Prospect Magazine
@prospectmagazine.co.uk
A politically independent monthly current affairs, culture & ideas magazine
Established 1995
Editor: Alan Rusbridger
@arusbridger.bsky.social; https://prospectmagazine.co.uk
Established 1995
Editor: Alan Rusbridger
@arusbridger.bsky.social; https://prospectmagazine.co.uk
Pinned
Our winter double issue has just hit newsstands! Here’s a peek at what’s inside... 🧵
For our cover story, @wblau.bsky.social speaks to Ed Miliband and @billmckibben.bsky.social about renewable energy—a surprisingly hopeful take on our future climate: www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/techno...
For our cover story, @wblau.bsky.social speaks to Ed Miliband and @billmckibben.bsky.social about renewable energy—a surprisingly hopeful take on our future climate: www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/techno...
These are bad times for the BBC: Trump is suing, its leaders have resigned, GB News snaps at its heels. In our winter issue, @aiannucci.bsky.social, @lewisgoodall.com, @sophiasgaler.bsky.social and others suggest how it could change.
Fixing the BBC
The corporation faces threats from inside and out. We asked a panel of past and present BBC voices how it must change to survive
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
January 1, 2026 at 7:23 AM
These are bad times for the BBC: Trump is suing, its leaders have resigned, GB News snaps at its heels. In our winter issue, @aiannucci.bsky.social, @lewisgoodall.com, @sophiasgaler.bsky.social and others suggest how it could change.
“At heart, I’m an introvert. But I pushed through my discomfort, striking up conversations with everyone who crossed my path.” In her diary, Malala Yousafzai reveals how she found her gang at university.
Why are young people struggling to make friends?
Plus, the perils of writing a memoir, and how to find your gang
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 31, 2025 at 6:53 PM
“At heart, I’m an introvert. But I pushed through my discomfort, striking up conversations with everyone who crossed my path.” In her diary, Malala Yousafzai reveals how she found her gang at university.
Despite the shocks of the last year, US democracy is still intact, writes Andrew Adonis
A year of Trump 2.0
Despite the shocks of the last year, US democracy is still intact
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 31, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Despite the shocks of the last year, US democracy is still intact, writes Andrew Adonis
From a documentary account of a re-energised street to an adaptation of a conversation in 1970s New York, Sukhdev Sandhu’s picks his top ten movies of the year
Films of the Year: 2025
From a documentary account of a re-energised street to an adaptation of a conversation in 1970s New York, here’s our critic’s top ten
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 31, 2025 at 5:50 PM
From a documentary account of a re-energised street to an adaptation of a conversation in 1970s New York, Sukhdev Sandhu’s picks his top ten movies of the year
Peter Kellner reflects on how the past year transformed our politics—and what ice cream can teach us about political theory
How 2025 transformed British politics
And here’s a tip for 2026: beware the rules of the ice cream wars
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 31, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Peter Kellner reflects on how the past year transformed our politics—and what ice cream can teach us about political theory
“Other PMs have had powerful advisers—Cummings, Mandelson—yet only Morgan McSweeney has effectively chosen a leader.” Stuart McGurk profiles the back-room fixer who captured the Labour party.
The curious rise of Morgan McSweeney
How a behind-the-scenes fixer captured the Labour party, only to become a symbol of Keir Starmer’s failing government
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 31, 2025 at 4:47 PM
“Other PMs have had powerful advisers—Cummings, Mandelson—yet only Morgan McSweeney has effectively chosen a leader.” Stuart McGurk profiles the back-room fixer who captured the Labour party.
Not sure what to watch before New Year's? Critic Sukhdev Sandhu spotlights the best films of 2025
Films of the Year: 2025
From a documentary account of a re-energised street to an adaptation of a conversation in 1970s New York, here’s our critic’s top ten
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 31, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Not sure what to watch before New Year's? Critic Sukhdev Sandhu spotlights the best films of 2025
With the right commitment to defence, Europe can face Putin without the US, writes Andrew Adonis.
No, Trump has not placed Europe in mortal danger
With the right commitment to defence, the continent can face Putin without the US
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 31, 2025 at 2:54 PM
With the right commitment to defence, Europe can face Putin without the US, writes Andrew Adonis.
As the year comes to a close, music critic Philip Clark picks his ten favourite albums of the year...
Classical & Jazz Albums of the Year: 2025
Our critic picks his top ten from the past 12 months
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 31, 2025 at 1:57 PM
As the year comes to a close, music critic Philip Clark picks his ten favourite albums of the year...
Conservatives are panicking that working women have ruined everything, writes @polphilpod.bsky.social. “This discourse may not seem intellectually serious—and it isn’t—but that doesn’t mean it won’t make it to our shores.”
Has ‘the great feminisation’ theory arrived in the UK?
Conservatives are panicking that working women have ruined everything
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 31, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Conservatives are panicking that working women have ruined everything, writes @polphilpod.bsky.social. “This discourse may not seem intellectually serious—and it isn’t—but that doesn’t mean it won’t make it to our shores.”
Our resident button-masher @pghoskin.bsky.social takes us through the best video games of the year, from one of the best he’s ever played to a boxful of strange jigsaws
Video Games of the Year: 2025
Our resident button-masher takes us, in alphabetical order, from one of the best he’s ever played to a boxful of strange jigsaws
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 31, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Our resident button-masher @pghoskin.bsky.social takes us through the best video games of the year, from one of the best he’s ever played to a boxful of strange jigsaws
”We’re moving, potentially quite quickly, into a different kind of world”. @billmckibben.bsky.social and Ed Miliband on their shared hope about a solar-powered planet.
Here comes the solar revolution
Demagogues, populists and despair can’t halt the electrification of our world
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 31, 2025 at 11:48 AM
”We’re moving, potentially quite quickly, into a different kind of world”. @billmckibben.bsky.social and Ed Miliband on their shared hope about a solar-powered planet.
I’m sick of Head Offices stealing our joy and vitality, writes Sheila Hancock. They order us about—and now they've taken away our trifles and chocolate eclairs.
Sheila Hancock: M&S has taken away my chocolate eclairs!
I‘m sick of Head Offices stealing our joy and vitality
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 31, 2025 at 10:36 AM
I’m sick of Head Offices stealing our joy and vitality, writes Sheila Hancock. They order us about—and now they've taken away our trifles and chocolate eclairs.
From hospitals to offices, film studios to death stars, Prospect critic Imogen West-Knights weighs up the year’s best telly...
Television of the Year: 2025
Hospitals, offices, film studios, death stars... our critic guides us through the year’s best telly
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 31, 2025 at 9:18 AM
From hospitals to offices, film studios to death stars, Prospect critic Imogen West-Knights weighs up the year’s best telly...
In his first interview since 7th October, Haaretz editor Aluf Benn speaks to @arusbridger.bsky.social about editing Israel's most consequential and controversial newspaper.
Inside Haaretz, Israel's voice of dissent
The newspaper is revered and reviled for its unflinching coverage of the Gaza war. Can it survive a possible future succession crisis?
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 31, 2025 at 7:58 AM
In his first interview since 7th October, Haaretz editor Aluf Benn speaks to @arusbridger.bsky.social about editing Israel's most consequential and controversial newspaper.
I’ve been a Royal Marine, a criminal and a prisoner, writes Isaac Rasmussen. But it was only when I became a student that I started to understand the masculinity that had forged me.
The biggest boys’ club in the world
I’ve been a Marine, a criminal, a prisoner. But it was only as a university student that I understood the masculinity that forged me
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 31, 2025 at 7:00 AM
I’ve been a Royal Marine, a criminal and a prisoner, writes Isaac Rasmussen. But it was only when I became a student that I started to understand the masculinity that had forged me.
Is it possible that the King is a bit… greedy? And so was his mum, and so is his brother Andrew, and so is his son William? @arusbridger.bsky.social investigates.
The King and Prince William must open the books on their enormous riches
The senior royals have amassed a great fortune without any scrutiny. For most of their subjects, these are testing financial times—we must have transp...
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 30, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Is it possible that the King is a bit… greedy? And so was his mum, and so is his brother Andrew, and so is his son William? @arusbridger.bsky.social investigates.
Not sure what to watch before New Year's? Critic Sukhdev Sandhu spotlights the best films of 2025
Films of the Year: 2025
From a documentary account of a re-energised street to an adaptation of a conversation in 1970s New York, here’s our critic’s top ten
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 30, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Not sure what to watch before New Year's? Critic Sukhdev Sandhu spotlights the best films of 2025
“Who would move to here from the US, Canada, Europe, South Korea or Australia for potentially lower wages, exorbitant visa fees and no certainty of being able to stay very long?” asks @benansell.bsky.social.
Labour’s Mr Micawber politics
The government hopes that ‘something will turn up’ to produce growth, but curbing immigration will only harm the economy
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 30, 2025 at 4:40 PM
“Who would move to here from the US, Canada, Europe, South Korea or Australia for potentially lower wages, exorbitant visa fees and no certainty of being able to stay very long?” asks @benansell.bsky.social.
“In the centre, a ragged scientist stares provocatively out of the frame. Look a little closer, he seems to say: this is also an experiment on you.“ Lucy Thynne on 'An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump' (1768):
‘An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump’ by Joseph Wright of Derby
Behind one 18th-century painter’s ominous scenes of scientific experiments is a reminder of the drama that comes with every epoch of discovery
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 30, 2025 at 3:20 PM
“In the centre, a ragged scientist stares provocatively out of the frame. Look a little closer, he seems to say: this is also an experiment on you.“ Lucy Thynne on 'An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump' (1768):
“If council tax rises are unavoidable, what differentiates Reform from the parties it displaced in local government?” wonders Prospect's Covert Councillor. “And if deficits are closed through spending cuts, which parts of the local state will be sacrificed?”
The Reform UK council paradox
Local government is where ideology and reality collide
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 30, 2025 at 1:59 PM
“If council tax rises are unavoidable, what differentiates Reform from the parties it displaced in local government?” wonders Prospect's Covert Councillor. “And if deficits are closed through spending cuts, which parts of the local state will be sacrificed?”
The only issue with Brexit is quite how massively damaging it has been. And according to the polls, voters agree by a huge margin, writes Andrew Adonis.
The nasty surprise that awaits British holidaymakers
For all the talk about an EU reset, the government hasn’t really moved on from Brexit
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 30, 2025 at 12:16 PM
The only issue with Brexit is quite how massively damaging it has been. And according to the polls, voters agree by a huge margin, writes Andrew Adonis.
Under the Data Protection Act of 2018, any organisation must render any document with your name on it to you on request. “Cancelled” author Kate Clanchy used it to her advantage...
The story of a betrayal
When I looked into the circumstances behind my abrupt cancellation, I discovered that close friends and colleagues were the first to give up on me
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 30, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Under the Data Protection Act of 2018, any organisation must render any document with your name on it to you on request. “Cancelled” author Kate Clanchy used it to her advantage...
Not sure what to watch over the break? Our critic Imogen West-Knights has got you covered
Television of the Year: 2025
Hospitals, offices, film studios, death stars... our critic guides us through the year’s best telly
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 30, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Not sure what to watch over the break? Our critic Imogen West-Knights has got you covered
Does being a UK City of Culture actually pay off? @isabelh.bsky.social examines the impact on this year’s recipient city: Bradford.
Bradford, a tale of two cities (of culture)
As it comes to the end of its tenure as UK City of Culture for 2025, the best thing some of the city’s established cultural institutions can say is th...
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
December 30, 2025 at 7:19 AM
Does being a UK City of Culture actually pay off? @isabelh.bsky.social examines the impact on this year’s recipient city: Bradford.