The Lead Digest: Alliance Defending Freedom, ketamine and levelling up (finally)
Our round-up by The Lead’s team of what we’ve been reading, listening to, scrolling and watching each week.
Here at The Lead, we like to consume just as much as we create, which is why we spend a little time each week rounding up our favourite stories, books, podcasts and films to offer our readers a sample of the work that informs our world.
Ed recommends Anoosh Chakelian’s exclusive report on Labour’s levelling up spending in the New Statesman. With Starmer blasting past his successors, are we finally getting deeds instead of words?
Ella finally listened to the Tortoise Investigates podcast series Who Trolled Amber, which identifies and tries to find the source of the organised trolling campaign that targeted Amber Heard in the infamous trial brought against her by Johnny Depp. Vital listening, whether you thought the social media storm was fishy at the time, or you’re interested in misinformation.
Elsewhere, Ella has been writing about drugs and parties. For
’s new Substack What Are You On, she dug into the economics shaping ketamine’s central – and increasingly harmful – role in the drugs landscape. For the Guardian, she wrote about why more people seem to be attending festivals, raves and concerts alone.And for The Bunker podcast this week, Zoë interviewed the New York Times investigative journalist, Jane Bradley, who uncovered how anti-abortion lobby groups are shoring up their influence via Reform.
Natalie really enjoyed this useful read from climate activist
on the thorny balance between the unhelpful, individualism of “wellness” and the need for rest as part of sustainable resistance.Watched, read or listened to something you think we’d like to feature? Drop ella@thelead.uk a line and we will consider for inclusion.