Hello from London, where we are entering the final few days of the UK general election campaign. Attention has been diverted away from the parties’ pledges by a political betting scandal, which has shone a spotlight on insider information in gambling and the question of what counts as “cheating”. It’s all feeding into widespread disenchantment with Westminster and growing predictions that voter turnout next Thursday will be low. I hope you enjoy my pick of the week’s stories, plus a few from elsewhere you shouldn’t miss. If this email was forwarded to you and you’d like to receive Long Story Short in your inbox every Friday, click here to sign up. 1. The dazzling rise and fall of Macronism | | |
Emmanuel Macron wanted to save France from the far right. It has never been closer to power © AFP via Getty Images Of course, the UK is just one of many elections happening around the world this year. One surprise addition was France’s parliamentary poll, which starts this weekend. Seven years after Emmanuel Macron became president, this excellent analysis examines how the optimism around his centrist project has evaporated. Marine Le Pen’s right-wing Rassemblement National party is fast gaining ground, and Macron’s decision to call a snap election has hastened a political reckoning that could shake the foundations of the Fifth Republic. 2. How private equity has shaped the UK economy | | |
© FT Montage/Charlie Bibby One big question in the UK election campaign has been where the Labour party might raise taxes, if — as expected — it wins next Thursday. Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves wants to increase tax on the performance fees that private equity fund managers receive from asset sales — so-called carried interest — prompting questions about whether these dealmakers may be tempted to relocate elsewhere. This deep dive into the industry’s impact on the UK notes that “nowhere in the world have private equity firms found a more welcoming playground”. 3. Forget privacy, young internet users want to be tracked | | |
I really enjoyed Elaine Moore’s column in which she examines what is an acceptable level of online surveillance. She argues that attitudes differ depending on age. While those in their forties and older are suspicious of the tracking tech built in to every smartphone, “friends a decade or so younger all seem to be tracking one another with abandon . . . They say it makes them feel safer”. But Elaine has a word of warning: make sure you know the etiquette before you keep tabs on friends and family. 4. ‘When trauma becomes your identity, that’s a dangerous thing’ | | |
A pioneer of research into trauma in the 1970s, Bessel van der Kolk has become a publishing sensation after his book The Body Keeps the Score spent nearly 300 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list. My colleague India Ross had a fascinating lunch with the octogenarian psychiatrist in Massachusetts. Over steak and lobster rolls, their conversation ranged from war and the impact of childhood harm to the therapeutic benefits of yoga and psychedelics. 5. The eerily calm Tory bus | | |
Rishi Sunak visits Denby pottery factory as part of a campaign event © Darren Staples via AP George Parker, the FT’s indefatigable political editor, spent the day with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on board his election campaign battle bus this week. The result was a fun edit for me and a popular piece with readers. George describes the bus as “the eye of the political storm”, an air-conditioned safe space from which Sunak is attempting to avert electoral catastrophe. But in the real world, “beyond this media and security bubble, there is chaos”. Quick hitsOTHER FT STORIES THAT HAVE CAUGHT MY EYE THIS WEEKJennifer Williams is one of my favourite writers at the FT. In the run-up to the UK election, she embarked upon a public transport odyssey around northern England to highlight the poor state of the region’s infrastructure. She found that “everywhere, people were doing remarkable things to move their places forward, but were losing faith in the state’s will or ability to help”. What Isis did next: this in-depth piece about the brutal jihadist group serves as a reminder about “the threat that never left”. As China’s tech industry faces a new reality of low growth, rising competition and investor apathy, many companies are cutting staff and making tougher demands of those they keep. This great read shows the reality for staff pushed to the limit: “We’re like gears grinding until they break.” Russian punk activist Nadya Tolokonnikova has built her own “church”, an art installation in northern Austria. The Pussy Riot frontwoman and foe of Putin strikes a hopeful note at the end of this interview.
WHAT I’VE BEEN READING ELSEWHERECan I persuade my family to love the British countryside? As a fairweather walker, I loved this piece by my former FT colleague Sathnam Sanghera about dragging his reluctant family on a drizzly hike in the Lake District (the Times). ‘People yell “Cousin!” at me all day’ I’m ridiculously excited about season three of The Bear, so I enjoyed this interview with everyone’s favourite wayward cousin from the show, Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Guardian). How to party (without regrets) Now that summer party season is in full swing, here’s everything you need to know, from getting ready to how to leave gracefully (The New York Times).
Before you go — something from the archive | | |
© R Seventeen One of the FT Magazine pieces that has intrigued me most in recent years was this profile of 10 Foot, London’s most prolific tagger. He’s no street artist; his reputation and notoriety rests on the sheer number of places (the more inaccessible the better) he can place his signature. Since I read the piece I’ve been noticing his tag everywhere, from urban railway bridges to a roadside in Dorset. We always want to hear your thoughts and feedback, so email the team at longstoryshort@ft.com — and have a lovely weekend. Rebecca Acting Deputy UK News Editor |