spiked: 25 years of kicking against the pricks

spiked celebrates its 25th anniversary this year .

It was born in the trenches of the free-speech wars in spring of 2000 .

At the time, LM the punchy, counter-cultural successor to Living Marxism was being sued for libel by ITN .

But, as defendants in English libel trials usually do, they lost.

Duly bankrupted by legal fees and costs, LM was forced to close at the beginning of March .

That was until someone came up with a bright idea designing a website for nothing.

Under Hume’s editorship, spiked took on the petty authoritarianism of New Labour , while getting to grips with a world remade by 9/11 and the war on terror.

But then spiked has consistently been ahead of the political curve.

It was a far-sighted critique that anticipated today 's unholy alliance of Islamists and decadent, anti-Western leftists.

If you’d like to help spiked stay around for another 25 years , please consider donating to our anniversary fund drive. If you donate 25 or more, you can get a year ’s access to spiked supporters, our online donor community. This is half the usual cost. If you’re already a spiked supporter but would like to benefit from this offer, donate your 25 and we’ll extend your membership by a year . Thank you!.