by Katie Isham. Southampton is famous for its docks. They spear the heart of the city and have provided employment, transport and stories for centuries. The docks are a constant source of activity but it’s a place few of us residents get to see up close. This week I...
Opinion: Freeports: the mythology of the buccaneer
by Jonathan Mitchell. Even before he became Prime Minister, Boris Johnson had been laying the ideological groundwork for his premiership for years and one of these policies was Freeports being reintroduced in Britain. This idea was announced properly in the 2021 Budget by chancellor Rishi Sunak. The plan is...
Reader’s letter: The NHS is being applauded but starved or resources
by Maggie Fricker. Saturday 3rd of July will see local protests right across the country to demand better for our NHS. Tens of thousands of health campaigners have come together to make our voices heard from Keep Our NHS Public, NHS Workers Say No to Public Sector pay inequality,...
People in Common: Carol Boulton, a heroine for horses
by Anna-Maria Bauer. Carol Boulton helps horses to come to trust with humans and people to lose their fear of the animals – and sometimes life in general. It is the calmness you notice first. The grounded, strong way Carol Boulton walks, the relaxed manner with which she interacts...
Celebrating and protecting the NHS
Three events are planned for Southampton next month (July) to celebrate and help protect the NHS by campaign group Southampton Keep our NHS Public. First, an NHS Birthday Event is being held on Saturday, July 3. Focusing on patient safety, pay justice and an end to privatisation, the event...
Trans, queer punk rockers Hunting Hearts on street safety, stereotypes and structural oppression
During Pride month, Devin Valentine, Lucy Rose and Beck Lombardi, from queer, trans punk rock Southampton band Hunting Hearts talk about gender, perception and safety with In Common’s Sally Churchward. Sally: Quite rightly, there’s been a lot of talk about street safety lately, particularly women’s safety, following the tragic...
Suburban Safari: The flowers and follies of Bursledon
by Katie Isham. For a walk that’s under two miles long, this loop makes you feel like you’ve been on a hike through several different landscapes and even navigated a few eras. The sort of walk where, by the end, you’re surprised to remember some of the sights from...
Photos: out in the Totton sunshine
by Mike Daish. It really is so good to get outside and appreciate some of the natural beauty around. I consider myself very lucky to live close to so many wonderful places to walk and cycle. Even going into the centre of Totton is a treat as it has...
Opinion: pandemic rent debt must be cancelled and renters protected
by Jonathan Mitchell. Throughout this pandemic private renters have received a half-arsed olive branch from the government. They may have been given protection from Section 21 evictions (also known as ‘no fault evictions’) during it, but no write off of pandemic debt. Mortgage holidays were granted for all mortgage...
It’s not just any old gallery – Southampton’s art treasure, and how we got it
by Charlie Hislop. Remember when the Daily Echo and Tory council bosses wanted to sell off paintings from the city art gallery to free up cash? Well, now that the city is bidding to be UK City of Culture 2025 everyone has thankfully changed their tune, and the value...