#social-inequality

#social-inequality

It's impossible to ignore the tension in the air right now. Acts of political violence, heated debates, and deepening division leave many of us feeling bewildered, frustrated, and even helpless. In times like these, our instinct can be to double down on our perspective or point fingers outward. One of the drivers of polarization is the sense that acknowledging another group's struggles somehow diminishes our own. Humility, if we are open to it, offers another path.

My great-grandfather and I were both 24 when we arrived in America. He landed at Ellis Island in 1912 with nothing but a suitcase, his savings, and the belief that America would offer a better life. I touched down at JFK airport in 2022, ready for the adventure I'd waited most of my life for. We know little about my great-grandfather's time in America, but we know he brought his fortunes back to Ireland after 20 years doing industrial work in Philadelphia.

Katrina is the catastrophe that best illuminates the dark path that has led us to 2025. To this day, no one can pin down exactly who or what was to blame for the disaster and its even more disastrous response; the failure was total and multilayered. And, as Lee's documentary made plain, it was the moment when Americans realized that their country was capable of fully abandoning them, even in their time of greatest need.

Data from the Scottish Qualifications Authority showed this year's attainment gap was very similar to that of 2019, the year before the Covid crisis hit, when the gap for National 5s was 17 points.

Thatcher's right-to-buy scheme has cost UK taxpayers almost 200bn and contributed significantly to the housing crisis by reducing the stock of affordable housing.

The bill's complexity was always in service of its politics: When no one understands tax policy, it's much easier to sell whatever story you want.

The Green party can and must lead a hopeful fightback, offering a genuine alternative and a home for voters who feel abandoned by Labour and the Tories.

A truly progressive society should be moving towards seeing the person first, both beyond and in profound recognition of their politicised identities.