We're back - and we want you with us

Dear readers,

You might have noticed our newsletter looks different, and is coming to you from a new platform: Substack. We want to explain why - and to ask for your support.

Two years ago, we launched The Lead as a campaigning publication, to take on a hostile Conservative government. Thanks to you, we have revealed the burnout of our paramedics and teachers, the life-or-death difference skin colour makes in maternal care in the UK, and the hidden cracks and pitfalls of our housing sector. And we covered the people fighting back - from the London barrister who saved a river to the Black hikers taking back the countryside. We campaigned to scrap Voter ID, to bring back Gary Lineker to the BBC, and to erase Boris Johnson’s dishonourable honours list.

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Most incredibly, we launched eleven local newspapers in the North. What started as pop-up newsletters soon became print editions, delivered to over 100,000 households in places where local newspapers simply no longer appear on your doorstep.

Now, we have a new government that brings new opportunities - but new challenges, too. Labour’s historical majority can’t be squandered on half-measures or undermined by the kind of cautiousness we saw in its campaign. We need bold, responsive and hopeful governance - on immigration, on housing, on climate, and more.

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For ourselves, this means redoubling our commitment to push Labour to do what’s needed, not what is comfortable. We want to demolish the hostile environment, not swap Rwanda for Albania. We want the new affordable housing they promise to be actually affordable - to normal people, not to landlords. And we want to make sure this government doesn’t play into the hands of the far right, which is attacking our democracy in many, many more ways than street riots. We will be covering many other topics besides - expect some startling exposés and brilliant investigations. But this is what we’ll be pushing for the most.

And this is where you come in. To do this work, we want to make sure The Lead can be independent. We want The Lead to have new owners: you. Our core offering will still be free. But starting today, we are also rolling out the option for paid membership on Substack. As a Member you’ll get access to the paid exclusives we will publish and to additional insights from our editors and writers. You will also become part of our community, able to comment on our pieces, and to meet our editorial team and special guests at our monthly think-ins. Plus, not least, you will also get access to our weekly edition, in case you still want to get your Lead fix every Saturday as well as our exclusive stories on weekdays. Become a Member now for £5 a month, or just £49 a year.

That’s not all. To mark The Lead’s rebirth, we are opening up a limited number of Founder memberships - for people who want to support us further and to really get involved. As a Founder, you will get access to all the above and more: lifetime tickets to our in-person events up and down the country, early access to bombshell new investigations, free copies of our print editions, your choice of a souvenir from our merch store, and other perks and features we’ll be rolling out.

But best of all, Founders are the only ones who’ll have access to our Community Chat - think of it like being on a Whatsapp group with The Lead’s team, where you can join editors, writers and fellow readers in helping us shape our coverage and campaigning in real time. There will be exclusive online and offline events for Founders, too.  A Founder membership is £149 a year - or just £125 if you sign up by Monday.

We couldn’t be more excited for this new chapter -  and we can’t wait for you to join us.

Dimi, Diyora, Zoe, Leah, Natalie, Lillian, Ed and Luke.