In this week's issue:

The Socialist 1 February 2012, issue 703

Bankers bonus scandal - Fight this profit-mad system

pic: Paul Mattsson

The recent 'Hesteria' has been revealing. The Tories, majority funded by the City, went on about 'fairness' and bankers' bonuses but failed to challenge RBS boss Stephen Hester's £1 million bung...

Trade unionists and socialists prepare for May elections

What is the point of Labour MPs?

Dead end in Davos

Them & Us

Don't let the racist EDL divide us

Anti-EDL demonstration in Tower Hamlets in June 2010, photo P Mason

Fight for jobs, homes and services: The racist and hooligan English Defence League (EDL) claims its demonstration through the heart of Leicester on Saturday 4 February, is in opposition to "discrimination in the justice system"

Disabled protesters demand scrapping of 'welfare' bill

Haringey takes action against academies

Coventry: Re-elect Dave Nellist

NUS: name the day for student walkout

Student protest 29 January 2011, photo Senan

This week there's been another set of statistics showing that £50,000 worth of debt is enough to make many people rethink plans to embark on a university education

Save Derbyshire youth services!

Only one in six 'vacancies' real

Tough conditions for agency workers

South East Wales youth plan new campaigns

EU summit - no capitalist solutions to the spiralling eurozone crisis

As the capitalist politicians arrived in Brussels for the 30 January EU summit they were met with a clear and determined message from the Belgian working class - a magnificent 24 hour general strike - the first in the country for nearly 20 years - in defiance of the summit's austerity agenda...

Interview: the Tunisian revolution one year on

Anti-government demonstrations during the 2010–2011 Tunisian uprising, photo Creative commons

"Revolution is a process, not a single act": 14 January marked the first anniversary of the downfall of the hated dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali by the Tunisian revolution

Pensions battle: Unions must campaign for coordinated strike action in March

Pensions battle: The 30 June 2011 (N30) public sector strike demonstration in Manchester, photo by Hugh Caffrey

At January's TUC Public Service Liaison Group (PSLG) meeting the leadership of Unison and the GMB confirmed their decision to sign up to the government's heads of agreement on pensions...

Unison pensions cowardice

Remploy workers fight privatisation

Jet tanker drivers continue strike action

Workplace news in brief

Debate: Should socialists support the HS2 rail line?

HS2 - The second high speed line in Britain - government advert

Developing efficient public transport: The second high speed line (HS2) in Britain (the first being the channel tunnel link from London to Paris) would initially connect London to Birmingham by 2026 with a journey time of 49 minutes, writes Mark Pickersgill, Stevenage Socialist Party.

Are the Greens a real alternative?

Smacking not the answer

Obituary: Gwenda Beishon