An appreciation of the elusive Talk Talk frontman; originally published following news of his death in February 2019. (I will publish the transcript from my conversation with Hollis soon once I have digitised the tape.)  See also: Mark Hollis: Inside the Walled Garden https://www.jasoncowley.net/ar...

Once outliers on the centre-left, the Social Democrats are now a model for defeating the hard right with Europe’s toughest immigration system

An essay from the archive: Male rivalry, literary ambition and the terror that comes in the night 

McSweeney was more than Starmer’s chief of staff; he was his chief strategist, ideologue, fixer and powerbroker

The prime minister may think he is misunderstood but he represents the politics of a dying era. He has only his own judgement to blame over Peter Mandelson

Maurice Glasman at Trump's inuguration: "Whenever I mentioned Peter Mandelson, Trumpists kept showing me pictures of him with Jeffrey Epstein"

Published January 2025; republished February 2026 after more Mandelson revelations emerged leading to the resignation of Morgan McSweeney 

From Remain-supporting moderate Cameroon to Reform's latest recruit

It was meant to be an Islamist coup but Tehran underestimated the ruthless ingenuity of its enemies