It is election day in the UK, as the country is asked to choose new MPs and a new government. Democracy functions by providing people with a choice of candidates and policies, backed by clear and accurate information about the options that are available. But this general election presents us with two deeply flawed party leaders and a standard of campaigning that the phrase “post truth politics” does not even begin to describe.
A short set of images from the independence backing encampment in Plaça Universidad, which was recently disbanded after more than three weeks of blocking traffic and a key public transport interchange in the centre of the city.
On Sunday, more than a million people marched in London to protest against the debacle that is the UK’s Brexit process, demanding a referendum on whether or not to proceed with Theresa May’s negotiated exit deal. Unfortunately, I was not able to be there – so this is an alternative photographic commentary on the current state of Brexit and British politics.
An update on the Catalan Nationalist process, as the political leaders responsible for the 1st October referendum and failed unilateral declaration of independence go on trial.
London – Saturday 20th October 2018 This was the second major march organised around the Peoples Vote: a call for a second referendum on the terms of Brexit. Almost three quarters of a million people attended – so many that the organisers were overwhelmed by the numbers and Parliament Square was unable to contain everyone. Many of the marchers carried home made banners and placards and they spanned all ages and came from all walks of life – including many from all over Europe who were denied a vote in […]
A set of film images from Barcelona, taken around the period of the Diada (the National Day of Catalunya, a focus for nationalism in the region) and the anniversary of the failed 1st October referendum.
This is a set of photographs taken at the People’s Vote March in London on 23rd June 2018 – a campaign to call for a public vote on the future relationship between the UK and the EU when the UK leaves on March 29th 2019. This post explains why the People’s Vote is important and why you should sign the petition supporting it.
A set of photographs from an attempt by protesters to attack the building of the official Spanish Government delegation in Catalunya. This was triggered by the arrest of ex-president Puigdemont in Germany, and the Catalan Police (the Mossos d’Esquadra) were deployed to protect public buildings.
Βlack and white film images taken at two Catalan independence protests in Barcelona. The use of Article 155 to suspend autonomous rule in the region has effectively blocked the indirect channeling of government finance (via cultural associations) to support events such as these, with the result that banners are being recycled or even hand made. This is in contrast to the piles of professionally produced posters that were routinely handed out at events earlier in the process. In these images, the protesters are mainly campaigning for two issues: to free […]
A set of images taken at the three protest encampments in Plaça Catalunya, Barcelona. In February, the independence movement secured permission to mount a protest in Barcelona’s main city square, with dozens of campaigners camping out and distributing propaganda. This ran from early in February until the campers were finally removed in mid-April. Unfortunately for the independence protesters, the city council can not legitimately turn a blind eye to one set of people camping out while denying a request from another. So before long, there was a smaller anti-independence camp […]
This is the first of an occasional series of photo essays on Brexit, looking at the potential winners and losers as the UK proceeds to leave its closest economic and political partners.
A photo essay contrasting mass tourism in Asturias and Cantabria against city life in the same region. This reflects the growing tensions between increasingly wealthy and mobile tourists and and increasingly impoverished local population that sees little benefit from the tourist industry.
This is the last in the “State of Independence” series documenting the Catalan secessionist protests in Barcelona, covering the period leading up to the new regional assembly elections on the 21st December 2017. Throughout December the protests continued sporadically, mainly focussing on a campaign to support those people currently held in jail without bail for their actions that led to the current political crisis in Catalunya. The number and intensity of demonstrations is vastly diminished compared to the period around the referendum, as people tire of repetitive and cold evening […]
While the independence related protests continue in Barcelona, their number and attendance is very much reduced. This is a short set of film images taken at night at a protest in support of the politicians and independence group leaders currently on remand in Madrid following their unilateral declaration of Catalan independence.
More independence movement images from Barcelona. Since the last update, the level of protest activity has subsided significantly, with all the protests shown here organised by Assemblea/Òmnium in support of the independence movement – but with turnouts significantly smaller than in previous weeks.
A further update and set of film images from the ongoing separatist crisis in Catalunya. On Tuesday, Carles Puigdemont refused to clarify whether or not the Catalan government had declared independence. As a result, the central government in Madrid has started proceedings under Article 155 of the Spanish constitution with the aim of restoring a
Transient Eye 