Politoblog

In 2021, I wrote an article about why I felt that the British monarchy was worth keeping around. This piece will undoubtedly make several of the same points, but with the shift in perspective that the death of the UK’s longest reigning monarch brings. This I will concede – it is fundamentally elitist that a single family can be born into the wealth and privilege that the royal family has. It is further unfair that these people are given a platform to use as they see fit, without ever having done anything to earn it. It is unjust that the most privileged family in Britain represent centuries of class warfare and racism, and ultimately cannot be seen to represent any group of British society. However – and I recognize how uncomfortable “however” might sound following such a caveat – I am a monarchist. To be clear, monarchism differs from royalism in that it does not imply a support for one particular monarch. That said, I do limit my support for the monarchy to the case I know best: the...

Poland has been portrayed in the media as a friend to Ukraine in recent months, a country which has done its utmost to support its neighbour. But how much of that response has been government-led? In this episode of The Common Room, Aria Guevara and Greta Scott discuss the role of Polish civil society in responding to the crisis. This episode was recorded on the 25th of March at the Yolk Workspace & Community podcast studio in Kraków.

As the summer slowly makes its exit, Beatrice Giovannoni, Greta Scott, and Jonah Zijlma come together to share some of the spicy political plays that have taken place. Pursuing like bears, our podcasters take you through an ensemble cast of governments, coalitions, parties, and the people in them. Why does an alliance turn into betrayal, or cooperation into dissolution? And how do different electoral frameworks affect the political landscape? From Italy to Kenya to the UK, we hope you're in tip-top shape for some top-tier toppling tales! The episode was recorded on the 30th of August 2022 at the Radio and Television Laboratory in Prague.

When writing an article about Boris Johnson, it is inevitable that something will be left out. This British government has broken the law on multiple occasions; it has been corrupt; it has attacked basic human rights; it has limited the right to protest and free media – and it is finally drawing to a close. The seeds of discontent Discontent within the Conservative Party can be traced back to October 2021, when a House of Commons committee recommended that then-MP Owen Paterson be suspended for breaking lobbying rules. However, Conservatives, encouraged by the PM, voted to pause his suspension and to set up a new committee to investigate the disciplinary process for MPs. This left the party with new accusations of corruption and sleaze, the Conservative Party’s meat and potatoes. Opposition parties refused to participate in the new committee, forcing the government into an embarrassing U-turn. As a consequence, Paterson resigned as an MP, although notably of his own accord and not fol...