ɖ cuntri az a hol, in ẃć 76% r in s’port v a sīsfîr. Ɖt’s a lot v flìz.

Ɖr r uɖr riscs. “Ɖ grǎnd z śiftñ vri qcli,” Azim tld m. It’s bn so loñ sins Lebr hz bn in guvnmnt in ɖ YC ɖt “mni yuñ ppl d’nt īvn hv an xpirịns v ẃt ɖt mt lc lîc”. F ɖe form a stroñ neġtiv vy v ɖ parti nǎ, “ɖt rlayns on biyñ ɖ onli vaybl oltrṇtiv z nt a sef calkleśn at ol”.

Ɖr r sînz ɖt Lebr, practist nǎ in ɖ art v fiġrñ ǎt hu it cn śec of wɖt hrtñ its riilex́nćansz, z bginñ t cać on. In adiśn t Starmr’z atmt t rvrs hiz pziśn, ɖr hv bn mītñz wɖ Lebr MPz n caunsļīdrz. Bt it w’nt b inuf. Winñ ovr ɖoz ɖt hv ćect ǎt z abt mor ɖn Gāza. It’s abt adresñ ɖ growñ impreśn v Lebr az a parti incrisñli ǎt v tuć wɖ, n cntmtẏs v, its grasrūts, bʈ in poḷsi oḟrñ n ton.

Wns ɖt impreśn tecs hold, eni apilz t vot fr ɖ lesr v tū īvlz wl nt land. Ɖt risc wl nvr b fŭli graspt bî a parti constntli rdysñ protest t a numbrz x’sîz, a flìcalkleśn. I am tld bî a sīńr Lebr insîdr ɖt ɖ Paḷstîn iśu z olrdi biyñ aṇlîzd sol̦i in trmz v ẃć Mŭzlim sīts cd swñ awe fṛm Lebr, n ẃr wîld-card canddets cn swūp in, campen n win on ɖs sngl iśu, az Jorj Gaḷwe dd in ɖ past. Ɖ hop z ɖt ɖz r prospects unlîcli t cm t pas in a mtirịli daṃjñ we.

Bt let s fr a momnt rlis ǎrslvz fṛm ɖ tiṛni inflictd bî ɖ desṗreśn t gt rid v a c’lamiṭs Tori guvnmnt, n Lebr’z dmand ɖt w mst simpli hold ǎr nozz n folo its līd in ordr t aćiv ɖt end. Cnsrnz n fṛstreśnz abt Gāza stl matr, īvn f ɖe d’nt śo p in ɖ poulz, or f Lebr winz enwe. Akześnz ɖt eni objx́nz t ɖ Lebr project inebl ɖ Toriz xpoz a liṃtd, śruncn unḍstandñ v ẃt libṛl dmocṛsi z fr. It’s abt votñ, v cors, bt it’s olso abt cnsnt, abt ɖ fact ɖt votrz r riyl ppl wɖ fīlñz n visṛl rsponsz ɖt ɖe canot b xpctd t ńtr in ɖ srvis v a p’liticl sistm ɖt felz t repriznt ɖm, n ɖen blemz ɖm fr it.

Hold ppl t ransm az ɖe witnis a vast injustis prṗtretd n ɖe mt jst x’sîz ẃt ɖe si az ɖer onli mīnz v oʈntic p’liticl xpreśn. “It’s qt rer fr m t fīl ɖs mć angr twdz poḷtiśnz,” Franc, anɖr parti s’portr hu wl nǎ nt vot Lebr, tld m ẃn I asct him f h hz ʈt abt hǎ hiz abstnśn mt hlp ɖ Toriz, “so I’m gwñ t hīd ɖt.” It z a dámñ indîtmnt v ɖ Lebr parti ɖt ɖs rspons wl probbli b vyd nt az a moṛl rît, bt az a lux̣́ri.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on Labour’s byelection victories: the party is edging closer to power

The Labour party leader, Keir Starmer, joins the newly-elected MP for Tamworth, Sarah Edwards. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty
Ɖ Lebr parti līdr, Cir Starmr, jônz ɖ nyli-ilectd MP fr Tamwrʈ, Sẹra Edwdz. Foṭgraf: Crisṭfr Frloñ/Geti

Ɖ Gardịn vy on Lebr’z bîilex́nvicṭriz: ɖ parti z éjñ closr t pǎr

Transcription of a Gardian editorial of 20 October 2023

Ɖs hz bn a teribl wīc fr Riśi Sūnac. Bt Sr Cir Starmr nīdz t c’rect cors tù

Frîde, 20 Octobr 2023

Ɖ  public hz lrnt ɖt Riśi Sūnac’s poḷsiz sw him lebld Dr Deʈ bî ɖ guvnmnt’s sạntific advîzrz jrñ Covid. Hiz wīc hz got wrs. Ɖ twin dfits inflictd on Mr Sūnac’s guvnmnt in Ʈrzde’z bîilx́nz sjst h z in denjr v dstroyñ ɖ Toriz at ɖ nxt jenṛl ilex́n. Ɖ contests wr ć trigrd bî grubi ivnts, bt ɖ losz signl sgnificnt discntnt in tū wñz v ɖ cọliśn ɖt wún ɖ Cnsrṿtivz ɖ jenṛl ilex́n in 2019.

In Stafdśr’z Tamwrʈ, ẃć rejistrd wn v ɖ bigist līv̦ots in ɖ Brexit reḟrendm, ɖ 23.9% swñ fṛm Cnsrṿtiv t Lebr wz ɖ secnd hîist in postwor bîilex́n hisṭri. Wn v ɖ bluist v blu sīts, Mid Bedfdśr hz nvr hd a Lebr MP sins its crieśn in 1918. It dz nǎ. Ɖs z landslîd teritri, n Mr Sūnac nz it.

Trnǎt wz lo in bʈ bîilx́nz. It mt b argyd ɖt ɖ Toriz lost ɖz sīts, rɖr ɖn Lebr winñ ɖm. Bt ɖ Cnsrṿtivz hv t asc ɖmslvz ẃ ɖe cd nt cnvins tū-ʈrdz v ɖer 2019 votrz t trn p, ẃl Lebr’z vot hld p. Wɖ a jenṛl ilex́n lîcli wɖn a yir, ɖ Tori vot śoud sînz v fragmentñ. In Mid Bedfdśr, ɖ rîtwñ Rform parti sîfnd of inuf vots t privnt a Cnsrṿtiv vicṭri, ẃl ɖ Lib Démz, poulz sjst, wr ifctiv at winñ ovr disiluźnd Toriz.

Cnsrṿtivz r dludñ ɖmslvz f ɖe ʈnc ɖer probḷmz r jst abt gtñ ɖer vot ǎt. Lebr z aćivñ bîilex́nswñz on ɖ scel last sìn undr Toni Bler jrñ ɖ mid-1990z, ẃn trnǎt fél jst az heṿli. Ɖt z an omiṇs historicl presidnt fr Mr Sūnac t b folowñ. Tori MPz r dīpli dvîdd abt ẃt t d. Mni v ɖer līdñ lîts hv clozd ɖer mîndz t ny îdīaz n lac tolṛns fr opozñ vyz. Ɖ rzult z an inṭlecćl bancrupsi. Ɖ Cnsrṿtiv parti z xōstd, p’liticli rudrlis n in despṛt nīd v a pirịd v rnywl ǎtsd guvnmnt.

Bt Lebr riscs biyñ cnsymd bî a fyrori ovr ɖ pziśn ɖ partilīdr, Sr Cir Starmr, hz tecn ovr ivnts in ɖ Midl Īst. Lebr hz dstnḡśt itslf fṛm ɖ Toriz in ɖ past bî hvñ an eʈicl foṛn poḷsi. Hvr, Sr Cir junct ɖs aproć ẃn h wz asct ẃɖr Izrel wz rît t le sīj t Gaza – cutñ of pǎr n wōtr – folowñ Hamas’z maṣcr v siviłnz. H rîtli cndemd ɖ horrz v 7 Octobr. Hiz imīɉt rspons wz olso t apaṛntli agri ɖt Izrel hd ɖ rît t bsij siviłnz, rɖr ɖn se ɖt its ax́nz me consttyt a worcrîm.

Ɖs ansr mt hv bn instñtiv, bt it hz damijd trust in hiz jujmnt, ispeṣ́li amñ Mŭzlim votrz hu hv flt tecn fr grantd az Sr Cir jetisnd past pziśnz. Lebr lcs unsimṗʈetic t Paḷstińnz. MPz wɖ larj numbrz v Mŭzlim votrz r bginñ t wuri. Sr Cir atmtd t mc amndz bî “claṛfayñ” hiz rmarcs. Bt rɖr ɖn wɖdrw̃ hiz coments, h sd hiz critics hd got it roñ. In rspons, Miś Rāman, a Mŭzlim membr v Lebr’z rūlñ naśnl-xektiv cmiti, rout: “Stop gaslîtñ n apoḷjîz.”

Sr Cir śd b bigr ɖn ɖs. Lebr’z bîilex́nwinz wr in līfi parts v Britn ɖt r untućt bî ɖs dbet. Bt hiz coments r daṃjñ hiz parti’z wîdr moṛl standñ. Seyñ sori nǎ wd g a loñ we t cāmñ a storm ɖt cd hit Lebr hard az ɖ deʈ tol mǎnts in Gaza. It’s sd ɖt votrz hv loñ meṃriz, bt smtmz ɖe cn b s’prîzñli śort. Brítnz r in a mūd t trf ɖ Toriz fṛm ofis. Lebr’z intrnl rǎz śd nt privnt ɖ public fṛm dwñ so.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on Brexit borders: a slow dawning of economic reality

Cars and lorries queue at Dover. ‘The bilateral structures that might bring the UK and EU into closer political and economic alignment barely even exist.’ Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA
Carz n loriz k at Dovr. ‘Ɖ bîlatṛl strucćrz ɖt mt brñ ɖ YC n YY intu closr p’liticl n ic̣nomic alînmnt bérli īvn xist.’ Foṭgraf: Gaṛʈ Fŭlr/PA

Ɖ Gardịn vy on Brexit bordrz: a slo dōnñ v ic̣nomic riaḷti

Transcription of a Gardian editorial of 3 September 2023

A patn z imrjñ v qayt ajustmnts ɖt rec̣gnîz ɖ cost v tecñ Britn ǎt v ɖ YY sngl marcit

Súnde, 3 Sptmbr 2023

Ɖ  guvnmnt, cnsiḍrñ ẃn t impoz a costli ny custmzbyrocṛsi, anǎnst last wīc ɖt nǎ z nt ɖ rît tîm. Post-Brexit ćecs on gdz enṭrñ Britn fṛm ɖ YY wr frst s’pozd t b impḷmntd in Jańri 2021. Aftr sirịl psponmnts, ɖe wr dy t bgin nxt munʈ. Nǎ it w’nt hapn bfr 2024.

Gdz muvñ in ɖ uɖr d’rex́n r olrdi subjict t custmz peprwrc, mcñ lîf dificlt fr YC xportrz n pśñ sm ǎt v biznis oltgɖr. Ministrz hv rec̣gnîzd ɖt Britiś cnsymrz n bizṇsz cd d wɖt ɖ sem penlti biyñ aplaid t imports. Ɖ guvnmnt admits ɖt importćecs wd stǒc infleśn. Ɖs z a qayt acnolijmnt ɖt frix́n btwn ɖ YC n ɖ tredñ blóc on its dorstep z a drag on ɖ icoṇmi. Bt Riśi Sūnac, ɖ prîm̦inistr, canot se so alǎd bcz ɖt wd cnsid ɖ foli v qitñ ɖ sngl marcit in ɖ frst ples.

Olso last wīc, ɖ guvnmnt agrìd t pṛtct wrcples rîts at risc v ireźr ẃn YY lw z xpunjd fṛm YC statyts. Undr YY trītipṛviźnz, wimin r intîtld t b peid ɖ sem az men dwñ iqivḷnt wrc az loñ az ɖr z a comn “sors” – a cndiśn ɖt pṛtcts implôīz v ǎtsors pṛvîdrz. Lebr hz cmitd t repḷcet ɖt pṛtx́n in YC lw n ɖ guvnmnt hz bn śemd intu plejñ ɖ sem.

Rlịr ɖs yir, it dlūtd ɖ lw ɖt wd hv sìn mni uɖr sośl pṛtx́nz ōṭmaticli xpunjd fṛm ɖ statyt-bc at ɖ end v ɖs yir. Ɖs wz a cnseśn t invstrz hu prifŕd conṭnywti v xistñ rūlz t ɖ Yrosceptic fanṭsi v a vast reğletri bonfîr.

Last munʈ, ɖ guvnmnt abandnd planz t rqîr a YC-sṗsific qoḷti’śuṛns marc fr gdz sold in Britn, recgnîzñ ɖt ɖ Yṛpiyn CE marc wl sfîs “indefiṇtli”. Ɖt wz a b’letd recgniśn ɖt xportñ bizṇsz wd nīd ɖ Yṛpiyn srtiḟceśn enwe n nn wontd ɖ adiśnl cost v a sūprflụs YCQA marc – a pôntlis simbl v holo sovṛnti.

A patn v dscrit Brexit dlūśn z imrjñ. Ć clîmdǎn cnfrmz hardlîn Yrosceptic sspiśn ɖt ɖer drīm z biyñ btreid. Mr Sūnac z còt btwn a p’liticl obḷgeśn impozd bî hiz parti t pritnd ɖt līvñ ɖ YY wz a gret aćivmnt n ɖ ic̣nomic rqîrmnt impozd bî riaḷti t paliet ɖ cost v rupćr fṛm ɖ continnt. H cn ssten ɖs lūdicṛs posćr onli bcz ɖ opziśn z cmitd t a similr cntorśn – plejñ closr proxiṃti t ɖ YY wɖt sbstanśl riinṭgreśn.

Ɖs wd b a maniɉbl probḷm f ɖ pen fṛm Brexit wr stebl or lîcli t īz. Bt ɖ oṗzit z tru. Brexit wz nt an ivnt, it set a tṛjectri. It z nt an obsṭcl t b wrct arnd, bt a cors t b c’rectd.

Ɖt wl tec tîm. Ɖ bîlatṛl strucćrz ɖt mt brñ ɖ YC n ɖ YY intu closr p’liticl n ic̣nomic alînmnt bérli īvn xist n ɖr z nt yt ɖ p’liticl wil t cunjr ɖm intu biyñ. Bt ɖ oltrṇtiv z wrsnñ ic̣nomic dbiḷteśn fr ɖ sec v a doctrin avaud bî a dwindlñ numbr v ppl. Ɖ tasit incroćmnt v riaḷti-best ʈncñ intu Mr Sūnac’s Yṛpiyn poḷsi z a welcm śift. Ɖ momnt ẃn ɖt riaḷti z xprest wɖ a fŭlr vôs canot cm tù sn.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

Fṛm Đ Gardịn: Powerless in the face of Britain’s crises, Rishi Sunak has now entered his self-pitying era

Illustration: Matt Kenyon/The Guardian
Iḷstreśn: Mát Céńn/Ɖ Gardịn

Pǎrlis in ɖ fes v Britn’z crîsīz, Riśi Sūnac hz nǎ entrd hiz slf-pitiyñ ira

Transcription of a Guardian article of 21 August 2023

Ɖ prîm̦inistr hz ɖ condsndñ er v a man hu b’livz h z dwñ ɖ public a fevr bî guṿnñ s

Nesrine Malik
Nesrīn Malic

Munde, 21 Ōġst 2023

W  r yst t ɖ fact ɖt Riśi Sūnac onli hz tū spīdz: blandli rpitñ hiz fîv p’liticl “prîoṛtiz” n dytiḟli afrmñ ɖ nastiist v hiz parti’z reṭric. Ẃn h’z nt anṣrñ qsćnz bî rsîtñ ɖ fîv plejz, h’z atacñ lefti loyrz, “wouc nonsns” or invntñ cruwl wez t dten n dport asîḷmsīcrz. Bʈ, t a srtn xtnt, r pformnsz: ɖ r’botic reṣteśnz t mc clir ɖt, aftr a siriz v reclis Tori prîm̦inistrz, a grounup z bac in ćarj. Ɖ rîtwñ-popylist setñ, mnẃl, z dzînd fr hiz ǒn parti n ɖ Tori pres.

Bt smtmz anɖr Sūnac apirz in flaśz in a ʈrd spīd: ɖ slf-pitiyñ n fṛstretd prîm̦inistr. Wn hu sīmz t se: lc, y d’nt unḍstand hǎ mć I’m sacṛfîsñ fr y ppl.

Jst last wīc, ɖ prîm̦inistr tld ITV Nyz ɖt h z indyrñ p’liticl pen in ɖ cōz v brññ dǎn infleśn. Hiz arğmnt sīmd t b ɖt bî nt dwñ ẃt ppl wont – incrisñ guvnmntspendñ t miṭget ɖ cost v livñ – h z srvñ ɖ loñ-trm gd. “It mt mc evrwn fīl betr in ɖ śort trm t boro lots v muni t d lots v ʈñz,” h tld p’liticl editr Roḅt Pestn. “I’m nt gwñ t d ɖt.” It z nǎ a fmiłr pìs v Sūnac reṭric. Rlịr ɖs yir, h jusṭfaid hiz rfyzl t gv ẃt h trmd a “masiv” pêrîz t nrsz in Ñgḷnd on similr grǎndz. H īvn spouc v nt mcñ hiz “lîf īzịr” jrñ ɖ Cnsrṿtiv parti līdrśp-contest agnst Liz Trus last yir. It sīmz a s’prîz t him, or at līst smʈñ ɖt hz nt yt sunc in, ɖt biyñ prîm̦inistr z nt abt hiz ǒn prsnl martrdm.

On sm levl, Sūnac’s pend-peṛnt-dǒlñ-ǎt-hard-truɖz prsona z fmiłr fṛm Ʈać̣rît îdioḷji: a mraḷtitêl in ẃć slf-sacṛfîs pez ǎt. Bt Sūnac dlivrz it wɖ condsndñ impeśns rɖr ɖn sbrayti, rvilñ smʈñ dīpr abt himslf. It z hard t avôd ɖ impreśn ɖt hir z a man hu hz isćùd a pīsfl prîṿt lîf mcñ īvn mor xorbtnt sumz v muni in fînans in ordr t pubḷcli srv – n z nǎ anoid ɖt it’s ol a bit mor v a pen ɖn h francli hz ɖ peśns fr. Ɖ Britiś ppl r nt śerholdrz hu h cn pḷcet wɖ a PǎrPônt preznteśn spelñ ǎt ɖ fînanśl picćr, bt ppl hu hv psci fīlñz abt biyñ ebl t īt n hǎz ɖmslvz, hu r rîtli mcñ dmandz abt an ic̣nomic sistm ɖt hz feld ɖm.

Sm v ɖs z prṣnaḷti. It z nǎ abundntli clir ɖt Sūnac z incrisñli impeśnt wɖ – n distnt fṛm – a public ɖt jst dz’nt grasp hǎ mć h n hiz guvnmnt r dwñ fr ɖm. Last wīc, ɖ Libṛl Deṃcrats akzd Sūnac v biyñ “wǒḟli ǎt v tuć” ẃn h apird t tel ppl struġlñ wɖ hî eṇjibilz ɖt ɖe d’nt qt unḍstand ɖt, śr, bilz r hî, bt ɖe cd b īvn hayr. “A tipicl faṃli wl hv hd abt haf ɖer eṇjibilz peid fr bî ɖ guvnmnt ovr ɖ past sevṛl munʈs,” h sd. “Nǎ y wd’nt hv qt sìn ɖt bcz y wd hv stl jst got yr eṇjibil, it wd hv bn vri hî n y’d hv bn: ‘Ǒ mî goś, ẃt’s gwñ on?’ bt ẃt y wd’nt hv riylîzd, mbi, z ɖt bfr ɖt īvn hapnd, £1,500 hd bn lopt of, n ɖ guvnmnt hd cuvrd it.” In uɖr wrdz, ɖ public wd d betr t si ɖ numbrz ɖt r nt on ɖer bil rɖr ɖn ɖoz ɖt r acć̣li on it, n stop ascñ so mni sili qsćnz v ɖs vri bizi man.

Ẃt’s mor, last munʈ, h got tsti ẃn a redio inṭvywr prest him on hiz ys v jets n helicoptrz t gt arnd, seyñ it wz “an ifiśnt ys v tîm” fr smwn so bizi, n rǎndd on ɖ inṭvywr wɖ wn hel v a strwman, akzñ him v ʈncñ “ɖt ɖ ansr t clîṃtćenj z gtñ ppl t ban evrʈñ ɖt ɖ’r dwñ, t stop ppl flayñ, t stop ppl gwñ on hoḷde. I mīn, I ʈnc ɖt’s abṣlutli ɖ roñ aproć”.

Ɖr z an arğmnt ɖt ɖz r inevitbl PR glićz on ɖ part v smwn undr constnt scrūṭni. I am smtmz tld bî Sūnac s’portrz ɖt h z jst nt gd wɖ ɖ mīdia; h z jenyinli hard-wrcñ n lîct bî hiz tīm. Bt ɖz teći stetmnts btre a riyl sns v pǎrlisnis, misdirectd at ɖ public n ɖ mīdia. H z indd bact intu a cornr, nt jst bî hiz ǒn liṃteśnz, bt bî hiz parti n îdịlojicl pziśnz. Ɖoz Ʈać̣rît cnvix́nz r îɖr olrdi pleid ǎt – ɖr z litl left t prîṿtîz – or privntñ him fṛm acć̣li fixñ ɖ eilñ Britiś icoṇmi. H wl nt rêz taxz on asets or capitlgenz, or jenyinli cnsidr prîscntrolz t cīp infleśn in ćec, or contmplet, Magi fbid, borowñ t invst in ɖ sort v grīn téc or insyleśn ɖt liḅrets cnsymrz fṛm ɖ gǎjñ v eṇjicumṗniz n ɖ ẃimz v distnt wormunġrñ stroñmen. Ẃt z xpozd z an îṣletd man hu z ǎt v muvz.

H z rstrend īvn frɖr bî hiz ǒn frax́s parti. Ɖr z no amǎnt v hard graft ɖt wl vanqiś ɖ trublsm Jonṣnîts, Brexit obsesivz n lǎdmǎɖz hu se refyjīz śd “fuc of bac t Frans”. Ɖe cn onli b apizd n dmesṭcetd wɖ jobz in cabiṇt. N so h z stuc, unebl t lc inwd n admit Tori poḷsiz r ɖ probḷm, or ǎtwd t cnfrunt hiz ǒn parti’z xesz. H z a man, t adapt ɖ wrdz v ɖ cmīdịn Stywt Lì, “trapt btwn tū difṛnt formz v cawdis”.

Bt I d’nt wont t spend tù mć tîm picñ on Sūnac. Aftr ol, hiz stîl v p’liticl petyḷns z’nt cnfînd t him: it z a fīćr v a ded-end cnsnss in Wsminstr. It z ecoud in Cir Starmr’z scoldñ abt ol ɖ “tuf” n “hard” dsiźnz ɖt h hz t mc ẃn prest on ɖ plejz h hz wōtrd dǎn or abandnd. Bʈ partilīdrz agri ɖt ppl’z xpcteśnz mst b tmprd, hrîznz naroud. It spīcs volymz abt ɖ d’rex́n v Britiś poḷtics ɖt, az a jenṛl ilex́n lūmz, ɖer job z fîndñ mor wez t promis nʈñ.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

Fṛm Đ Obzrvr: Brexit is the villain in accidental death of the economy

‘The actors change but the roles remain the same’: Sunak has continued Johnson’s legacy on Brexit. Photograph: WPA/Getty Images
‘Ɖ actrz ćenj bt ɖ rǒlz rmen ɖ sem’: Sūnac hz cntinyd Jonsn’z leġsi on Brexit. Foṭgraf: WPA/Geti Iṃjz

Brexit z ɖ viḷn in axdntl deʈ v ɖ icoṇmi

(Transcription of an Observer article of 6 August 2023)

Lîc caṛctrz in Dario Fo’z fars, w cmplen abt, bt toḷret, ɖ most daṃjñ p’liticl scandl v ǎr tîm

William Keegan
Wiłm Cīgn

Súnde, 6 Ōġst 2023

At ɖ bginñ v ɖ frst Ʈaćr guvnmnt (1979-83), ɖ icoṇmist Jon Ceniʈ Galbrêʈ rout ɖt Britn wz ɖ prfict ples t conduct ɖ dybịs muniṭrist xperimnt rec̣mndd bî hiz felo icoṇmist Miltn Frīdmn. Ɖs wz bcz olɖo Galbrêʈ (rîtli) ʈt ɖ poḷsi wz crezi, Britiś “flém” wd si s ʈru, n ɖ tolṛnt neśn wd nt “tec t ɖ strīts”.

Ɖs meṃri cem t mînd rīsntli ẃn I wz at ɖ rvîvl v ɖt gret 1970z clasic Axdntl Deʈ v an Aṇcist. Dario Fo n Franca Rame’z fars hz bn updetd bî Tom Bazdn, n z a fîv-star trîumf. Ɖ meṃri wz ivoct bî ɖ sntṛl caṛctr, ɖ “meńac”, dclerñ: “Scandl z t ssayti ẃt cnfeśn z t ɖ sinr. It’s a cʈarsis [ɖt] fixz nʈñ: ɖ hostîl invîrnmnts, ɖ suij in ɖ sīz, ɖ piṛjz fr p’liticl donrz. N ẃt’s ɖ rzult? D w arest enwn? Cn w ćenj enʈñ? V cors nt … In glorịs dmocṛsiz sć az ǎrz, w gt t mon abt it instd.”

Ɖ most glẹrñ xampl v ɖs public tolṛns n monñ z v cors – wêt fr it – Brexit. Ɖ damij mǎnts, bt ɖr hz bn nʈñ in ɖ śep v a public inqîri or a royl cmiśn intu ẃt z indybitbli ɖ bigist n most daṃjñ p’liticl n ic̣nomic scandl v ǎr tîm.

Az ɖ “meńac” obzrvz: “Ɖ actrz ćenj, v cors, bt ɖ rǒlz rmen ɖ sem.” Ɖ miscrịnts hu cónd ɖ neśn – Boris Jonsn; Mîcl “Ppl hv hd inuf v xprts” Gov; Nîjl “Hǎ I luv ɖ lîmlît” F’rāź; Dańl “Brexit wl nt mīn līvñ ɖ sngl marcit, n ʈancs fr ɖ pirij” Hann; n a cast v ʈǎzndz – jst cari on śemlisli, ẃl ɖer rplesmnts, Riśi Sūnac n co, tec p ɖ banr, n Cir Starmr, wns a nobl rmenr, ofndz hiz naćṛl folowrz bî rūlñ ǎt rījônñ ɖ YY or īvn ɖ sngl marcit.

Ǒ, d’nt wuri, I am tld. Wns ɖe r in – f, az wîdli xpctd, ɖe win – Lebr wl mnd rleśnz wɖ ɖ YY. Bt, hañ on a minit: unls sm amezñ ivnt ocŕz, ɖr z unlîcli t b an ilex́n fr at līst anɖr yir, jrñ ẃć tîm Brexit wl rīc mor n mor damij, nt līst t ɖ cuntri’z fiscl pziśn.

Ẃć brñz s t ɖ topic ɖt hz bn doṃnetñ ɖ ic̣nomic nyz in ɖ past wīc: ɖ hî levl v inṭrestrets w r promist fr ɖ fōrsiybl fyćr on acǎnt v ɖ guvnmnt’s n ɖ Banc v Ñgḷnd’z dtrṃneśn t brñ ɖ ret v infleśn dǎn t 2% wɖn ẃt z noun az ɖ “fōrcastpirịd” – 18 munʈs t tū yirz – īvn at ɖ cost v rseśn.

Nǎ, ẃn ɖe r nt tayñ ɖmslvz p in sttisticl nóts, mî felo icoṇmists fṛm tîm t tîm rmînd s ɖt ẃt īc̣nomics śd riyli b abt z ɖ qoḷti v lîf. Mî frend Emos Witztum, in hiz mońmntl wrc Ɖ Btreyl v Libṛl Īc̣nomics, argyz forsḟli ɖt tù mć atnśn z peid t ic̣nomic groʈ, n nt inuf t a fer distṛbyśn v ic̣nomic rzorsz. “Distṛbyśn” hz v cors bn ɖ stuf v p’liticl dbet fr decedz, bt lîf z nt gwñ t gt eni īzịr f ǎtpt stagnets or fōlz, ẃć, bî deḟniśn, it dz jrñ a rseśn.

Ɖ teribl ʈñ z ɖt aftr imbarcñ on a nīdlis poḷsi v osteṛti fṛm 2010, n ɖen biyñ brǎbìtn intu a reḟrendm ɖe òt t rgret fr ɖ rest v ɖer livz, īvn ɖ non-mnaycl Toriz hv dn mć t dminiś ɖ qoḷti v lîf in ɖs cuntri.

Ẃ z infleśn so mć gretr a ʈret hir ɖn in ɖ YS or ɖ YY? Bcz v Brexit n its impact on ɖ cost v livñ. Indd, impndñ frɖr incrisz in ɖ cost v importñ fūd fṛm ɖ YY r olrdi frîṭnñ ɖ guvnmnt intu dleyñ ɖ nxt bǎt v byṛcratic reğleśnz rqîrd bî ɖ foli v Brexit.

Wn fînl, non-Brexit, xampl v nīdlis inṭfiṛns in ɖ qoḷti v lîf. In comn wɖ mni ppl v a srtn ej, I lîc bcñ trenticits fṛm a riyl prsn in a riyl ticit ofis. Indd, I am mć imprest bî ɖ cntińl flo v rsrć ẃć inḍcets ɖt sć sośl inṭćenjz r gd fr wn’z qoḷti v lîf.

Bt ɖr z anɖr pônt: in an ej ẃn corṗreśnz hv fūld “cnsymrz” intu ʈncñ ɖt ɖe śd d ɖ wrc on ɖ inṭnet, it z mć mor saṭsfayñ – n ifiśnt – t rlî on xprts t advîz wn wɖ travl arenjmnts. Yt w r tld ɖt ɖ guvnmnt hz instructd ɖ trencumṗniz t bgin clozñ ol ɖer ticit ofisz.

I īvn hŕd an ofiśl seyñ on ɖ Tde program ɖt ɖs wd b an impruvmnt in ifiśnsi n wd fri stāf t b on ɖ platform t hlp “custmrz” wɖ qiriz. Hǎ pasinjrz wd b ebl t gt on t ɖ platform wɖt a ticit fṛm ɖ clozd ticit ofis wz nt xplend.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: The Observer view on how the climate crisis should not be used as a political football

Protesters opposed to the expansion of London's ultra-low emission zone demonstrate outside BBC Broadcasting House on 22 July in London. Photograph: Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images
Pṛtstrz opozd t ɖ xpanśn v Lundn’z ultra-lo imiśnz̦on demnstret ǎtsd BBC Brōdcastñhǎs on 22 Jlî in Lundn. Foṭgraf: Cris J Ratclif/Geti Iṃjz

Ɖ Obzrvr vy on hǎ ɖ clîṃtcrîsis śd nt b yzd az a p’liticl ftbōl

Transcription of an Observer editorial of 22 July 2023

Ɖ Uxbrij bîilex́n hz riopnd arğmnts abt hǎ far t pś a grīn ajnda, bt globl hītñ cōlz fr a nonparṭzan aproć

Saṭde, 22 Jlî 2023

Nʈñ fīlz az gd az winñ. It’s bn a loñ tîm sins Lebr injoid a vicṭri az ʈumpñ az ɖ wn it scord ɖs wīc in Slbi n Ênsti, a wns solidli Cnsrṿtiv pać v rṛl Yorx́r, n Cir Starmr dzrvz t sêvr ɖ momnt. In litl ovr ʈri yirz, h hz trnsformd a dfitd n dsperñ parti intu a guvnmnt in wêtñ. Ɖr hv bn sm dīpli penfl compṛmîzz alñ ɖ we, bt fîṇli h cn argy ɖt ɖe r startñ t pe of.

Ed Dêvi z īqli intîtld t b glīfl abt rīcapćrñ Suṃtn n Frūm fr ɖ Lib Démz, cnfrmñ ɖt hiz parti z wel n trūli bac fṛm ɖ wilḍnis. Ɖ scel v tacticl votñ in bʈ contests sjsts ɖt an ayn rzolv z formñ amñ antīTori votrz t d ẃtvr it tecs. Ẃr ɖe cn run az insrjnts agnst an unpopylr guvnmnt, pṛgresivz r rîdñ hî. Bt ẃt hapnd in Uxbrij n Sǎʈ Rîslip sjsts limits t ɖt aproć.

Aftr Boris Jonsn slúnc awe in dsgres, mni asymd hiz old sīt wz Lebr’z fr ɖ tecñ. Instd, ɖ Toriz scrept bac in bî trnñ ẃt cd hv bn a reḟrendm on ɖer hanḍlñ v ɖ icoṇmi intu a reḟrendm on anɖr incumbnt: Lundn’z mẹr, Sdīc Cān, n hiz dsiźn t xtnd ɖ capitl’z ultṛlo imiśnzon t ǎtlaying buraz fṛm Ōġst, forsñ ǒnrz v oldr n mor p’lūtñ viyclz t pe a £12.50 dêli ćarj or bai ny carz. Lebr strugld t land its mesij abt ɖ puṇśñ cost v livñ wɖ votrz hu blemd ɖer mẹr fr hlpñ t pś it p.

Starmr’z sjsćn ɖt Cān śd “rflect” on ɖ unpopylaṛti v Úliz, isnṣ́li a public rbyc, rvilz dīp fṛstreśn wɖn ɖ śadocabiṇt at misñ ǎt bî onli a fy hundṛd vots. Bt sm tec a dīpr lésn fṛm ɖs ultiṃtli vri loc̣lîzd scrmiś. Ɖ Uxbrij rzult hz riopnd smolḍrñ arğmnts insd bʈ mn partiz ovr hǎ far t pś grīn poḷsiz in ɖ midl v a cost-v-livñ crîsis.

Ɖ ces fr cutñ carbn imiśnz hz nvr bn mor blîndñli obvịs in ɖs sumr v frīc hītwevz arnd ɖ glob. In ɖ YS stet v Aṛzona, hospitlz r trītñ peśnts suḟrñ svir brnz fṛm contact wɖ becñ pevmnts. Foristfîrz r raṿjñ Grīs, n Antartic sīîs levlz hv fōḷn t record loz fr Jlî. W r teṛfayñli clos t ɖ tipñpônt v ẃć sayntists hv so loñ wornd, n ɖ fṛstreśn z ɖt w nǒ fl wel ẃt t d abt it. Ɖr z no oltrṇtiv t trnziṣ́nñ az fast az hymnli poṣbl fṛm fosilfylz t rnywblz, gas sntṛl hītñ t hītpumps n solr panlz, n petṛl or dīzl carz t ilectric wnz. (Ẃl Úliz n uɖr clīn-er zonz arnd ɖ cuntri r stricli spīcñ public-hlʈ poḷsiz, dzînd t rdys dedli er-p’lūśn rɖr ɖn carbn, ɖe d nuj moṭrists t rīʈnc ɖer rlayns on carz.) Bt sm hǎsholdz simpli c’nt aford ɖ stīp upfront costs v rplesñ carz n bôlrz, hvr mć ɖe wont t. Poḷtiśnz hu ignor ɖt hard riaḷti wl fes a baclaś.

Ɖ clîṃt imrjnsi crîz ǎt fr a nonparṭzan aproć, wɖ p’liticl partiz pŭlñ tgɖr in ɖ naśnl inṭrest az ɖe hv ovr Ycren. Instd, grīn poḷsi riscs biyñ weṗnîzd fr p’liticl gen. Olrdi, rîtwñ vôsz r rjñ Riśi Sūnac t trīt Uxbrij az ɖ modl fr a Cnsrṿtiv fîtbac: scrap ɖ pland ban on seilz v ny petṛl n dīzl carz fṛm 2030, rīstart ɖ wor on wouc, brand Lebr “ɖ p’liticl wñ v Jst Stop Ôl” – az ɖ Cabiṇt ministr fr net ziro, Grant Śaps, pts it. It’s les a straṭji fr winñ ɖn fr liṃtñ Tori losz, ẃl mcñ ɖ job v an incumñ Lebr guvnmnt infiṇtli hardr.

Fr ɖ risc v cicñ ɖ clîṃtcan dǎn ɖ rod, az s’xesiv Cnsrṿtiv admiṇstreśnz hv dn, z ɖt inṭvnśn mst b mor drastic t hv ɖ nesṣri ifct. Ćenjz ɖt cd hv bn īzd in jntli ovr ɖ past 13 yirz me nǎ nīd t hapn mor abrupli. Bt f enʈñ, Uxbrij me mc Starmr īvn wẹrịr v sm v hiz śado clîṃtćenj secṛtri Ed Miḷband’z mor radicl instñts.

Tnśnz btwn grīn ultraz n ɖer mor cōśs śadocabiṇt colīgz r hard t rzolv bcz bʈ sîdz hv a pônt. Ɖ Miḷbandîts r rît ɖt ɖ clîṃt imrjnsi canot b dúct, n ɖt bacslîdñ cd opn p ɖ parti’z left flanc t ɖ Grīnz (hu incrist ɖer votśer in ol ʈri bîilx́nz, ptnṣ́li at Lebr’z xpns in Uxbrij). Bt ɖ pragṃtists r rît ɖt midl Ñgḷnd z īẓli spūct bî ʈrets t ɖer wolits or lîfstîlz. In Uxbrij, ɖ Toriz portreid Úliz az a big-siti s’lūśn lofṭli impozd on a vri difṛnt wrld; fîn fr Tesla drîvrz or yuñ ŕḅnîts nir a Tyb stop, bt les so fr sbrbn faṃliz on ɖ scūlrun n ɖ hard-prest wrcñclasz. It wz’nt jst abt ɖ cost, bt ɖ sns ɖt Siti Hōl dd’nt unḍstand.

Rīdñ tù mć intu eni bîilex́n z olwz denjṛs, n ɖ lésn hir fr Lebr z abṣlutli nt t rtrit on net ziro. Bt it z t gt ɖ īc̣nomics rît – ẃć mīnz mor fînanśl hlp fr hǎsholdz rplesñ carz or bôlrz – n, crūṣ́li, ɖ ton. Sañtiṃni z dedli, ẃn ppl r riyli struġlñ.

Riśi Sūnac śd rflect on ɖ leġsi h wonts t līv bhnd, mć az T’rīza Me dd ẃn ś yzd hr fînl wīcs in ofis t inśrîn net-ziro targits in lw. Ǎr frajîl planit mst nt b trītd lîc a p’liticl ftbōl.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

Fṛm Đ Gardịn: Dropping green pledges would be ‘political suicide’, Sunak and Starmer warned

There is a broad political consensus in the UK in favour of achieving net zero carbon emissions, which could now be under threat. Photograph: Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters
Ɖr z a brōd p’liticl cnsnss in ɖ YC in fevr v aćivñ net-ziro carbn imiśnz, ẃć cd nǎ b undr ʈret. Foṭgraf: Fabrizio Bensch/Rôtrz

Dropñ grīn plejz wd b ‘p’liticl suisîd’, Sūnac n Starmr wornd

Transcription of a Guardian article of 22 July 2023

Sayns n biznis līdrz se lrć awe fṛm clîṃt’jnda aftr bîilx́nz wd b dīpli unpopylr wɖ votrz n damij YC’z repyteśn

Mîcl Savij, Tobi Hlm n Robin MCi, Saṭde, 22 Jlî 2023

Britn’z līdrz hv bn wornd agnst a “p’liticli sụsîdl” lrć awe fṛm ɖer grīn plejz az cnsrnz gro ɖt bʈ mejr partiz me dlūt ɖer planz t combat ɖ clîṃtcrîsis in ɖ wec v a śoc bîilex́n rzult.

Sīńr figrz fṛm biznis, ɖ sạntific cḿṇti n acrs ɖ p’liticl dvîd wornd ɖt eni wōṭrñ dǎn v clîṃtpoḷsiz wd b dīpli unpopylr wɖ votrz, set bac ɖ inṭnaśnl fît t rīć net ziro n damij Britn’z grīn repyteśn.

Ɖr r firz ɖt bʈ Riśi Sūnac n Cir Starmr wl lūsn ɖer s’port fr sć poḷsiz aftr ɖ Cnsrṿtivz’ s’prîz win in ɖ Uxbrij n Sǎʈ Rîslip bîilex́n on Ʈrzde. Ɖ Toriz naroli wún ɖ sīt, bî jst 495 vots, wɖ a campen ɖt capiṭlîzd on opziśn t planz bî Lundn’z Lebr mẹr Sdīc Cān t xtnd ɖ ultra-lo imiśnz̦on (Úliz).

Sūnac z olrdi biyñ rjd bî ɖ rît v ɖ parti n sm v hiz ǒn cabiṇt t rīʈnc hiz cmitmnt t grīn poḷsiz in ɖ lît v ɖ Uxbrij rzult. Mnẃl, a sīńr Lebr MP wornd ɖt Starmr risct “alawñ ɖ Toriz t edit ɖ nxt Lebr maṇfesto” ovr clîṃtćenj. Ɖ Lebr līdr hd sd ɖ Uxbrij rzult śoud ɖ parti mst nt adopt poḷsiz ɖt cd b fīćrd on Tori ilex́nlīflits.

Rishi Sunak with the newly elected Conservative MP Steve Tuckwell in Uxbridge, west London, following the party’s success in the by-election. Photograph: Carl Court/PA
Riśi Sūnac wɖ ɖ nyli ilectd Cnsrṿtiv MP Stīv Tucwél in Uxbrij, wst Lundn, folowñ ɖ parti’z s’xes in ɖ bîilex́n. Foṭgraf: Carl Cort/PA

Ɖr z a cnsrtd eḟt ɖs wīcend t enśur ɖt ɖ p’liticl yṇti ovr Britn’z net-ziro emz rmenz in ples. Aloc Śarma, a formr Tori cabiṇtministr n prezidnt v Cop26, sd it wz vîtl ɖt ol partiz mntend ɖ p’liticl cnsnss on psywñ net ziro.

“W hv bilt p a brōd p’liticl cnsnss in ɖ YC on psyt v net-ziro poḷsiz ẃć r gd fr ɖ icoṇmi, jobz, xports n ɖ invîrnmnt. Bizṇsz s’port ɖs ajnda bcz ɖe cn si ɖ ic̣nomic beṇfits, h tld ɖ Obzrvr. “N ɖ indipndnt Ofis fr Bujit Rsponsbiḷti hz notd ɖt unmiṭgetd clîṃtćenj wd ultiṃtli hv caṭstrofic ic̣nomic n fiscl consiqnsz fr ɖ YC.

“Cnsrnz abt ɖ invîrnmnt n clîṃtćenj olso cnsistntli ranc amñ ɖ top iśuz v importns fr votrz. Gvn ɖ ic̣nomic, invîrnmntl n ilectṛl ces fr clîṃt ax́n, it wd b slf-dfitñ fr eni p’liticl parti t sīc t brec ɖ p’liticl cnsnss on ɖs vîtl ajnda,” Śarma wornd.

Zac Goldsmiʈ, ɖ formr ministr hu qit ɖ guvnmnt ovr ẃt h dscrîbd az Sūnac’s lac v inṭrest in ɖ invîrnmnt, sd ɖt eni parti rīʈncñ its cmitmnt t ɖ clîṃt wd b puniśt. “Bîilex́n rzults cn b intrpṛtd in cǎntlis wez, n it z ɖ nećr v poḷtiśnz n p’liticl comntetrz t wéj ɖer ǒn preɉdisz intu ɖ ǎtcumz,” h tld ɖ Obzrvr. “Bt t yz ɖz rīsnt rzults t advc̣t abandnmnt v ɖ YC’z prīvịs invîrnmntl līdrśp z sinicl n idiotic.

A wind farm off Teesside: renewable energy is popular among the public. Photograph: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images
A wind farm of Tīzsîd: rnywbl eṇji z popylr amñ ɖ public. Foṭgraf: Iyn Forsîʈ/Geti Iṃjz

“It wd olso b p’liticli sụsîdl, gvn ɖ vri dīp n wîd s’port fr ax́n on ɖ invîrnmnt ɖt xists rît acrs ɖ ilectṛt. N it z imoṛl, gvn ɖt bʈ guvnmnt n opziśn acnolij ɖ graṿti v ɖ crîsis w fes.

“So it’s hard t b’liv ɖr riyli r ppl at ɖ top v îɖr v ɖ mn partiz cōlñ fr abandnmnt v grīn poḷsiz, bt f ɖr r, I cn onli hop ɖe r hamrd bî ɖ ilectṛt ẃn ɖ tîm cmz,” sd Goldsmiʈ, hu hd bn ministr fr ɖ inṭnaśnl invîrnmnt n clîṃt bfr h stept dǎn fṛm ɖ Foṛn Ofis.

Pṛfesr Nicḷs Strn, hu léd a seminl 2006 rvy on ɖ īc̣nomics v clîṃtćenj, olso iśùd a pli fr līdrśp on ɖ clîṃt. “Er-p’lūśn cilz tnz v ʈǎzndz in ɖ YC ć yir – far mor ɖn deʈs in rodtrafic axidnts – n miłnz arnd ɖ wrld,” h sd.

“Inax́n z nt a sen opśn fr s, ǎr ćildṛn n granćildṛn. Secnd, ɖ costs v invstmnts in ɖ trnziśn awe fṛm fosilfylz r sgnificntli incrist bî poḷsirisc dy t poḷtiśnz ćopñ n ćenjñ ɖer vyz n ax́nz.

“Ʈrd, ɖ invstmntcosts v ɖ trnziśn nīd t b dstribytd ferli. N forʈ, ɖ YC’z repyteśn in ɖ wrld dpndz on its līdrśp on ɖz iśuz. Ǎr standñ hz olrdi bn damijd bî ɖ los v foc̣s sins w hostd ɖ Ynîtd Neśnz clîṃtćenj sumit in Glazgo in 2021.”

Ɖ lêtist Opińm poul fr ɖ Obzrvr hîlîts ɖ periḷs stet ɖ Toriz r in az MPz hedd t ɖer cnstitẏnsiz fr Wsminstr’z sumŗīses. Lebr hz a 17-pônt līd. Ɖ parti rtenz a 42% śer v ɖ vot, wɖ ɖ Toriz on jst 25%.

Nicholas Stern, professor of economics at the London School of Economics and chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, at Cop26 in Glasgow in 2021. Photograph: Yves Herman/Reuters
Nicḷs Strn, pṛfesr v īc̣nomics at ɖ Lundn Scūl v Īc̣nomics n ćer v ɖ Granʈm Rsrć Insttyt on Clîṃtćenj n ɖ Invîrnmnt, at Cop26 in Glazgo in 2021. Foṭgraf: Yves Herman/Rôtrz

Sūnac’s tīm r despṛtli srćñ fr wez t rvrs ɖ parti’z fortynz. Az wel az cōlz t bac awe fṛm grīn meźrz, ɖ prîm̦inistr z olso sd t b lcñ at a campen ɖt wd vǎ t “pṛtct” votrz fṛm Lebr poḷsiz. Sūnac’s guvnmnt olrdi apirz t hv wōtrd dǎn n dleid an end t ɖ ifctiv ban on mor onśor windfarmz pt in ples bî Devid Camṛn.

Neʈn Benit, hed v stṛtījic cḿṇceśnz at RnywblYC, ɖ rnywbl-eṇji tred’sośieśn, sd ɖt nǎ wz prisîsli ɖ roñ tîm t b “wōṭrñ dǎn ambiśn” n fr fōls arğmnts t b dveḷpñ abt ɖ costs v grīnñ ɖ icoṇmi. “I am cnsrnd abt a fōls naṛtiv imrjñ ɖt grīn poḷsiz r unpopylr n costli, az ɖt’s srtnli nt ɖ ces fr rnywblz n mni uɖr clīn tecnoḷjiz,” h sd.

“Ny windfarmz r drîvñ dǎn eṇjibilz, n poulz cnsistntli śo ɖt, f enʈñ, ppl wont s t rol ǎt mor rnywblz ɖn w cuṛntli r, includñ ny onśor wind.”

Greg Jacsn, ćīf xektiv v Ocṭṗs Eṇji, ɖ rnywbl-eṇji grūp, sd ɖr wz nǎ a risc ɖt ɖ YC wd lūz ǎt t uɖr cuntriz in ɖ rês fr invstmnt: “Harṇsñ ɖ oṗtyṇtiz v net ziro t dlivr tanɉbl fînanśl beṇfits z xtrimli popylr. Ǎr custmrz luv gtñ ćīp eṇji ẃn it’s windi, or biyñ peid t yz les ẃn it’s nt. Britn hz hd a līd in ćīp, clīn eṇji, bt lîc so mni inḍstriz v ɖ past, w risc uɖr cuntriz gtñ ɖ beṇfit v ǎr iṇveśn – costli fr clîṃt, cost v livñ n naśnl s’kṛti.”

Starmr rezd cnsrnz wɖn ɖ parti bî xtndñ hiz criṭsizm v ɖ Úliz. “W r dwñ smʈñ vri roñ f poḷsiz pt fwd bî ɖ Lebr parti end p on ć n evri Tori līflit,” h tld Lebr’z naśnl poḷsifoṛm in Notñm. It marcs an esc̣leśn v hiz confṛnteśn wɖ Cān ovr ɖ Úliz. In a ćenj in ton, a sors clos t Cān sd on Frîde h wz “liṣnñ t Lundnrz n olwz lcñ at wez h cn adres ɖer cnsrnz”.

Formr śadoćanslr Jon McDonl tld ɖ Obzrvr: “V cors ptnśl poḷsi bnaṇscinz hv t b avôdd, bt f w r nt cerfl, ifctivli ɖs mīnz alawñ ɖ Toriz t edit ɖ nxt Lebr maṇfesto on ɖ gretist iśu fesñ s, ɖ clîṃtcrîsis.”

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

Fṛm Đ Gardịn: With the climate in peril, winning slowly is the same as losing. How can Starmer settle for that?

Keir Starmer setting out Labour policies on clean energy at Nova Innovation in Edinburgh, 19 June 2023. Photograph: Jane Barlow/PA
Cir Starmr setñ ǎt Lebr poḷsiz on clīn eṇji at Nova Iṇveśn in Ednbra, 19 Jūn 2023. Foṭgraf: Jen Barlo/PA

Wɖ ɖ clîṃt in peṛl, winñ slǒli z ɖ sem az luzñ. Hǎ cn Starmr setl fr ɖt?

Transcription of a Guardian article of 19 July 2023

Tecnocratic tnc̣rñ n cōśs maṇjirịlizm c’nt bgin t adres ɖ crîsis. W nīd viźn – n nǎ

Caroline Lucas
Caṛlîn Lūc̣s

Wnzde, 19 Jlî 2023

Sm wd argy ɖt ɖ spīć bî Toni Bler at Lebr’z 1994 particonfṛns in Blacpūl wz ira-dfînñ. “It z tîm t brec ǎt v ɖ past n brec ʈru wɖ a clir, radicl n modn viźn fr Britn,” h sd.

Wn me dis’gri wɖ ɖt viźn – bt h cmitd t it yirz bfr hiz ilex́n, n dlivrd mć v it in ɖ yirz aftr. Hyj invstmnt in public srṿsz; a minimm wej; a Frīdm v Inḟmeśn Act; dīṿluśn fr Scotḷnd n Wêlz, n cmitmnt t pīs in Norɖn Îrḷnd.

Nwn z lîcli t mstec m fr a Blerît – n I w’nt gloṛfî ɖ record v a man hu tc s t an ilīgl n imoṛl wor on a fōls pṛspcṭs. Bt h ofrz a telñ cmparisn wɖ ɖ cuṛnt flip-flopñ, plej-brecñ, utrli underñ Lebr līdr, Cir Starmr.

A lot hz ćenjd in ɖ past ʈri yirz, let alon ɖ past 30. Brexit, Covid, Ycren n Liz Trus’z omniśambolic minībujit hv ćenjd ǎr neśn’z ic̣nomic cors. Bt wn ćenj frīqntli omitd fṛm ɖt list z ɖ clîṃt. Ɖ Rʈ hz hītd p mor in ɖ past 30 yirz ɖn it dd in ɖ prīvịs 110 – n ɖt wl onli axeḷret frɖr ovr ɖ nxt 30. On clîṃt, az ɖ YS campenr Bil MCibn feṃsli obzrvd, winñ slǒli z ɖ sem az luzñ.

Inixplicbli, Starmr sīmz intnt on luzñ. In 2021, Lebr leid ǎt an ambiśs clîṃt-invstmnt plan v £28bn a yir untl 2030. Ɖt cmitmnt hz nǎ bn pspond in fevr v a promis t “ramp p” twdz £28bn in ɖ secnd haf v its parḷmntri trm.

A zirocarbn icoṇmi fit fr ɖ fyćr w’nt cm abt bî ćans – nr bî sol rlayns on ɖ prîṿt sectr. Public invstmnt z isnśl, n rjnt. Upscelñ storijtecnoḷjiz, dveḷpñ wev eṇji n flotñ ofśorwind, rstorñ suij-fild rivrz n upscilñ miłnz v wrcrz t fil ɖ grīn jobz w nīd fr ɖs transfmeśn: ɖz r no mīn fìts. Bt ɖt’s no rīzn t dle invstmnt – it’s a rīzn t axeḷret it.

N aftr ɖ guvnmnt’s ny clîṃt-adapteśn program, rlist ɖs wīc, amǎntd t nʈñ mor ɖn rīsîcld plejz t d mor rsrć – rɖr ɖn t acć̣li dlivr ɖ adapteśnmeźrz w despṛtli nīd – ɖs invstmnt simpli cd’nt b mor rjnt.

Public invstmnt mst b bolstrd bî public ǒnrśp, tù – yt anɖr Lebr brocn promis. Starmr’z 2020 cmitmnt t “s’port comn ǒnrśp v rel, meil, eṇji n wōtr” hz bn obliṭretd t ɖ xtnt ɖt onli rel cd si a ptnśl rtrn t public handz – hardli a bold muv cnsiḍrñ ɖ Toriz hv olrdi naśṇlîzd ćuncs v it. Īvn aftr ɖ scandl v Tmz Wōtr’z criṗlñ dét, Starmr w’nt cmit t runñ public srṿsz fr ɖ public gd, n pṛtctñ ǎr naćṛl invîrnmnt rɖr ɖn prîṿt profit.

A protest against the planned development of the Rosebank oil and gas field in Aberdeen, June 2023. Photograph: Andrew Perry/PA
A protest agnst ɖ pland dveḷpmnt v ɖ Rǒzbanc ôl n gas fīld in Aḅdīn, Jūn 2023. Foṭgraf: Andru Peri/PA

It wd b īzi inuf t criṭsîz Lebr’z slf-impozd fiscl stretjacit, n jst sjst ɖt it boroz mor t fund ɖz proṃsz – ẃć it srtnli śd. Nt līst bcz ɖt invstmnt wl nt onli pe fr itslf ovr tîm, bt pe litṛl diṿdndz – gloḅli, swićñ fṛm fosilfylz t clīn eṇji cd sev az mć az £10.2tn bî 2050.

Bt ẃt’s so infyrietñ z ɖt it rfyzz t cnsidr a hol host v uɖr opśnz t fund ǎr ic̣nomic transfmeśn. A wlʈtax – v 1% on ɖ rićist 1% – cd, acordñ t Yṇvrṣti v Grenij estiṃts, brñ in az mć az £70bn. Instd, ɖ Treẓ́ri cuṛntli s’ports ɖ fosilfyl inḍstri ʈru taxbrecs n subṣdiz t ɖ tyn v £10bn a yir – a figr ɖt eni clîṃt-frendli Lebr guvnmnt śd śrli slaś.Cnvrsli, ɖ cost v felñ t d so śd foc̣s atnśn. Devid Camṛn’z dsiźn a deced ago t “cut ɖ grīn crap”, ẃć endd p adñ £150 ańli t evri hǎshold’z eṇjibil, śd b sird on ɖ mîndz v clîṃt diɖ̇rrz.

Bt it wd b śortsîtd t sjst Lebr’z cuṛnt absns v viźn z pyrli dǎn t īc̣nomics. Its cmitmnt t iśu no ny ôl n gas lîsnsz z indd welcm – bt ɖ reṿleśn ɖt a Lebr guvnmnt wd nt rvoc ɖ Rǒzbanc ôlfīld lîsns (f apruvd bî ɖ Toriz az xpctd in ɖ cmñ dez) z a tasit indorsmnt v ɖs clîṃtcrîm.

Ɖs z’nt jst eni ôlfīld, bt ɖ larjist undiveḷpt fīld in ɖ Norʈ Sī, set t pṛdys 200m tunz v CO2, toṭlñ mor ɖn ɖ cmbînd ańl CO2 imiśnz v ɖ 28 lǒist-incm cuntriz. Frst ôl z nt xpctd untl btwn 2026 n 2028, n invstrz r stl asesñ ẃɖr t pres ahd – so ẃ z Lebr nt mcñ it cristl-clir t ɖm ɖt ɖe śd nt? Bî stubnli rfyzñ t rvoc, Starmr hz ifctivli gvn ɖs project ɖ grīn lît himslf.

Fṛm aboḷśñ tyiśnfiz, t adoptñ rentcntrolz, t oḟrñ fri scūlmīlz fr prîṃri ćildṛn, Starmr hz bn hamstruñ bî hiz ǒn arbitrri fiscl rūlz, fir v rîtwñ-pres baclaś, n a trîbl dtrṃneśn t tec cntrol fṛm rîvl partifax́nz. Ɖ clir, radicl n modn viźn fr Britn z nẃr t b sìn.

Mnẃl, ppl r śiftñ fṛm desṗreśn t – az ɖ Gardịn’z Jon Haris pt it rīsntli – “a wîdspred sns v feṭlistic hoplisnis”. Ɖ cndiśnz r nǎ rîp fr ɖ xtrim rît t cntiny apes wɖ eḟts t sīz ɖ naṛtiv n cntrol ɖ p’liticl ajnda.

So tecnocratic tnc̣rñ n oṿcōśs maṇjirịlizm w’nt dlivr rjntli nīdd ćenj, or ɖ hop ɖt cmz fṛm insṗreśnl līdrśp. Bt a radicli trnsforṃtiv viźn wl. Ɖt mīnz dićñ fosilfylz fr gd t dlivr abundnt, aforḍbl eṇji; crietñ miłnz v scild n stebl grīn jobz, peyñ a fer n dīsnt wej; a zirocarbn icoṇmi ɖt rīdistribyts wlʈ t ɖoz on ɖ lǒist incmz; n invstñ in public – nt prîṿt – srṿsz t pṛtct ǎr hlʈ, pǎr ćīp n clīn trnsport, rstor ǎr naćṛl invîrnmnt n inrić ǎr livz. Ɖ momnt t set ǎt ɖt viźn n dlivr it z nǎ.

***

Caṛlîn Lūc̣s z ɖ Grīn MP fr Braitn Pviłn

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on Labour’s crackdown on free thinkers: it’s bad for the party and politics

‘Sir Keir talks about who he is and what he identifies with, but says very little about the causes of the present crises that need to be tackled.’ Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
‘Sr Cir tōcs abt hu h z n ẃt h îdnṭfîz wɖ, bt sz vri litl abt ɖ cōzz v ɖ preznt crîsīz ɖt nīd t b tacld.’ Foṭgraf: Fíl Nobl/Rôtrz

Ɖ Gardịn vy on Lebr’z cracdǎn on fri ʈncrz: it’s bad fr ɖ parti n poḷtics

Transcription of a Guardian editorial of 3 July 2023

Ɖ muv agnst Nìl Lwsn iluṃnets a wîdr straṭji t marć Lebr evr rîtẉdz undr ɖ cuvr v big pouļīdz

Munde, 3 Jlî 2023

Ɖ  Lebr parti’z dsiźn t ʈretn t xpel wn v its līdñ ʈncrz aftr 44 yirz v membrśp z a p’liticl mscalkleśn. Nìl Lwsn z ɖ d’rectr v ɖ pṛgresiv ʈnctanc Cumṗs, hu prīvịsli wrct az an advîzr t Gordn Brǎn n Pītr Mandlsn. Mr Lwsn z no leftwñr, sm v hūm r biyñ prjd bî Sr Cir Starmr on îdịlojicl grǎndz. Instd h ćampịnd ɖ libṛl tṛdiśn v p’liticl n deṃcratic plŭṛlizm n wz a prîm muvr in mcñ śr sć îdīaz gend cuṛnsi in ɖ parti. Fr hiz eḟts, Mr Lwsn z biyñ śoun ɖ dor – n ɖr r dtrmind eḟts t bundl him ʈru it.

Ɖ ćarjz v dsloylti agnst Mr Lwsn śd b dropt. Ɖe, unforćṇtli, iluṃnet a wîdr straṭji t marć Lebr evr rîtẉdz undr ɖ cuvr v big pouļīdz. Mr Lwsn’z arğmnt fr a pṛgresiv alayns – îɖr a forml páct or a tasit wn – t sev ɖ cuntri fṛm Cnsrṿtiv doṃneśn, z a gd wn. Bt Sr Cir wonts ɖ pṛgresiv tnt t b big inuf onli fr Lebr n ɖ Lib Démz, hu fes of agnst ɖ Toriz – nt ć uɖr – in olmst evri Ñgliś sīt. T dfit a comn eṇmi dz’nt nīd an xplisit páct btwn ɖz partiz ẃn ɖer votrz lendñ s’port wl d. Crūṣ́li, Sr Cir sīmñli wonts t win ʈru bland poḷsiz, n pent hiz oponnts on ɖ left – ɖ Grīnz n ɖ SNP – az īqli radicl n az bad az ɖoz t hiz rît.

Mr Lwsn’z err wz t win ɖ arğmnt in Lebr ovr pṛporśnl repriznteśn. H z rît t wont t brōdn p’liticl dbet n betr rflect votñ intnśnz. In evri postwor ilex́n xpt 2015, mor votrz s’portd sntr-left partiz ɖn sntr-rît wnz, bt Britn’z frst-past-ɖ-post ilectṛl sistm brñz mostli Tori guvnmnts. Mr Lwsn wonts t end ɖt. Hiz campen hd wún ovr Lebr parti s’portrz – n sw a mjoṛti v ɖ public s’port ćenjñ ɖ votñsistm fr ɖ frst tîm sins poulstrz bgan ascñ abt ilectṛl rform in ɖ 1980z. Muvñ t xpel Mr Lwsn bfr ɖ particonfṛns hlps privnt Sr Cir lcñ ǎt v step wɖ popylr sntimnt. Hiz poṣbl dfeṇstreśn fṛm ɖ parti cd b an aṗtîzr ofrd az a prelyd t dinr. Soft-left MPz r lîcli caźltiz in an xpctd śadocabiṇt rīśufl ɖs munʈ.

Britn’z p’liticl steṭs qo z nt wrcñ wel. Mr Lwsn’z anaḷsis abt ẃ ɖs wz ɖ ces hz cost him. Bt sins 2010 Lebr līdrz hv bn ilectd on îdīaz abt ic̣nomic n sośl rform emd at trnsformñ ɖ cuntri. Sr Cir wz no difṛnt. Upn winñ pǎr, hvr, h dićt ɖs program. Apart fṛm Ed Miḷband’z grīn ajnda, vri litl v substns hz imrjd sins. Taxñ prîṿt scūlz t fund £56m v boṇsz t cīp tīćrz in ɖ pṛfeśn z lîc pentñ a hǎs ɖt z abt t c’laps. Sr Cir tōcs abt hu h z n ẃt h îdnṭfîz wɖ, bt sz vri litl abt ɖ cōzz v ɖ preznt crîsīz ɖt nīd t b tacld. Riaḷti wl cać p wɖ huevr z in pǎr. Ol poḷtiśnz śd b an inigma, on hūm votrz pṛjct ɖer ǒn vyz. Bt ppl b’liv in ppl hu b’liv in smʈñ. Sr Cir z yt t se h b’livz in enʈñ mć bynd himslf. Ɖt z a mstec.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

Fṛm Đ Gardịn: After 44 years, Labour is expelling me. And my MP and activist friends are asking: who will be next?

Labour leader Keir Starmer at County Hall, London, 27 June 2023. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA
Lebr līdr Cir Starmr at Cǎntihōl, Lundn, 27 Jūn 2023. Foṭgraf: Stefan Rousseau/PA

Aftr 44 yirz, Lebr z xpelñ m. N mî MP n acṭvist frendz r ascñ: hu wl b nxt?

Transcription of a Guardian article of 30 June 2023

Ɖr sīm t b bŭliz at ɖ top hu d’nt unḍstand plŭṛlizm. Ɖe si onli tru b’livrz n sworn eṇmiz

Neal Lawson

Nìl Lwsn, Frîde, 30 Jūn 2023

Last Frîde an īmeil fṛm ɖ Lebr parti – v ẃć I’v bn a membr fr 44 yirz – brouc mî p’liticl hart. Ɖe rout coldli t tel m ɖt bac in Me 2021, I’d cmitd a crîm: rītwītñ a Lib Dém MP’z cōl fr sm votrz t bac Grīn canddets in locl ilex́nz, acumṗnid bî mî sjsćn ɖt sć crosparti cooṗreśn reprizntd “grounup pṛgresiv poḷtics”. Mî puniśmnt? Xpulśn.

Ẃ dd I se ɖt, ẃ on rʈ am I biyñ xpeld fr it, n ẃt mt it mīn fr ɖ fyćr v ǎr poḷtics? I sd it fr tū rīznz. Frst, bcz ɖ pṛgresiv mjoṛti in ǎr cuntri z ʈwortd bî ɖ ilectṛl sistm. Vots on ɖ rît g olmst xclusivli t ɖ Toriz, bt ɖ pṛgresiv vot z olwz split btwn Lebr, Lib Démz n Grīnz. Undr frst past ɖ post (FPƉP) ɖ Cnsrṿtivz win on a mnoṛti v ɖ vot, agn n agn. Cooṗreśn btwn pṛgresivz jst mcs sns.

Bt ɖ riyl rīzn I sd it z bcz cooṗreśn z ẃt ppl d ẃn ɖe hv brōdli śerd golz bt brñ difṛnt atṛbyts n îdīaz t ɖ tebl. In evri aspect v ǎr dêli lîvz, w s’xid ẃn w wrc rspctḟli wɖ uɖrz. It’s cōld plŭṛlizm, n it seḷbrets ǎr difṛnsz in ɖ śr-fîr nolij ɖt eni fyćr wrʈ hvñ z wn w ngośiet wɖ uɖrz rɖr ɖn wn impozd on s.

Ɖ Lebr parti wz fǎndd on ɖ prínsipl v plŭṛlizm: it wz a feḍreśn v tredyńnz n soṣ́list ssaytiz ɖt cooṗretd fr a comn prṗs. Its iniśl ilectṛl brecʈru cem in 1906 bcz ɖ Libṛl parti std asd in 30 sīts. Ɖ spîn v Lebr’z rmarcbl 1945 maṇfesto cem fṛm ɖ Libṛl mîndz v Jon Mênard Cīnz n Wiłm Beṿrij. N ɖen, bfr 1997, Toni Bler n Padi Aśdǎn forjd a stroñ bond t gt ɖ Toriz ǎt n uśr a ny Britn in.

Tde Lebr caunslrz wrc hand in hand wɖ Grīnz n Lib Démz t dfnd cḿṇtiz fṛm Tori cuts. In Wêlz Lebr runz ɖ cuntri s’xesḟli in alayns wɖ Plaid Cymru, ɖ Wlś naśṇlists.

Ɖs rịlistic n hopfl poḷtics z ɖ hart n soul v Lebr. It fîndz mīnñfl xpreśn nǎ in ɖ oṿẃlmñ bacñ v membrz n yńnz fr pṛporśnl repriznteśn (PR), so ɖt ol vots cǎnt īqli n ɖus būst ɖ Lib Démz n ɖ Grīnz at ɖ xpns v ɖ Toriz. It sjsts a wrld in ẃć Lebr dz az wel az poṣbl bt nz ɖt guṿnñ wɖ uɖrz z betr ɖn luzñ alon. Ɖs z ẃr I stand – on ɖ śoldrz v jaynts sć az Jon Smiʈ, Nìl Ciṇc, Robin Cc, Mo Mǒḷm n tde, Ed Miḷband n Andi Brnm. So, ẃ yz an uncntnśs twīt fṛm ovr tū yirz ago t trî t xpel m?

Ɖ rīzn z ɖt ɖ parti-mśīn z no longr run in ɖs loñ n rić spirit v plŭṛlizm. It hz bn capćrd bî a clīc hu si onli tru b’livrz or sworn eṇmiz. Ɖe r bhevñ lîc plêgrǎnd bŭliz, yzñ ppl’z desṗreśn t gt rid v Toriz n ɖ liṃteśnz v ɖ votñsistm t infors diṣplin intrṇli n xtrṇli. Ol ɖs z fast amǎntñ t an abysiv rleśnśp in ẃć frst past ɖ post gvz membrz no rịlistic oltrṇtiv parti t līv fr, n ɖ votrz nẃr els t pt ɖer cros. PR z ɖ rùt t a pṛgresiv snć̣ri, bt fr ɖ Lebr mśīn ɖt wd mīn sacṛfîsñ its doṃnirñ pǎr: most v its bhevyr nǎ oriɉnetd in ɖs paṛnôd, top-dǎn we v p’liticl ʈncñ.

It dz’nt sīm t matr t ɖ clīcs at ɖ top ɖt īvn mîldli radicl poḷsiz r biyñ junct or wōtrd dǎn – fṛm rentcntrolz t ɖ £28bn-a-yir grīn trnziśn – or ɖt Lebr’z līdr ćuzz ɖ Rūṗt Mrdoc paʈ t pǎr ovr ɖ pṛgresiv-mjoṛti rùt. Ɖe bat awe sjsćnz ɖt īvn f Lebr rūl wl b betr ɖn ɖ Cnsrṿtivz, it wl nt b gd inuf t dīl wɖ a prṃcrîsis wrld, n its śeci hold on pǎr cd denjṛsli pev ɖ we t oʈoṛterịn popylizm. Mor ɖn enʈñ, ɖ mśīn dz’nt cer f ɖr’z an absns v hop in its project: it dz’nt matr ẃt y ʈnc or fīl, so loñ az y obījntli s’port it.

I fīl a dīp sadnis ɖt I’v traid t d mî bit t mc Lebr a mor hopfl, ambiśs, jenṛs n cmpaśṇt ples, n evrʈñ hz cm t ɖs end. I fīl ɖ hrt v siyñ mî MP n acṭvist frendz caud bî ɖ fir ɖt ɖe me b nxt; ɖt ɖe mst wōc sm arbitrri lîn ɖt cīps ɖm constntli woćñ ɖer bacs. I fīl śoct ɖt ɖ fax́ṇlizm I wornd agnst at ɖ start v ɖ yir in ɖz pejz hz tecn its rvnj n priti mć pruvd ɖ pônt: it’s a peti tiṛni. It wl b trajic f ɖs z ɖ culćr Lebr tecs intu guvnmnt, bcz it wl fel. N it’s nt partibyṛcrats hu wl pe ɖ prîs, bt ɖ neśn.

Poḷtics cn b bytifl or brūtl. It cn b a ples v drīmz n hop, c’lectiv indevr, jeṇroṣti n luv. Or it cn dnî ol ɖoz ʈñz. In hiz aḷgoricl ple Ɖ Crūṣbl, abt ɖ MCarʈiît wićhunts in ɖ YS, Arʈr Milr raits: “Y nǒ in ol yr blac harts ɖt ɖs b frōd … Y r pŭlñ Hevn dǎn!”

Lebr’z prṣktrz n wićfîndrz r’nt ɖ bst v ɖ parti, jst ɖ ppl hu cuṛntli hapn t b at ɖ top. Ɖe r hard bt britl. Inevitbli, lîc ol bŭliz, ɖe hv t b jenṛsli bt frmli std p t, untl ɖe unḍstand ɖer ǒn inṣkṛtiz n cn start t hīl. T mî akzrz, I ɖrfr snd mî luv.

Y cn fît olmst enʈñ bt ɖ zîtgîst, ɖt inevitbl spirit ɖt śeps ǎr lîvz. Tde, in ɖ fes v inorṃs ćaḷnjz n oṗtyṇtiz, ol w hv z ǎr inṭcnctidnis n ǎr śerd hymaṇti. Pluralism, ɖt ugli bt pǎrfl wrd, z ɖ fors ɖt wl śep enʈñ ɖt z pṛgresiv. Bcz it z rît, it z gd, bcz it wrcs n ppl olmst evrẃr nǒ it. Ɖs vri hymn truʈ z ɖ oṗzit v ɖ mesij I wz snt in ɖt cold n clinicl īmeil. Smẃr in ɖer harts, I sspct ɖ ppl hu rout it nǒ ɖt az wel.

***

Nìl Lwsn z d’rectr v ɖ cros-parti campen orġnîześn Cumṗs

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on a PM’s patronage: Boris Johnson’s shameful honours list

‘Voters care about honesty and integrity in politics. Mr Johnson does not.’ Photograph: Reuters
‘Votrz cer abt oṇsti n integṛti in poḷtics. Mr Jonsn dz nt.’ Foṭgraf: Rôtrz

Ɖ Gardịn vy on a PM’z patṛnij: Boris Jonsn’z śemfl onrzlist

Transcription of a Guardian editorial of 19 June 2023

Rformñ ɖ Hǎs v Lordz śd bgin bî cnstrenñ a dpartñ līdr’z pǎr t diś ǎt lîftîm awordz t frendz n croniz

Munde, 19 Jūn 2023

Ẃn handñ ǎt lîftîm onrz, Boris Jonsn’z gîdñ prínsipl hz bn brezn croniizm n snubñ istabliśt cnvnśn. Bt ɖ most rīsnt reṿleśnz, on ɖ īv v MPz dbetñ ɖ priṿlijzcmiti rport intu Mr Jonsn’z dsit ovr Partiget, r jw-dropñ. On Súnde, a vidio imrjd v Cnsrṿtiv stāfrz injoyñ a 2020 Crisṃs “jngl n mngl” jamḅrī ɖt petntli brouc locdǎn rūlz. Mr Jonsn mst hv noun abt ɖs ivnt. Yt at līst tū v ɖoz at ɖ parti wr on hiz reẓgneśn onrzlist.

Votrz cer abt oṇsti n integṛti in poḷtics. Mr Jonsn dz nt. Bî wevñ ʈru ɖ list, Riśi Sūnac apirz îɖr t agri wɖ hiz dsgrest prīdisesr or t b tù wìc t stop it. Ɖ guvnmnt sz it wz rspctñ “dy proses” – az prîm̦inistrz rūtīnli rubrstamp ɖoz apôntmnts apruvd bî pirz. Bt Mr Jonsn dd nt rspct sć normz. Ɖ manr v hiz dparćr – cnvictd bî parḷmnt’s hîist cort v layñ – z unpresdntd. Ɖ cuṛnt prîm̦inistr z rsponsbl fr rec̣mndñ onrz. Mr Sūnac wd hv bn jusṭfaid in rfyzñ Mr Jonsn’z list. H śd hv dn so.

Ɖ slīz z lapñ at ɖ dor nt jst v Dǎnñ Strīt, bt Bucñm Palis tù. Pṛf. Meg Rúsl v Yṇvrṣticolij Lundn’z Consttyśn Ynit rout ɖt ɖ Crǎn’z brʈde onrzlist hz bn pt at risc bcz Mr Jonsn’z noṃneśnz “r sìn az dscredtñ ɖ tîtlz ɖt mni v ɖz ppl – n uɖrz lîc ɖm in ɖ past – hv rîtḟli rsivd” … “An add cnsrn z ɖt īvn Jonsn’z list wz ofiṣ́li – n nesseṛli – iśùd in ɖ nem v ɖ Cñ”. Pṛf. Rúsl sjsts ɖt Mr Sūnac hz feld “t pṛtct ɖ moṇc fṛm biyñ drwn intu p’liticl cntrovsi”. It’s hard t dis’gri.

Smʈñ z badli roñ wɖ ɖ we Britn z guvnd. Sins 2010 ɖ rwordz t Cnsrṿtiv-parti donrz n p’liticl frendz in ɖ form v piṛjz n goñz hv xpozd a maṇfest lac v l’jitiṃsi ɖt z c’rodñ stetoʈoṛti. Hopñ t cast ɖ opziśn az scrūpyḷs cmperd t ɖ guvnmnt, Sr Cir Starmr rūld ǎt pṛdysñ a reẓgneśn onrzlist v hiz ǒn in fyćr. Mr Sūnac hz ofrd no dfns fr ẃt’s gn on; bt instd ćouz t dfnd hiz inax́n. Ɖr z no xks fr biznis az yźl.

F nʈñ z dn, Sr Cir śd ʈretn t rsind Mr Jonsn’z onrzlist wɖ ny lejsleśn wns in ofis. It z ɖ upr hǎs ẃr ɖ nīd z most presñ. Lebr òt t implimnt Gordn Brǎn’z planz t rples ɖ Hǎs v Lordz wɖ an ilectd asmbli. Ɖ Cnsrṿtivz r b’reft v îdīaz, hvñ pṛpozd no ny iniṣ́tivz on Lordz rform fr mor ɖn 10 yirz.

Mr Jonsn’z dsrepytbl bhevyr rezz qsćnz abt hǎ w r guvnd – n bî hūm. Ɖr’z a nīd t śrinc a blǒtd upr ćembr, rmuv ɖ rmenñ hreditri pirz n intṛdys gretr qoḷti-cntrol on apôntmnts – bginñ wɖ ɖ prîm̦inistr’z reẓgneśn onrzlist. Crietñ a mec̣nizm ɖt recgnîzz ɖ public inṭrest in ɖ matr v patṛnij n cn privnt its crūdist maṇfsteśn z – or at līst śd b – ɖ ordr v ɖ de.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

Fṛm Đ Obzrvr: Even Farage says Brexit has failed. Why won’t Starmer?

Keir Starmer on visit to Scotland last week. Photograph: Euan Cherry/PA
Cir Starmr on vizit t Scotḷnd last wīc. Foṭgraf: Ywn Ćeri/PA

Īvn F’rāź sz Brexit hz feld. Ẃ w’nt Starmr?

(Transcription of an Observer article of 28 May 2023)

Az evri sectr cǎnts ɖ mǎntñ cost v ǎr caṭstrofic brec wɖ Yṛp, Lebr mst fînd its nrv

William Keegan
Wiłm Cīgn

Súnde 28 Me 2023

Ẃt d mî frendz ɖ ḿziśnz Stñ, Jon Eʈ̇rij n Tom MGinis (v ɖ Manfridz) hv in comn, apart fṛm ḿzic? Ɖe hv rīsntli tld m ɖe r witṇsñ frst-hand ɖ fṛstreśnz v Brexit: los v ɖ beṇfits v frīdm v muvmnt, n ɖ byṛcratic damij inflictd on wn v ɖs cuntri’z wîdli rec̣gnîzd streñʈs, nemli ɖ crietiv arts.

In ɖs ɖe r jônd bî most Britiś mańfacćrrz n membrz v ɖ hosṗtaḷti inḍstri. Ɖz r struġlñ t fînd rplesmnts fr ɖ YY wrcrz hu hv bn md t fīl unwelcm n hv bn ifctivli bánd, or votd wɖ ɖer fīt. Ol ɖer wd-bi imployrz ʈnc Brexit z hyjli daṃjñ t ɖer rspctiv bizṇsz, n wd lîc t rvrs it.

Morovr, ɖe canot unḍstand ẃ ɖ Lebr parti z biyñ so wet on ɖ iśu. Wn hírz ɖ vy ɖt Cir Starmr z pleyñ a cōśs n clevr gem. Bt wn olso hírz ɖ vy ɖt, fr ol ɖ eḟts v Starmr n śadoćanslr Rećl Rīvz t cnvins ɖ public ɖt Lebr hz a viźn, ɖs viźn z cmñ acrs az biyñ smẃt blŕd, n misṭli cnfyzñ.

At a tîm ẃn opińnpoulz śo ɖt clir mjoṛtiz v rspondnts ʈnc Brexit wz a mstec, n wn v ɖ prîm culprits, ɖ igrījs Nîjl F’rāź, admits ɖt “Brexit hz feld”, Lebr sīmz teṛfaid v sizñ ɖ oṗtyṇti v a p’liticl lîftîm, n simpli gwñ fr rījônñ.

Bfr w cntiny, it śd b notd ɖt, inevitbli, F’rāź blemz evrwn bt himslf fr ɖ dzastr v Brexit, n śoz no sînz, az yt, v flfilñ hiz promis t “liv abrōd” f Brexit pruvd t b ɖ dzastr it indybitbli z.

Ɖ ultiṃt îṛni, az ɖ formr YY cmiśnr fr comṗtiśn Mario Monti rmîndd s in ɖ Fînanśl Tîmz, z ɖt “ɖ beṇfits v sć a s’xesfl project [ɖ sngl marcit], huz peṛnts wr tū Britiś poḷtiśnz (prîm̦inistr Marġrit Ʈaćr n cmiśnr Arʈr Cǒfīld) wd ivnć̣li b gvn p bî ɖ YC az part v Brexit”.

I canot rfren fṛm rmîndñ ppl v ǎr Brexitr prîm̦inistr Riśi Sūnac’s Frôdịn slip in pôntñ ǎt t ɖ ōcẉd sqod in ɖ Norɖn Îriś Deṃcratic Yńnist parti ɖt bî biyñ in ɖ YC n ɖ sngl marcit ɖe hd ɖ bst v bʈ wrldz.

It z a comn rfren ɖt “ʈñz r gwñ t pot” n “nʈñ sīmz t b wrcñ proprli” – an xaɉreśn, phps, bt an unḍstanḍbl wn. Bt wn ʈñ z abundntli clir: ppl cn no longr blem ɖ YY fr ɖer trublz. Yirz v osteṛti n nglect r caćñ p wɖ s.

Ẃć brñz s bac t Lebr. I cmnd ɖ vy v Trevr Grīʈm v Royl Lundn: “Ẃl ɖr wz’nt a ‘Brexit diṿdnd’ ɖr wd srtnli b a ‘rvrsñ Brexit’ diṿdnd. Eni parti cmñ in t ofis wɖ a creḍbl promis t jôn ɖ sngl marcit, or ultiṃtli ɖ YY, wd b ebl t bes ɖer tax n spendñ planz on a sgnificntli larjr icoṇmi wɖ OBR apruvl” – a refṛns t ɖ Ofis fr Bujit Rsponsbiḷti’z wîdli axptd calkleśn ɖt ɖ macroec̣nomic cost v Brexit rîzz t abt 4% or £100bn a yir.

Ɖ oltrṇtiv, sz Grīʈm, z ɖ “osteṛti marc tū” olrdi pnsld in fr ɖs guvnmnt’s planz fr public spendñ śd it win ɖ nxt ilex́n.

Nǎ, ɖ damij biyñ cōzd bî Brexit z mǎntñ viẓbli bî ɖ de. Mî tū objx́nz t ɖoz poḷtiśnz n coḷmnists hu se it wl b yirz bfr w cn rījôn r, frst, ɖ damij z gaṛntìd t intnṣfî ẃn ɖ nxt stej v ɖ barịrz t tred cmz intu fors at ɖ end v ɖs yir, n, secnd, ɖr r stl ultṛrîtwñ Brexitrz hu r trayñ t infors ɖ abandnmnt v ʈǎzndz v YY lwz, ẃć wd mc it ɖt mć mor dificlt t ngośiet rientri. So far īvn Brexitr Sūnac hz wordd ɖm of on most iśuz, bt ɖoz YRG fnatics r stl hard at it.

Aftr ɖ sirñ xpirịns wɖ ɖ 2016 reḟrendm, ppl wuri abt ɖ gosts ɖt mt ri’pir f ɖr z anɖr. Bt ẃ boɖr? Edẉd Hīʈ sīmz t b rmembrd prinsipli fr ɖ ʈri-de wīc v 1973-74 n biyñ bròt dǎn bî ɖ mainrz. Bt h olso gz dǎn in hisṭri fr x’sîzñ ɖ līdrśp t tec s intu ẃt wz ɖen ɖ Yṛpiyn Ic̣nomic Cḿṇti in 1973 – it wz Haṛld Wilsn hu hld a reḟrendm in 1975 t recnsîl ɖ disidnts in ɖ Lebr parti. Msz Ʈaćr dd nt fīl ɖ nīd t hold a reḟrendm in 1986 ẃn w jônd ɖ sngl marcit.

In mî vy, Starmr śd cm ǎt stroñli, n sn, fr rientri. H śd mc it an ilex́n iśu, ẃl haṃrñ hom ɖ mǎntñ costs v a Brexit ćampịnd bî a felñ n toṭli dscredtd Cnsrṿtiv-Brexit parti.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925