The Socialist 11 January 2007

Exposed: Labour to savage NHS jobs

Sri Lankan government blamed for violent attack on ant-war rally organiers

Labour to savage NHS jobs

Union action can defend the NHS

Manchester NHS: "Making it better" means making it worse

Students fight for free education

How to become a fees fighter

ISR and Socialist Students' conference - a political voice for young people

The war for oil profits

Murderous raid on anti-war meeting

Ruthless Ruth Kelly

Ipswich murders lift lid on violence against women

Pirates of the Caribbean

Ethiopia invasion throws Somalia further into crisis

The Lagos oil pipeline tragedy was avoidable

Northern Ireland: New governing executive looks in doubt

Time for action on pensions!

Vote 'yes' in PCS ballot

Construction boom - workers organise

We want our buses back!

Public transport and private ownership don't mix

Previous issues, etc

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Sheffield

We want our buses back!

WITH ONLY four days after the New Year's holiday to build support for it, We Want Our Buses Back (WWOBB) campaigners in Sheffield were pleased with the 120-strong demonstration on 6 January against First's latest bus fare rises.

Alistair Tice

After WWOBB convenor Calvin Payne had challenged councillors to back up their words with action, at least six from all four parties on the council, came on the demo.

This reflects WWOBB's success in pressurising the council over the last 18 months and the cross-party support for Quality Contracts (a form of regulation similar to London).

When even the Tory councillor told the rally that he supports re-regulation, you know the bus services must be bad! But it's a bit rich coming from a Tory when it was Thatcher who de-regulated the buses 20 years ago.

And of course the Labour government has not reversed it. Labour council Transport spokesman,Terry Fox, said he hoped to get a Quality Contract by 2009 but "the devil is in the detail."

No Terry, the devil is in New Labour's support for private ownership and opposition to re-nationalisation. As Socialist Party speaker Colin Wray pointed out, "How can you have partnership with private operators like First who are only interested in how much profit they make. That's why We Want Our Buses Back campaigns for re-regulation AND re-nationalisation of all public transport."

In this issue

Sri Lankan government blamed for violent attack on ant-war rally organiers