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Back Issues |
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Established 1979 |
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These are the back issues of Red Rag. They'll be posted here every (usually) two weeks on or around the anniversary of their original publication. We're currently reissuing 1983; the latest issue is dated June 12th (scan / txt); the next one is due out on the 26th. Red Rag, or Reading's only newspaper, had a noble tradition of misspelling, mixed metaphors, wrong facts, confused political judgements and a print run by now of 1240. It printed pretty well everything it got sent ("unless the Collective judged it racist, sexist, right wing, or supportive of oppressive religions"). It aimed to provide a decent alternative coverage of local news and issues from a radical non-aligned position; to promote subversive and creative initiatives; to provide a forum for unorthodox views; to allow some sort of co-existence between a huge variety of interests. And it was free. In this issue (scan / txt): following two years of uncertainty, a long public campaign, and a Lords ruling shifting burden of proof in immigration cases onto the Home Office, local resident Shehnaz Sheikh finally wins the right to stay in the United Kingdom. Two days before a general election, only cynics could think of linking the HO's decision to the large Asian community in conservative MP Tony Durant's constituency. Also: a personal account of getting arrested at the Non Violent Direct Action at USAF Upper Heyford; Acorn Bookshop is hiring; and planning has started for "Reading Between the Lines", a combined guide & directory to Reading hopefully to appear this autumn (but which won't be appearing on this website unless someone else wants to take on the work). | |||