With Labour in power, hope returns... Will Hutton: British progressivism, recovering its roots, is once again on the march. We all can and ought to contribute... the-tls.co.uk/politics-socie…

How wise! Distribute widely...

Britons condemn the violent attacks on migrants, survey shows - yougov.co.uk/politics/artic…

On a lighter note... catching up with my reading I learn how The New Yorker celebrates the Olympics... the cover is play on Mr Hulot by Paul Rogers - 1/3

But the cocks are irresistible... 2/4

... and more... 3/4

N'est pas? 4/4

To get or not to get... technical...

You can feel Andrew O'Hagan's pain and indignation at the (now old news) Republican National Convention. In contrast, perhaps unsurprisingly, Anthony Lane has stronger antibodies: he made me laugh. newyorker.com/magazine/2024/… lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v46/…

Don't you wish US politics were more often like this? msn.com/en-us/news/pol…

Wolfgang Streeck on a "very German form of enforcement of political order", and "state-compatible democracy" where parties can be investigated and banned for anti-democratic speech & actions - lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v46/…

Anne Carson observes her symptoms - may the mind help control Parkinson's disease? lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v46/…

Sean Wilentz clarifies the stakes of the US November elections: through recent decisions on presidential immunity, the Supreme Court "has radically changed the very structure of American government, paving the way for MAGA authoritarianism." nybooks.com/articles/2024/…

Grapes of Wrath at Lyttelton, until 14 September... a wonderful production, teeming with incident and character, it repays close attention... sets hope and good faith against relentless hardship... nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/th… the-tls.co.uk/arts/theatre/t…

The enmity seems entrenched: members of each side deny the other's right to exist... but even this kind of cycle could be reversed... Tony Klug calls on the Israeli people to vote in a government that can build equitable relations with Palestinians -the-tls.co.uk/history/twenti…

David Shulman writes from the Occupied Territories - the ICJ July decision is a precious affirmation of truth in the face of determined, dehumanizing denial and continued settler violence against Palestinians... nybooks.com/articles/2024/…

Who is a normal American now? The struggle over the definition and vision of the future at the centre of the coming presidential elections - by Fintan O'Toole - nybooks.com/articles/2024/…

Indispensable as ever, Perry Anderson on understanding China's revolution, leadership, historical trajectory... lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v46/…

Some refreshing good news about inflation... economist.com/finance-and-ec…

Meanwhile in Europe... evidence of hard thinking of how to restore dynamism in the economy... an intro from the Centre for European Reform - any inspiration for the UK? mailings.cer.eu/publications/a…