Jason Cowley

Jason Cowley reflects on Bryan Magee’s life, philosophical work and political career, drawing on their meetings in 1997 and 2008. The profile presents Magee as a prolific author and influential broadcaster whose television series The Great Philosophers made difficult philosophical questions accessible. In his later years, Magee remained preoccupied with the meaning of life and judged himself harshly against Bertrand Russell and Karl Popper, revealing a combination of intellectual ambition, humility and loneliness.

Anthony Barnett is presented as a radical campaigner and co-founder of OpenDemocracy whose work has shaped debates about England’s national identity and the future of the United Kingdom. His involvement with Charter 88 helped advance electoral and constitutional reforms, including the Human Rights Act, freedom-of-information legislation, devolved institutions in Scotland and Wales, a London mayoralty and the Supreme Court. The piece links Barnett’s ideas to the influence of Scottish historian Tom Nairn and to Charter 88’s impact on New Labour under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, while framing Barnett’s assessment of the Sixties as a critique of the period’s political and cultural legacy.

England’s women’s football team are presented as a model of resilience after overcoming early criticism, limited periods of leading during the knockout stage and reports of squad divisions to retain their European title. The team’s unity and support for Jess Carter amid racist abuse are contrasted with online hostility and pessimism about Britain. Their determination, diversity and commitment to a shared purpose are offered as an example for the country, with Keir Starmer urged to draw lessons from their success.

Reform UK sought to regain control after Zia Yusuf resigned as chairman and returned two days later in a new role overseeing its so-called Doge unit. While Yusuf appeared on the BBC’s Today programme, Nigel Farage used a speech in Wales to combine anti-establishment rhetoric with appeals to disaffected Labour voters, including support for restoring coal mining and reopening Port Talbot’s steel furnaces. Reform’s growing support is extending beyond England: despite lacking significant organization in Scotland, it won 26 per cent of the vote in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, where Labour defeated the SNP. The developments highlight Reform’s challenge to the Conservatives and the broader instability of UK party politics.

Britain’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan left a lasting mark on the country’s armed forces, public life and sense of its role in the world. The sacrifices of soldiers, including bomb-disposal personnel, were publicly mourned through the repatriations at Wootton Bassett, but those ceremonies did not translate into wider support for the wars themselves. General Richard Dannatt’s criticism of the Iraq mission and the government’s failure to uphold the military covenant reflected growing doubts about the purpose and conduct of the interventions. The resulting political disillusionment narrowed Britain’s foreign-policy ambitions, weakened the interventionist outlook associated with Tony Blair and David Cameron, and contributed to a more cautious national mood before the Brexit vote.