Ben Smoke
Inside an NHS hospital at breaking point
‘It‘s relentless‘ — While Covid infection rates may be dropping, the crisis continues unabated inside hospitals. Politics Editor Ben Smoke reports from Homerton Hospital, London, speaking to frontline medical staff about the profound emotional and physical toll they face every single day.
Written by: Ben Smoke
Liberals are wrong: the fight against Trumpism isn't over
The storm ahead — The inauguration of president Joe Biden marked a moment of shared relief. But the threats posed under Trump's presidency are still as urgent as ever, writes Huck's politics editor, Ben Smoke.
Written by: Ben Smoke
A view from Washington's streets on inauguration day
History in the making — Photographer Wil Sands headed down to DC on the day Joe Biden was sworn in as President, capturing BLM protests and tight security on the otherwise eerily quiet streets.
Written by: Ben Smoke
'It’s been hell': stories from the NHS frontlines
Breaking point — We hear the stories of NHS staff working tirelessly over the Christmas holiday as the COVID-19 crisis continues to devastate hospitals.
Written by: Ben Smoke
2020: The year in UK activism
People power — We recall month by month what has been a tumultuous year in the fight for social justice.
Written by: Ben Smoke
Heathrow is suffocating Black Londoners
Time to act — After a day of historic verdicts, it's time to take the threat that air pollution poses to people living in London's poorest areas seriously, argues Huck's Politics Editor, Ben Smoke.
Written by: Ben Smoke
How the 2010 student protests radicalised me
A decade of fighting — 10 years on from the tuition fee vote, writer Ben Smoke reflects on the violence and chaos of a day that would shape the future politics of a generation.
Written by: Ben Smoke
The untold story of the 2010 student protests
A decade on — This month ten years ago, protests against the rise in tuition fees under the austerity ushered in by the Cameron-Clegg coalition erupted in London. Those who attended remember what happened that day.
Written by: Ben Smoke
The pantomime dames fighting to save theatre
Make or break — Tens of thousands of theatre performers and workers have been left without support during the pandemic, despite government claims to the contrary. Last week, hundreds of them, led by a fleet of dames, took their fight to the streets.
Written by: Ben Smoke
The incredible true story of Beverly Glenn-Copeland
Keyboard fantasies — The American musician achieved cult status in his 70s. But that’s just one small chapter in a life unlike any other – a life filled with beauty and trauma in equal measure.
Written by: Ben Smoke