opinion
Opinion pieces from the left, right, and everyone in between.
Shabana Mahmood: Teething Troubles with One in, One Out Deal.
Keir Starmer did a deal with French President Emmanuel Macron. The agreement is one in, one out. In other words, we send a migrant back to France, and we accept one from France. Or at least that's the basic theory of it. So illegal migrants can be removed from Britain, and an equal number can come to Britain via the legal route. However, some have questioned the logic of this. Surely a sound policy would be stop or at least deter migrants from crossing the English Channel in the first place. The Channel is the busiest or one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, so dinghies stacked up with people are taking a hell of a risk. There have been no collisions with shipping as far as I know; however, dinghies have capsized with fatalities. Mr. Starmer was also supposed to be cracking down on the gangs exploiting migrants, but how well that has gone, I cannot say.
By Nicholas Bishop8 days ago in The Swamp
U.S. Removes Tanker Captain From UK Waters as Crew Prepares to Leave Scotland. AI-Generated.
The United States has removed the captain of a tanker from UK waters as the vessel’s crew prepares to leave Scotland, a move that has drawn attention from maritime authorities, political observers, and the shipping industry alike. While officials have offered limited public detail, the decision has sparked debate about maritime responsibility, international jurisdiction, and how nations respond when safety concerns arise in shared waters.
By Ayesha Lashari8 days ago in The Swamp
Neil Young Offers Greenlanders Free Access to His Music Archives. AI-Generated.
Legendary musician Neil Young has once again demonstrated that his relationship with music goes far beyond fame, profit, or nostalgia. By offering the people of Greenland free access to his extensive music archives, Young made a powerful statement about cultural respect, artistic freedom, and the role of art in times of political and environmental uncertainty.
By Ayesha Lashari8 days ago in The Swamp
Labour MP's Letter
Labour MPs described their mood in a letter to Sir Keir Starmer as "anxious and angry". Or to quote the full sentence, the 50 MPs who put their signatures to this letter said the blocking of Andy Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election had caused them a "huge amount of anxiety and anger".
By Nicholas Bishop9 days ago in The Swamp
Iranian Official Threatens War.
As Trump sends American flotillas from different directions to Iran, an anonymous Iranian official has said that if America strikes, "This time we will treat any attack (whether it be) limited, unlimited, surgical, kinetic, whatever they call it - as an all-out war and we will respond in the hardest possible way to settle this"!!! The official declined to say what this response would look like. Iran has said it is preparing for any American action and hopes it will not have to confront the US fleet/fleets.
By Nicholas Bishop11 days ago in The Swamp
The Architecture of the Empty. Content Warning.
"In a world increasingly obsessed with 'hollow thinking' where people are reduced to units and human dignity is phased out of the budget the act of creation becomes a form of resistance. This piece was born from a week of rigid rules and 'authoritarian bull shit,' but it ends in the only place the parasites cannot reach: the sanctuary of the imagination.
By Vicki Lawana Trusselli 12 days ago in The Swamp
Global Allies in a US (Trump) Vs Iran Crisis Who Stands With Whom?”
As tensions between the United States and Iran escalate in early 2026, global leaders and analysts are weighing the potential fallout of an outright war. Around January 23, 2026, Iran’s clerics publicly warned that any U.S. military action would prompt retaliation targeting U.S. investments across the region. At the same time, the United States deployed a naval “armada” — including an aircraft carrier strike group — toward Iranian waters while publicly hoping to avoid direct conflict.
By USA daily update 13 days ago in The Swamp
Zack Polanski: Thinks He Can Persuade Reform Voters to Support Him.
The Green Party has always been present in British politics. Known for their green and environmental politics. To begin with, they had one female MP; now they have four. Similar to their right-wing opponents, Reform UK, which also has 4 MPs.
By Nicholas Bishop13 days ago in The Swamp
Japan’s Takaichi Dissolves Parliament After Only Three Months in Office, Setting Up Snap Election. AI-Generated.
Japan’s political landscape has been thrown into uncertainty after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolved parliament just three months after taking office, calling a snap general election that few observers expected so soon. The dramatic move has sparked intense debate across Japan and abroad, with supporters calling it a necessary step to secure a mandate and critics warning of instability at a sensitive time for the country.
By Muhammad Hassan13 days ago in The Swamp
