Leaders
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Interview with Phil Redmond, June 2026
In this audio recording of a telephone interview, Phil and I discuss what is driving the public's demand for political change.
The establishment fights back: SLAPPs, injunctions, intimidation, and detention
Governments have a duty to uphold the law, but where does legitimate legal restraint end and intimidation begin?
Should journalists have greater protection from institutional pressure?
Governments have a responsibility to protect national security, public safety and individual rights, while the media have a duty to scrutinise those in power. Where do you think the balance of journalistic freedom should lie?
Are our politicians becoming more corrupt or does the media just make it seem so?
We rarely witness political corruption directly, so how much of what we believe about it comes from the media itself?
Are UK politicians more corrupt today than in the past?
This poll relates to the article 'Are our politicians becoming more corrupt or does the media just make it seem so?' but whether you read that or not, what do you think?
Are online political influencers modern-day sophists?
Plato, in the Socratic dialogue Gorgias, expressed his distrust of the sophists for valuing persuasion over truth. However, if influencers are modern-day sophists, should we be more worried about them or the digital platforms that promote them?
Journalistic authenticity and the trade for ubiquity
AI-generated content is now often consumed without question, whether it is fact, fiction, or something in between. But if no one witnessed, questioned, or interpreted an event, can we still call the result journalism?
Babette on politics and media June 2026
In this interview with Babette, she and I discuss levels of trust in modes of media and what gives her confidence in different sources of information.
Do you think voting should be mandatory?
Other counties use it, would it work in the UK?
- Yes67%
- No33%
Do you feel your voice is heard?
Data from a street questionnaire suggests not. Cast your vote on the topic.
Nothing has changed, so what's the point?
If the two main parties in the UK promise the same things, what change is actually possible? And are we looking for it in the wrong place?
Are they listening? Political participation and feeling heard
A questionnaire undertaken in central London reveals most people vote, most people understand the system, and yet three-quarters feel unheard by it. Is this just sour grapes, or something more fundamental?
Who can we trust? Media use and trust in sources
More than half of respondents to my questionnaire expressed distrust in political media, both legacy and online. But if we distrust our sources and keep using them, is that merely healthy scepticism or the sign of a deeper crisis of confidence?