''Left Foot Forward'' (''LFF'') is a
left-wing
Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically involve a concern for those in so ...
political news and comment site in the
UK, established in 2009. Its creator,
Will Straw
William David John Straw, CBE (born 1980) works in the charitable sector. He worked as a civil servant, founded the political blog '' Left Foot Forward,'' was an associate director of the think-tank Institute for Public Policy Research, speci ...
, the son of
Alice Perkins
Alice Elizabeth Perkins, CB (born 24 May 1949) is a former British civil servant. She was appointed in July 2011 as the Chairman of Post Office Ltd., a UK state-owned limited company, to lead the Board following the separation of the Post Offic ...
and
Jack Straw
John Whitaker Straw (born 3 August 1946) is a British politician who served in the Cabinet from 1997 to 2010 under the Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He held two of the traditional Great Offices of State, as Home Secretary ...
, edited the newspaper until December 2010.
Straw was succeeded by Shamik Das, who was succeeded in February 2013 by
James Bloodworth James Bloodworth may refer to:
* James Bloodworth (journalist), English journalist
* James Bloodworth Jr.
James Morgan Bartow Bloodworth Jr. (February 21, 1925 – September 22, 2006) was an American physician, pathologist, and researcher on diab ...
, then in February 2016 by Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin. In June 2017, Josiah Mortimer took over as Editor. In 2020, Joe Lo joined as co-editor, before being replaced by former ''
Newsweek
''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print magazine in 1933, it was widely ...
'' journalist Basit Mahmood in May 2021.
The site is part of a cohort of British left-wing blogs which attracted interest from the media in 2010 and 2011.
In January 2014, the charity
Oxfam
Oxfam is a British-founded confederation of 21 independent charitable organizations focusing on the alleviation of global poverty, founded in 1942 and led by Oxfam International.
History
Founded at 17 Broad Street, Oxford, as the Oxford Co ...
cancelled an event at the
East London Mosque
The East London Mosque (ELM) is situated in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets between Whitechapel and Aldgate East. Combined with the adjoining London Muslim Centre and Maryam Centre, it is one of the largest mosques in Europe accommodating ...
after ''Left Foot Forward'' made the charity aware of the profile of one of its headline speakers,
Ibrahim Hewitt, who had written a book for
GCSE
The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a particular subject, taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. State schools in Scotland use the Scottish Qualifications Certificate instead. Private s ...
students calling
homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to pe ...
a "great sin", and saying that gay people should be "severely punished" under Islamic law.
In 2016, ''Left Foot Forward'' described itself as "progressive" and "in agreement with left of centre policies and politicians". It regarded as sister blogs ''
ThinkProgress
''ThinkProgress'' was an American progressive news website that was active from 2005 to 2019. It was a project of the Center for American Progress Action Fund (CAP Action), a progressive public policy research and advocacy organization. Founded ...
'' in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...
, and ''Chifley'' in
Australia.
In 2018, a not-for-profit co-operative called Political Pixel started supporting the operation of ''Left Foot Forward'', alongside other left-wing blogs
LabourList
LabourList is a British news website supportive of, but independent of, the Labour Party, launched in 2009. Describing itself as Labour's "biggest independent grassroots e-network", the site's content includes news, commentary, interviews, campa ...
and
Political Scrapbook
''Political Scrapbook'' was a left wing political blog. The site was described as "influential" by ''The Independent'' and was viewed, along with outlets such as '' Left Foot Forward'', as part of a cohort of British left-wing blogs which attract ...
.
In 2020, ''Left Foot Forward'' became independent of Political Pixel.
In March 2018, ''Left Foot Forward'' joined Parliament's Press Gallery to report from Parliament and the outlet joined the state-approved press regulator
IMPRESS in January 2019. LFF was one of the outlets which questioned government ministers during the daily
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickl ...
press conferences in April 2020.
Contributing editors to the site include accounting professor
Prem Sikka, former
Green Party
A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence.
Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundati ...
leader
Natalie Bennett
Natalie Louise Bennett, Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (born 10 February 1966) is a Australian-British politician and journalist who served as Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales from 2012 to 2016. Bennett was given a peerage in ...
, and
Unite the Union
Unite the Union, commonly known as Unite, is a British and Irish trade union which was formed on 1 May 2007 by the merger of Amicus and the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU). Unite is the second largest trade union in the UK (after ...
Assistant General Secretary
Tony Burke
Anthony Stephen Burke (born 4 November 1969) is an Australian politician serving as Leader of the House, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister for the Arts since 2022. He is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP ...
.
See also
*
ConservativeHome
ConservativeHome is a British right-wing blog which supports, but is independent of, the Conservative Party. It was first established by Tim Montgomerie in 2005 with the aim of arguing for a broad conservative spectrum, which is serious about b ...
*
The Canary (website)
''The Canary'' is a left-wing news website based in the United Kingdom. While focusing on UK political affairs, it also has a "Global" section, a satire section ("Off the Perch"), and "Science", "Environment", and "Health" sections. Founded in ...
*
Guido Fawkes
Guido Fawkes is a right-wing political website published by British-Irish political blogger Paul Staines.
History
In September 2004, Staines began writing an anonymous blog about British politics under the name of Guido Fawkes, an alternative na ...
*
Political Scrapbook
''Political Scrapbook'' was a left wing political blog. The site was described as "influential" by ''The Independent'' and was viewed, along with outlets such as '' Left Foot Forward'', as part of a cohort of British left-wing blogs which attract ...
References
External links
Left Foot Forward
2009 establishments in the United Kingdom
British political blogs
Internet properties established in 2009
Left-wing politics in the United Kingdom
{{blog-stub