PinnedMember-onlyDissecting the Class issue in FrankensteinA brief history of chopping up dead people and the working class. The Resurrectionists ‘I collected bones from charnel houses; and disturbed, with profane fingers, the tremendous secrets of the human frame’ - Chapter 4 Sooner or later, any committed artist is going to require materials for their designs. It just so…Frankenstein21 min readFrankenstein21 min read
PinnedA Day in the Life*This piece was an entry for the New Writing North ‘A Writing Chance’ programme. The brief was ‘an original piece of journalism, non-fiction or / creative writing, up to 500 words on the theme ‘Life in 2020–2021’* I read the news today, oh boy. It used to be a vaudeville…Class3 min readClass3 min read
Mar 1, 2021Member-onlyP.T. Starnum,“ Publicity? Bad! There’s no such thing.”Keir Starmer’s Goldilocks approach to dealing with the mainstream media is lukewarm porridge, and which maniac likes lukewarm porridge? Writing about Keir Starmer has become like the qualities we’d hoped he’d embody when he became Leader of the Labour party; reliable but politically benign to the point of dullness while…Politics5 min readPolitics5 min read
Feb 22, 2021Member-onlyHancock’s Harmful Smarm and Alarm at Starmer’s CalmIf Matt Hancock said he could jump the English Channel in a single bound, Kier Starmer would say, “The public has no desire to watch this man drown.” Matthew John David Hancock, The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and a man whose parents only managed to whittle…Politics6 min readPolitics6 min read
Oct 2, 2020Member-onlySic Semper Tyrannis: Trump and the Political Death WishDonald Trump has coronavirus and huge swathes of the internet could not be happier. After spouting off nonsense and dangerous treatments for the virus, lying about how deadly he knew the virus was, mocking his presidential opponent for wearing masks too often, and overseeing the deaths of over 200,000 Americans…Morality5 min readMorality5 min read
Oct 1, 2020Member-onlyCommon Sense against Culture War — Thomas Paine’s Revolt versus Laurence Fox’s ReclaimIt might seem foolish to compare Enlightenment political theorist Thomas Paine and the bloke off the telly who plays a sidekick’s sidekick, Laurence Fox. …Politics9 min readPolitics9 min read
Sep 1, 2020Member-onlyPeeling off the wallpaper: Capitalism, Coronavirus and Consumerism“The factories are born, thrive briefly, turn to husks as the hand lettered signs above the shops give way to corporate logo; The same insignia reiterated; the same faerie ring of names about each city centre; the same architecture: Docklands über alles. And each town stamped from the same diseases…Britain5 min readBritain5 min read
Aug 31, 2020Member-onlyRegarding Imperial Truth: British history, culture wars and the usefulness of shameDear Nephew, I was very pleased to receive your letter in regards to my work at the Bureau Office for Legend and Lore Communication and Knowledge Services. Before I get to your questions regarding our recent efforts, I must apologise for the tardiness of my reply. We’ve been rushed off…Satire6 min readSatire6 min read
Published inCARRE4·Aug 25, 2020Member-onlyNot knowing and barely caring: the methods of being a conscientious objector to the culture warIf you are at all interested in politics or social causes you’ll inevitably find yourself drafted or volunteering for the culture war. You might be surprised to learn that the idea isn’t a new one and dates back as far as 1871. coming from the Kulturkampf ( lit. “culture struggle”)…Politics7 min readPolitics7 min read
Aug 20, 2020Member-onlyStrange Territories, A Year on Discworld: Book 21 — JingoIn a quest to escape the reality of 2020 and recapture my youth, I’ve set myself the goal of reading all 41 Discworld novels in one year. Join me on this voyage of discovery which definitely isn’t a complete waste of time. Mild spoilers, probably. Jingo is another entry in the Watch Cycle of Discworld novels. This time around a mysterious island has risen from the Circle Sea creating tensions between the surrounding nations of Ankh-Morpork and Klatch. …Fiction6 min readFiction6 min read