In this week's issue:

The Socialist 1 September 2010, issue A fightback can stop cuts

London May Day demonstration, photo Jules Mattsson

A fightback can stop cuts

No wonder people say they're sick of political double-talk. Mrs Thatcher said "there's no such thing as society". David Cameron talks of "the big society". But they both mean the same thing: swingeing Tory attacks on our public services and on support for working families, writes Dave Griffiths, Coventry Socialist Party

Our future under attack

Youth Fight for Jobs, photo Sarah Mayo

It seems that £30,000 a year can almost guarantee you top grades in your A-levels. This year, students from private schools were more than twice as likely to get the new A* grades as those from comprehensives...

Anti-cuts movement builds momentum in Plymouth

THE POET Shelley helped inspire a 50-strong meeting launching Plymouth's fight against the cuts. 90-year-old pensioners' campaigner, Paddy Ryan, quoted Shelley: "Rise like lions after slumber in unvanquishable...

North Staffs TUC public meeting against cuts

Cuts hit poor hardest

Fighting the far right in Bradford

Chanting against the far right EDL in Bradford, photo Paul Mattsson

ON SATURDAY 28 August, the racist and hooligan English Defence League (EDL) could only muster 700 supporters to their Bradford demonstration for what was meant to be their 'Big One'...

Labour's three stooges aid Con-Dem coalition

THREE FORMER Labour cabinet members are now acting as advisers to the Con-Dem coalition. Prime Minister Cameron has appointed Alan Milburn his 'social mobility tsar', who is supposed to help break down...

Government cuts hit our benefits

Keep Middle Street centre open

Defend school meals

Slashing public services: do councillors have 'no choice'?

Liverpool city council's struggle in 1983-87 for more funding from the Thatcher government was an inspriation to workers, photo Dave Sinclair

Campaigns against the Tory/Liberal government's cuts have wide support. But many councillors say that they are, in principle, opposed to cutting public services but have "no choice" but to implement cuts...

Kazakhstan: Human rights activist beaten and arrested

HUMAN RIGHTS campaigner and lawyer Vadim Kuramshina was violently attacked and arrested last week in Kokchetava, northern Kazakhstan...

Worldwide protests against brutal attack on three Russian socialists

Pakistan flood disaster: Workers' solidarity appeal

General strike movement sweeps South Africa

THE COSATU trade union federation in South Africa has warned the African National Congress (ANC) government to meet 1.3 million public sector workers' demands for an 8.6% pay increase and a housing allowance of R1,000 a month, writes Weizmann Hamilton of the Democratic Socialist Movement in South Africa.

Battles ahead on London Underground

On 24 August, reps from transport unions TSSA and RMT met to discuss the first ever joint strike between the two unions on London Underground, writes Reg Johnstone, RMT.

London firefighters ballot for action

Jobs threat at RBS

Coventry mail centre closes

Civil service jobs under the cosh