Welcome to Ungagged! Page down for our latest Podcasts and articles!
Latest Podcasts
{Ordinary Heroes}
{Dinnae Be Anyone’s Mug… Plus Music…}
{Derek Stewart MacPherson interviews Glasgow Councillor Graham Campbell}
{“Don’t Be Afraid To Resist!” – Nathália Urban On Lula’s First Speech Since Being Released}
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{RIC 2019 SPECIAL PODCAST}
On Saturday 26th of October, the Radical Independence Campaign held a conference. The Speakers included Ungagged’s Nathalia Urban from Resist Brazil and Scottish Green MSP, Ross Greer. {LISTEN HERE}
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{Another Council Tenancy…}
On the day Boris and Barnier agree on how to build a wall around working class people in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, We release our podcast… {Click or tap to listen}
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{The Spectacle}
…September’s aptly named Podcast… as the spectacle of a Prime Minister desperately trying to create headlines as he wrecks the constituent countries of the UK… {Click or tap to link to the Podcast} 
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{“Washing one’s hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral…” Paulo Friere}
A podcast about racism, oppression and imploring folk, “LET’S DEFEAT FASCISM!” {Click or tap to listen}
{For more podcasts, go to our archive.}
Latest Articles
On VE Day, Neil Scott looks at the legacy of the post war generation, and the Tory Government’s trashing of the NHS and the Welfare State.
Image by Debra Torrance and Neil Scott
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Val Waldron looks at aspects of the VE Day celebrations as a Victory for Hypocrisy
Image by Debra Torrance
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The Crank Aesthetic of ‘Planet of the Humans
Jim Jepps analyses Jeff Gibb’s expose for which Michael Moore is an Exec Producer.
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From Chernobyl to Covid-19
Beinn Irbhinn looks at the similarities between Chernobyl and Covid-19.
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Covid-19 Vs The Walking Dead
Beinn Irbhinn explores the effects of Covid-19 on collectivism, individualism and the Neo-Liberal assault on Britain since Thatcher.
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A Consideration of how the Scottish Independence Movement may have changed Post-Covid19
“The Scottish Independence Movement is a Progressive one, not an apology or a distraction during a crisis” [read more Here]
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Beinn Irbhinn discusses how Covid-19 is being dealt by Neo-Liberal Capitalism now & it’s effect for the future in;
Covid-19, Toilet Paper and American Hegemony
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The continuation of the story The seed of light and Dan McPhail from Deborah Sanderson.
In the spring of another Now
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Grounds for Divorce: The European Union After COVID 19. by George Collins
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Statement from SNP Socialists on Covid-19
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Sacrificial Herd? Sam Hamad asks… “The British government have already sacrificed so many lives to Covid-19, why should we think they won’t do so again?”
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A Blank Page
Val Waldron looks at how we can Build Back Better, during and after the Coronavirus pandemic
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Beinn Irbhinn: My Covid-19 Story
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Paternalism, the new Feminism? by Suzanne Russell
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Isolation Policy Too Late For Some, As Pandemic Warnings Were Not Taken Seriously
says Rachael Horwitz
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A Call For Solidarity: Community Support For The Tollcross Community Action Network Amidst The Covid-19 Outbreak
Amidst the panic buying and uncertainty, many organisations continue to provide vital frontline support. Luke Campbell details Tollcross Community Action Network’s Community Hub – Foodbank partnership and praises Living Rent for rallying a major working class victory.
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Citizens Prove That Scotland Is
A Left Wing Nation
says Scott Bevan
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The seed of light and Dan McPhail
By Deborah Sanderson
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A Bus-Load of Hypocrisy by John McHarg
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Virtual Covidity
Val Waldron reflects on the need to get us all back onto a very different track, once we’re through the dark tunnel. Read more [here]
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Covid 19 And Journalism #BuildBackBetter
“Here in China, COVID-19 has changed the conversation about journalism. We need a similar shift in attitudes back in the UK. #BuildBackBetter”… more HERE
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Poem… plait, by Teresa Durran
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Corona Life Status – by Scott S Bevan
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Chinese Net-Izens Shock And Anger At “Callous” UK Government
Beinn Irbhinn reports on the Chinese reaction to the UK policy of Herd Immunity…
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{Val Waldron: It’s a wonder that you still know how to breathe}
{Looking into the government handling of the Corona virus outbreak.}
“We have not given up on our future, and a progressive constitutional change in Scotland can only trigger hope and example to others” read more [here]
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{Breakdown And 5 Takeaways From The Protest Movement Around The Anti-NRC/CAA Protests In India}
{Review of The Protest Movement Around The Anti-NRC/CAA Protests In India by Tejas Mukerji.}
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An Open letter to Undecided Voters by Val Waldron
photo by Mike Moss. Sunrise on Ben Lui
“We have not given up on our future, and a progressive constitutional change in Scotland can only trigger hope and example to others” read more [here]
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{Harry And Meghan – The Venous Cannula Into The Putrid Corpse Of The Monarchy}
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Happy Families
David C.Chin contemplates the tragedy of lost species in verse and prose
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{Mhairi Hunter: Yes 2020 – The Coming Campaign}
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{Debra Torrance: The End of the World}
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No Choice
Never Forget! A dystopian vision of the future inspires courage and presence for a Writer
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Val Waldron; The Homecoming
Ungagged Winter Fiction; A story of a family mystery about identity and loss, from the 2nd World War
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Val Waldron; Say it Ain’t So, Jo
Denial, Delusion and Illusion. GE 2019
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{Mhairi Hunter: Reflections On The Election.}
{“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead}
Thank-you to all of our activists and supporters who helped in our non-party political General Election 2019 campaign to inform the people of East Dunbartonshire about their former MP’s Westminster record.
What has happened politically in England is an absolute disaster. Politics in England have taken a sinister lurch to the extreme right. England has left Scotland. Our paths are completely divergent. Scotland has voted centre left, and decisively so. England for a party that is about to crash the economy, and impoverish many more thousands of people.
Ungagged, a small group of activists from around the world, but with a large core in Scotland took the decision to concentrate our small resources on one Scottish constituency – East Dunbartonshire. Money donated by followers, readers and podcast listeners, (please help by donating here) helped us buy 9000 leaflets (for just over £200). We distributed 8500 of them (the weather beat us in the end!), but we hope that those leaflets persuaded at least one of the 146 people who took Amy Callaghan over the line to be that constituencies new MP.
We change the world, one person at a time. And one thoughtful person can change other’s minds… and that is how we win.
{Absolutely well played The SNP. In the constituency, your activist and new MP, Amy (@AmyCallaghanSNP on twitter), worked her socks off for weeks, as did your local activists. East Dunbartonshire SNP are a powerhouse and are inspirational activists. We were proud to lend some support.}
{George Collins: Resistance In Punjab: Lessons On Power From A Small Sikh Village}
{Ungagged support the campaign to unseat Liberal Democrat leader, Jo, from the East Dunbartonshire constituency. Please contact us if you would like to be involved in helping that campaign. One of our collective has written about Swinson’s record and says, ITS TIME TO GO, JO}
On Robert Reich’s The Psychology of Fascism
{From Catalonia to the Calton}
House of Horrors by Colin Burnett
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Lula is Free!
The Forgotten
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{So an election?}
The General Election, a view by Mhairi Hunter. {Read More}
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{The George Collins Book Club – Lost At School}
George Collins reviews Dr Ross W. Greene’s renowned work on how to help young people with Behavioral Challenges at school. {Read More}
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{Borders. Teaching Valuable Global Citizens In Glasgow {Its What I Do…}
“…how I try to break down borders in my pedagogy, and how in doing so, the children can become empowered agents of change both in their own lives and in the world outside and I a few examples of what I do and how I do them in my class…” By Neil Scott [Read More]
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{Inertia to the Left of me Zombies to the Right}
Image by Debra Torrance
Val Waldron searches in the murky cauldron of UK politics for a better alternative. {Read More}
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Upstart Scotland; Early Learning and Childcare Project
Hilary Long -Upstart Trustee and co-ordinator of Upstart Glasgow Network compares Nordic Early Learning and Childcare systems with the current Scottish system, and proposes changes based on Wellbeing. [Read More]
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Representing Robert…
Catriona Stevenson hits back at those who misrepresent Scottish History in the media – and defends our most recent iconic films. [Read More]
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Project Mejkangati: and how an indigenous group in the Amazon is fighting to protect bees
Nathália Urban has spoken to Project Mejkangati (which works with indigenous population in the Amazon about honey production) and learned about their current struggles. [Read More]
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A Spoonful of Blood
Val Waldron examines how nostalgia can provide fertile soil for bad decisions and outcomes [Read More]
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Scottish Councillor Jim exposes corruption on West Dunbartonshire Council… HERE
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Ungagged Review: Drag 101
Debra Torrance explores the current drag scene in Scotland. [Read More]
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Brazil – “Tinder of Books”, How Donating a Book Can Be an Anti-Racist Action
In Brazil, the presence of black people in higher education has made some recent advances with the introduction of affirmative actions and other social programs, but in academia the racial portrait is one of greater inequality… by Natalia Urban [Read More]
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Born To Destroy… And Born To Create.
Today’s rebels just might save the world by Neil Scott [(Read More]
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Poetry Page
We have created a new page for poetry. It starts with three pieces of spoken word and poetry. We have other poetry already on our site and links to them will be added soon. Linda Devlin – The Dance – Linda uses a Dance metaphor to describe the change in Mood Music from everyday life to fascism. [Read More] The People’s Palace. A Cathedral. Muriel Baker’s poem about the Glasgow museum The People’s Palace. [Read More] Debra Torrance in this You Tube video performs her spoken word piece. She starts by talking about her first jobs, go watch and see where it goes from there. She performed it at meetings for the Scottish Indyref in 2014 but says it’s still relevant today. [Watch on You Tube]
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Gleichschaltung – Or, “How The Left Helped Unite The Racists.”
What Gordon Brown SHOULD have said… by Neil Scott [Read More]
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The Battles Go On
An imagined Dialogue between Mary Barbour and her Rent Striking “Army” by Gail Winters [Read More]
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Poem – The People’s Palace. A Cathedral, by Muriel Baker.
A poem about Glasgow’s People’s Palace. [Read More]
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Who are “The Working Class” today?
Val Waldron asks who the Working Class are in the 21st Century and how we can use our understanding to oppose inequality. [Read More]
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Labor Day Thoughts: The Lost Art Of Protest
George Collins tells us why Labor Day needs to restart workers activism. [Read More]
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Is the SNP no longer fit for purpose as a party for Scottish independence?
Opinion – Sam Hamad: Grassroots want CHANGE. The long read [Read More]
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As Boris Johnson aims to ‘suspend’ Parliament, lets assess the Twitter damage of this ‘very British coup’
Brian Finlay takes a look at what’s been happening on Twitter today over Boris Johnson’s proroguing of the UK Parliament. [Read More]
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Please Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland can and must do more to stand in solidarity with the people of Brazil
Nathalia Urban writes an important letter for First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. [Read More]
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Zombie Stalinism: 25 Years Later, Who Wants The Berlin Wall Back?
Duncan Chapel discusses on the up coming 30th Anniversary of demonstrations that led to the reunification of Germany whither some socialists want to go back to the past. [Read More]
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Unite was right to pull out of Pride Glasgow because of its ‘commercialisation’
Brian Finlay looks into the commercialisation of Pride Glasgow. [Read More]
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ASDA are the Latest in the Tory Fight against our Rights…
Chris McCusker discusses the current changes to ASDA workers contracts. [Read More]
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The Chinese Economic Model: Threat or Future
Beinn Irbhinn looks into the rise of Chinese Economic model and the implications for the West. [Read More]
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Butterflies And Wish Trees, Wasp Bikes And Big Pokey Sticks
On Wings Over Scotland’s Latest Snake Oil…
Opinion from Debra Torrance: I was actually writing a very patriotic and in depth article about this Ungagged Tweet. However my being mired in depressive nostalgia of my potential close ancestors “emigrating” was interrupted by a foul stench. [MORE HERE]
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On The Origin Of Desert Eagles
George Collins discusses the causes of widespread gun violence in the U.S. [Read More]
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Complicity on Destruction- International companies are profiting over the destruction of the Amazon
Nathália Urban on European companies & Brazil’s Bolsonaro’s far-right, climate-damaging agenda, profiting over the destruction of the environment & indigenous genocide.
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Opinion: Neil Scott on the “Minister of the Union”.
Neil Scott looks into the self pronounced “Minister of the Union”. [Read More]
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Illiberal Democrat
Opinion: Sam Hamad on Jo Swinson. [More Here]
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Scottish Drug Deaths – An Analysis
This week it was announced that 1,187 drug-related deaths were registered in Scotland in 2018, the largest number ever recorded. This caused a shockwave to run through Scottish politics, though it wasn’t such a shock to those on the front line who knew the figures would be terrible. [MORE HERE]
by Glasgow Councillor Mhairi Hunter
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Protesters Targeted By High Speed Car – One Protester Killed. More HERE
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Valerie Zen on Putin’s Russia
Valerie Zen in interview with Rachael Horwitz talks on Russia; political prisoners, Crimea, environmental protests & domestic violence law. [Read More]
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Is UK Democracy about false promises… or promises fulfilled?
From Allan Grogan; The political landscape has never been vaguer or indeed more frightening on this island. Watch the latest edition of Question Time to hear the audience boo comments suggesting that a mild mannered, pro equality gardener with a penchant for jam be anything other than a disrespectful terrorist who is a danger to the UK while we await a vote between the current Foreign Secretary, who sold more of the NHS than 99% of previous Health Secretaries… or… well Boris Johnson. How depressing is that? [MORE…]
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Caiçaras Traditional Lifestyle, And Livelihood, Under Threat From Bolsonaro’s Brazil
Nathália Urban discusses Bolsonaro’s policies threaten the traditional inhabitants of the coastal regions of the South Eastern and Southern Brazil. Yesterday, three houses of caiçaras in the ecological station Juréia- Itatins, Brazil, were demolished by state agents on the grounds that they occupied an illegal area… [Read More]
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One Big Activist University; the SSP 1999-2007
Neil Scott on the SSP entering the Scottish Parliament in twenty years ago… [Read More]
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Nathália Urban Reviews “The Edge of Democracy”
Nathália Urban reviews Petra Costa’s movie about the rise of the extreme right in Brazil. [Read More]
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Equality for Women… Thrash ’em all…
Val Waldron discusses Mark Field’s ‘ejection’ of a female protester at the Mansion House Dinner. [Read More]
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This is what a British Trump looks like
David McClemont looks at what Boris has said in the past. [Read More]
No Brendan O
Brian Finaly’s rebuttal of Spiked Online’s Editor Brendan O’Neill’s article on the homophobic attack on a bus in London on May 30. [Read More]
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The Forgotten – Winter Writing Competition – Winner – Benny Allen
Benny used the title of The Forgotten created a story that satisfied every criteria we set… The story starts; “Your name is Charlie Southwark and today you’re breaking rules. With you, a bunch of people sharing the same, daily thirty-minute bus ride to work. Bodies so intertwined you can sniff all-day-fresh rolling stick deodorant and a whiff of cigarettes passengers puffed before hopping on. One big smelly mess travelling forty miles per hour.” Have a listen and see what happens next…
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Tariq Ali – The Clash of Fundamentalisms – George Collins Book Club Review 
George Collins reviews Tariq Ali’s book The Clash of Fundamentalisms. [Read More]
There ain’t no party like a Brexit Party, unless you’re a homosexual or an immigrant
Brian Finlay discusses Anne Widdecombe’s statement on SKY TV; “science may produce an answer at some stage” to homosexuality. [Read More]
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On Jo Swinson and Glasgow’s Attainment Challenge
Mhairi Hunter describes how wrong Jo Swinson is about how Scotland (and Glasgow) are tackling the effects of child poverty on young people’s educational progression. [Read More]
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Your Country needs you!
Val Waldron takes us on journey discovering the far right from 2006 and Blairite stasis to Yaxley Lennon not winning a seat in the May 19 EU elections. [Read More]
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Labour’s Love Lost
Teresa Durran discusses what could happen to the Labour party in England if Brexit leads to Scottish & Welsh independence. [Read More]
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In Which I Try To Feel Sorry For Theresa May
Mhairi Hunter tries to understand Teresa May as a woman and as a human being who has been through a torrid time. [Read More]
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Áurea Carolina Speaks Out: “Brazil Has Become An Even More Threatening Country For Those Who Fight For Their Rights.”
Interview of Áurea Carolina by Nathália Urban. Deputy Áurea Carolina is one of the main voices of the resistance in Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies. [Read More]
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Why I can’t stand with ‘stand with’
Teresa Durran explores the recent use of the phrase “stand with” to show support for a cause, or for a person. She doesn’t like it! [Read More]
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Ungagged Team
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Ungagged Art
Have a look at our very talented artists here
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