The Lead Digest: The Caerphilly by-election and the myth of the 'woke' right
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.
Luke recommends a look at the September 28 edition Will Hayward’s Substack newsletter, which digs into the Caerphilly by-election. He speaks about how Reform UK have gone all-out immigration in their campaigning (which we’re used to) but points out there is hardly an area less affected by immigration. A good read.
.Ed has picked the latest Freddie Flintoff series, Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams, on the BBC. It’s uplifting to see how sport (especially cricket) can make such a difference and a reminder not to give up on young people. It’s easy for them to be written off but there’s some great moments in this series as he brings together a group of boys from Liverpool and a group of girls in Blackpool. And it’s not an easy ride.
Ella is delighted to see the legendary Vice global drugs editor Max Daly bring his unique style of crime journalism to Substack. His first post, on the scapegoating of Hollywood’s ‘Ketamine Queen’ in the late Matthew Perry’s death, is a testament to his commitment to confronting media distortion.
.Zoë has been extremely busy this week at the Labour Party Conference. She did have a brilliant article published in the New World, though, which through compelling interviews and striking statistics tells the story of a generation trapped by circumstances.
Finally, Padraig recommends James Bloodworth’s latest Substack article on the myth of the ‘woke’ right, a term that has been doing the rounds in recent weeks.
.And, since its National Poetry Day, the best poem of all time.
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