25 articles from the Socialist, issue 433
30 March 2006
Socialist Party NHS campaign
IN THE last few days, more than 4,000 health service jobs have been threatened, including those of doctors and nurses. Thousands more could follow. 1,200 of the job cuts already announced are in Stoke. This report shows how to build the campaign to stop these savage cuts in the NHS.
MILLIONS OF pounds in deficit, jobs and services cut, healthcare rationed, wards and hospitals closing – the NHS is in crisis. But who’s to blame? We expose the government’s lies about the NHS…
Call for NHS demo gets support
THE NHS is plummeting towards a two-tier system with very basic care for all and good care for those who can pay, writes Jon Redford.
Huddersfield trust votes for cuts – but campaign gets stronger
HUDDERSFIELD AND Calderdale Primary Care Trust have ignored local people’s protests and voted for vicious cuts in the local health service…
Save jobs and beds at the Royal Free
MANAGEMENT IS proposing to slash 480 jobs and 100 beds at the Royal Free hospital in north-west London. The Socialist Party is organising a campaign to oppose all redundancies and pay cuts, writes John Reid.
Pensions
Britain – Over one million strike for pension rights…
IN SWANSEA and West Wales, many schools and offices were locked up and pickets were on almost every street corner. Jeff Baker, UNISON regional organiser, responsible for council workers in Swansea, said that he was: “Very pleased with the response today which was absolutely solid. The mood is as strong as its been for many years.”
‘Time for a new working-class party’
HUNDREDS OF striking local government workers signed the declaration for a new workers’ party on the picket lines on 28 March. They were outraged that their union leaders have been donating millions of pounds to a Labour Party that then turns round and attacks their pensions.
International socialist news and analysis
France – millions march for job security
FRANCE’S 28 March "day of action" saw much bigger mass protests and strikes against the French government even than the 1.5 million who demonstrated on 18 March, writes Robert Bechert.
USA: Millions march for immigrant workers’ rights
ACROSS THE USA millions of people have taken to the streets to express their anger at Congress’ attacks on immigrant workers…
Ukraine’s ‘orange revolution’ goes pear-shaped
LAST SUNDAY’S general election in Ukraine saw pro-Western president Yushchenko’s party humiliatingly beaten into third place with an expected 17% of the vote…
Will ETA’s strategy lead to Basque national rights?
THE BASQUE separatist group, ETA, has announced a “permanent ceasefire”, ending its 38-year long armed campaign. ETA at the same time called on the Spanish and French governments to “seize the opportunities”.
Socialist Party review
If you type in ‘Nablus’ on the internet, you can find basic information like this: "A historic city, about 4,500 years old, in the West Bank, writes Angelika Teweleit.
GORDON BROWN, the trade union leaders’ ‘radical’ alternative to Blair, has announced that a new panel will advise the Treasury on globalisation…
Socialist Party campaigns
Why socialists oppose state funding of political parties
“Nothing makes a prince so much esteemed as great enterprises and setting a fine example”…
Local council services are still worth fighting for
POLITICAL PARTIES in Britain are gearing up to win seats in this May’s round of local elections. This contest could help decide Tony Blair’s future as leader of New Labour. But previous governments – Tory and New Labour – have…
Council elections: Great response in Lewisham
“Thank you for all your hard work on behalf of the council tenants – keep it up, some of us can’t afford to buy our own homes!”
Stoke UNISON prepares for action against cuts
ISSUE 430 of The Socialist explained how Socialist Party councillors Dave and Paul Sutton proposed an alternative budget at Stoke city council’s budget-setting meeting…
Strong support for minimum wage demand
THE NATIONAL Union of Journalists held its annual delegates’ meeting (ADM) in Liverpool from 23-26 March. The issue of job cuts within the media industry, as well as low pay were on everybody’s minds…
Lambeth College students launch campaign against cuts
UP TO 150 students and college workers took part in the first protest against cuts in adult provision at Lambeth College. Students lined up to sign petitions against the course closures and the demolition of the gardens, writes Rob MacDonald, Student Union President, Lambeth College.
Save chemistry – sack the vice-chancellor!
THE VICE-chancellor of the University of Sussex, Alasdair Smith, announced last week that he intended to close the chemistry department, giving as his reasons the university’s £4 million debt and that not enough people were applying to study chemistry, writes Richard Mullin, University of Sussex Socialist Students.