With global capitalism facing possible collapse and the American empire in decline, a political vacuum is developing in the space formerly occupied by New Labour. It must be filled by a revitalised, unified Left, argues Richard Seymour.

Labour’s defeat in the recent elections was a result of disillusionment with New Labour, the influence of the “war on terror” and the failure of the Left to capitalise on anti-war and anti-neoliberal sentiment, says Richard Seymour

Every effort has been made during the past 20 years to discredit socialism as outdated and irrelevant. No other ideology has been subject to such an onslaught. But socialism remains the only alternative ideology that can challenge capitalism effectively and offer humanity a future. Nick Toms reports.

The Greens can justifiably claim to be the largest progressive party in the UK, but often meet with suspicion from the left. Are they given a fair hearing? Alex Nunns weighs the evidence

The budget suggests that Brown and Darling have failed to recognise the cost of ignoring working-class alienation, argues Seamus Milne.

_Gary Fraser argues that the left needs to move beyond abstract analyses of the causes of crime and develop a critique of actual criminal policy, with a view to developing alternatives. This is the more important because crime is, of course, overwhelmingly a working class issue.

Davy Jones, a leading advocate of participatory budgeting, says the left needs to recognise and seize opportunities when and where they arise.

Published in Soundings and exclusively available online at ukwatch.net, Gerry Hassan discusses the contemporary city, both in fact and discourse, and argues that we need a different model of a city than what is currently on offer. Some elements of an alternative that renews an idealistic, optimistic and forwardlooking idea of humanity and the future, can be found in the innovative Glasgow 2020 project.

Salma Yaqoob says that how we build a political alternative is as important as what we build.

Andy Newman looks at the state of the left in England and concludes that much has to be done if any kind of unity is to be achieved

Gregor Gall argues that it is time the Scottish left began to think about how it can work together again. To find ways forward he looks at examples from across Europe.

The membership and influence of political parties is declining throughout the western world, and most quickly in Britain. Hilary Wainwright examines the role of the party in transformative politics and asks how the left might reimagine this crucial instrument of political change

A small left party, pro-working class and anti-multiculturalism, has been winning council seats on Britain’s largest council estate. Zoe Jewell reports.

Nicholas Jones looks at the failure of the left in the blogosphere.

Liberal arguments that the West needs to defend “Enlightenment values” lead to a culture of bigotry, writes Arun Kundnani

After more than a decade of a concerted attempt to silence the left in the Labour Party, Alex Nunns inquires into whether there is still life in this vital challenge to the power of the executive.