Comment
Greens leader Zack Polanski with new MP Hannah Spencer. Ryan Jenkinson/Getty
The disturbing rise of sectarianism in British politics
The Gorton and Denton by-election gives a taste of the âvicious future that awaits Englandâ, says Nick Cohen in The Spectator. To win the Muslim vote, Green leader Zack Polanski gave an interview to 5Pillars, an Islamist outfit that has been reprimanded by the press regulator for encouraging âhatred and abuseâ toward Jewish and LGBT people. (Polanski is Jewish and gay, âbut you donât get the sectarian vote by opposing racism and homophobiaâ.) He also put out an ad in Urdu linking Labour with Indiaâs Hindu PM Narendra Modi and Israelâs Benjamin Netanyahu, overtly stoking religious tensions â in Manchester no less, where Jews were murdered in October âjust for being Jewsâ. And donât look to Reform UK for help: Nigel Farage is pursuing a mirror-image of Green sectarian politics from the right â or, to be plain, the far right.
We are facing nothing less than the âcollapse of our democratic norms,â says Jake Wallis Simons in The Daily Telegraph. Sectarianism is âpoised to become the new lever of British politicsâ. For years there was talk of a âred-green allianceâ between the hard left and Islamists. Those old fears now seem âpitifully naĂŻveâ. What did our elites expect after decades of importing whole communities from non-democratic cultures and âneglecting their assimilationâ? Today, a not insignificant chunk of voters is so consumed with hatred of Israel that it is the dominant issue for them, even during a cost-of-living crisis. This foreign priority highlights the âghettoisation of modern Britainâ and suggests that communities increasingly âdefine themselves by their religious affiliationâ. I fear weâre heading for a future of more bigotry, more fury, more extremism and less democracy. âBritain is fighting for its life and frankly, the odds arenât good.â
Advertisement
Year of the Fire Horse bodes well for Asian investment
Asian markets rebounded strongly in 2025, boosted by renewed interest in China and a shift away from US megaâcaps, helping Aberdeenâs two Asian trusts deliver standout returns through their contrasting largeâcap income and smallâcap growth strategies. Despite geopolitical risks and uneven recovery in China, both trustâs see healthy earnings, attractive valuations and strong opportunities across Asia. Read more.
Property
THE WALLED GARDEN This unusual one-bedroom home in Devon was built around an abandoned Victorian walled garden, says The Guardian. The front door opens into the main living space, with stainless steel kitchen units along an exposed brick wall and a bank of windows opposite. Next to that is the bedroom, which has an en suite, and a sitting room with a log-burning stove and skylights, which leads to a small study and a bathroom. Outside are a wildflower meadow, a greenhouse, a pond and a 760 sq ft studio. Exeter is a 40-minute drive. ÂŁ995,000. Click on the image to see the listing.
On the money
If you thought this was a normal piece from the newsletter, says Jon Connell in The Knowledge, youâd be wrong. Itâs a trick â a cheap ploy to grab your attention, in the hope of (finally) convincing you to become a paid subscriber. We are still, for now, running our introductory offer of 50% off for the first year, so itâs just ÂŁ4 a month or ÂŁ40 for an annual subscription. For that frankly ludicrously low price, you get the full newsletter each day â so no more of these annoying messages â as well as access to our subscribers-only app, our full archive and our puzzles hub. To join the masses, click here.
Let us know what you thought of todayâs issue by replying to this email
To find out about advertising and partnerships, click here
Been forwarded this newsletter? Try it for free
Enjoying The Knowledge? Click to share
