The Democrats are in deep trouble in the US – and Labour is on the way to joining them | Nesrine Malik

When millions of once-loyal supporters become disillusioned with a party, there can only be one result: electoral disaster

The measure of a political party’s failure lies not in how many agnostics and opponents it fails to convert, but in how many loyalists it fails to preserve. The endorsement of new, unnatural voters – Latinos in the US for Donald Trump, or Tories voting for Labour for the first time – might deliver big electoral swings but is ultimately not sticky. And these votes are only meaningful if the bedrock is solid. That bedrock is the people who consistently show up, no matter what, from generation to generation, for a party. And the Democrats are losing them.

In extensive research published last week tracking voter registration, the New York Times identified an alarming pattern. The Democratic party has been “haemorrhaging” voters since way before election day. In the states that track voter registration by political party, Democrats lost to Republicans in all of them in the years between 2020 and 2024. By the time Kamala Harris took over from Joe Biden, the party had already shed more than 2m votes in those states, and Republicans had gained 2.4m. This is part of a “four-year swing” that amounts to 4.5m votes. In a chilling conclusion, the report states that “few measurements reflect the luster of a political party’s brand more clearly than the choice by voters to identify with it”.

Continue reading...
Continue ReadingThe Democrats are in deep trouble in the US – and Labour is on the way to joining them | Nesrine Malik

The genius of trees: how forests have shaped humanity, from chocolate cravings to our ability to dream

Since our early ancestors came down from the canopy, we may think we have learned how to live without trees. But our lives remain intertwined in incredible ways

Once upon a time there was a girl who lived in a tree. She had deep-set brown eyes and brown hair. She ate fruit – orange mangosteen and black juniper berries – crunched on nuts, sucked on sweet grasses and chewed juicy leaves, and dug up tubers and roots, knowing which ones were good, and which were hard or poisonous.

Sometimes, she followed the trails that crisscrossed through the grass, but much of the time she clambered through the broad crowns of the trees, reaching up for branches and feeling the texture of the bark against her hands, balancing against the trunks and springing along boughs. At night she tucked herself into the fork of several branches and curled up to sleep, watching stars like diamonds and branches against the sky.

Continue reading...
Continue ReadingThe genius of trees: how forests have shaped humanity, from chocolate cravings to our ability to dream

Sami Tamimi’s recipes for courgette and maftoul bake, and sumac-marinated feta salad

Vibrant colours and fresh flavours combine in these summertime celebrations of Palestinian cooking

Bursting with sunshine flavours and garden-fresh ingredients, today’s all-in-one courgette, sweetcorn and maftoul dish is a wholesome celebration of summer in every bite. Layered with tender courgettes, sweet pops of corn, aromatic herbs and warm spices, it’s all brought together with nutty maftoul (or fregola) and a golden, cheesy crust. Then, a vibrant salad combining juicy tomatoes and sweet strawberries with tangy, sumac-marinated feta. Colourful and packed with bold Palestinian flavours, it’s the perfect balance of sweet, salty and zesty – ideal for alfresco dining or picnics.

Continue reading...
Continue ReadingSami Tamimi’s recipes for courgette and maftoul bake, and sumac-marinated feta salad