02 April 2007

From the Editor…

Welcome to the New Statesman website. Whether you are a new reader or an existing one - online or via the magazine - I hope you'll enjoy the great writing, fresh ideas and provocative debate that make the New Statesman Britain's award-winning current affairs weekly

Jason Cowley, Editor, New Statesman

Cover story

Africa: How we killed our dreams of freedom

Across the continent, liberation movements that fought against colonial rule proved unable to sustain democratic governance. We cannot keep blaming the past.

By William Gumede

Features

Febrile rumours and canny games

By Martin Bright

Short of throwing himself at Brown's feet, it is hard to imagine what more Miliband might do to show he does not want the top job. Yet his essay on the future of the left is a statement of intent

Exodus from poverty and terror

By Alec Russell

As Zimbabwe descends into chaos, its border has become the focus of the fastest-growing movement of people in sub-Saharan Africa.

How Mugabe's violence will free us

By Wilf Mbanga

Wilf Mbanga is happy that the world has witnessed the tyranny

My vision for the future

By David Miliband

Will the forthcoming change of prime minister lead to a radical change in British politics? As speculation mounts about a leadership contest, David Miliband sets out a new approach designed to revitalise the centre-left

12 comments

Why the rich should now be made to pay

By Anthony Giddens

The architect of Tony Blair's 'third way' outlines 16 steps to a fairer Britain

4 comments

Make way for Big Organic

By Stephen Armstrong

Is big business capable of providing a solution to the environmental crisis? The arrival in Britain of a supersized wholefood chain is opening fissures in the green movement

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Time Out with Nick Cohen

By Nick Cohen

In his search for England, Julian Baggini expected to find racism, sexism and fear. He found something much more thought-provoking

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Mad Margaret's voyage of dishonour

By Bruce Page

In this week's selection from the New Statesman archive former editor Bruce Page opposes the sending of the British Task Force to recapture the Falklands

Regulars

New Statesman Leader

Redistribution is no longer a dirty word, but isn't yet open practice

Commons Confidential

Petulant Pete tumbles

By Kevin Maguire

Druggie Dave is looking for an Alastair Campbell and prepared to pay £140K

God's reply

Set by Dipak Ghosh We asked you to eavesdrop on God's reply to a politician's prayers

Culture

Into the darkness

By Sue Hubbard

Best known for his beautiful coffee-table books, Andy Goldsworthy is now making art from blood and human hair. Nature is brutal, he tells Sue Hubbard

Crazy idealism

By Peter Conrad

Philip Glass believes that music is an agent of change. He is expecting too much of himself

Castles in the air

By Lynsey Hanley

Planning future cities requires not science fiction, writes Lynsey Hanley, but a firm grasp of practicalities

Theatre

The battle is won, but the struggle goes on

By Rosie Millard

Two plays prove there's life after apartheid for South African drama Sizwe Banzi is Dead Lyttelton Theatre, London SE1 Nothing But the Truth Birmingham Rep

Film

Liberty, equality, fraternity?

By Ryan Gilbey

Prejudice in France, past and present, is smartly addressed by a pair of films Days of Glory (15) dir: Rachid Bouchareb Beyond Hatred (no certificate) dir: Olivier Meyrou