How a century-old political weekly survived near-bankruptcy to become a digital powerhouse

Cultures · Published 30 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Founded in 1913 by Fabian socialists, the New Statesman has evolved from a print-only literary review into a modern digital-first publication. Despite historical controversies, KGB disinformation scandals, and near-collapse in the 1990s, the magazine remains a central fixture of British political discourse, now reaching millions of online readers annually.

Established in London on 12 April 1913, the New Statesman was initially a project of Sidney and Beatrice Webb and George Bernard Shaw to promote Fabian socialist thought. Throughout the 20th century, it became a vital platform for intellectual heavyweights like John Maynard Keynes and Bertrand Russell. Under Kingsley Martin, who edited the magazine for three decades starting in 1930, it grew into a major influence on Labour Party politics, reaching a circulation of 70,000 by the conclusion of the Second World War.

The publication has weathered significant turbulence. In the 1990s, legal costs from a libel suit involving Prime Minister John Major nearly forced its closure. It was later revealed by a defector that the KGB had exploited the magazine to disseminate disinformation during the Cold War. Financial instability plagued the magazine until it was acquired by businessman Mike Danson, who transitioned the brand into a print-digital hybrid. By 2020, the magazine reported record-breaking web traffic of 27 million page views, even as it maintained a print circulation of roughly 36,591.

The magazine is known for its editorial independence and occasional provocations, such as the 2002 cover story on the Zionist lobby. Its guest-editor series has featured diverse figures ranging from Richard Dawkins to Ai Weiwei, who used the platform to bypass Chinese internet censorship. Today, under editor Tom McTague, the publication continues to balance its historical legacy of left-leaning critique with a modern, data-driven approach to current affairs, proving that a century-old weekly can adapt to the social media age.

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