Archive for February 2018
7 February 2018
Fighting sexism: Positive discrimination - yea or neigh?
Featured letter: It's 100 years since women in Britain won, through militant struggle, limited adult suffrage
7 February 2018
The Socialist Party is being evicted - we need you!
Building fund finance appeal launched: At the beginning of autumn last year the Socialist Party received a notice to quit our national centre by the end of summer 2018
7 February 2018
Yorkshire Socialist Party regional conference
Growth in support and big donations to building fund: The 4 February regional conference of Yorkshire Socialist Party was a tremendous success. Over 50 delegates attended and there was an optimistic mood, which reflected both the growth in support for the
7 February 2018
NHS day of action: all around the country
Reports from the 3 February NHS demos around the country.
7 February 2018
Tragic death exposes criminal understaffing of NHS
After the tragic death of a six-year-old child, Jack Adcock, a doctor and nurse have been removed from their professional registers and given two-year suspended prison sentences for manslaughter.
7 February 2018
York socialists head resistance to NHS outsourcing
There has been a consistent campaign in York to resist secret plans by the local NHS trust to establish a limited liability company at York Hospital.
7 February 2018
Donald Trump has claimed the 3 February march to save the NHS shows public healthcare doesn't work.
7 February 2018
Capita in crisis: bring all outsourcers back in-house
Shares in outsourcing giant Capita have collapsed following the company's profit warning to shareholders. This follows shortly after its competitor Carillion sank into liquidation, and underlines further the fragile state of British capitalism.
7 February 2018
90 feared dead after migrant boat capsizes
I, being a refugee from Sri Lanka, a victim of civil war, find it disheartening when I read the news about 90 migrants thought dead after a boat capsized off the coast of Libya.
7 February 2018
Haringey: now's our chance for a no-cuts council
Right-wing pro-mega-privatisation Labour councillors deselected. Arch-Blairite council leader resigned. Major privatisation and gentrification project derailed.
7 February 2018
Striking back against academies in Newham
It's been months since teachers at Avenue Primary school in Newham, east London, uncovered plans for the school to become an academy.
7 February 2018
Sudan: Mohamed Satti released - global solidarity campaign gets results!
Committee for a Workers' International (CWI) Sudanese comrade Mohammed Satti (Hamudi) was released from jail on 2 February.
7 February 2018
Protesters denounce oppressive Sri Lankan regime
On 4 February hundreds of Tamil youth attended a protest on Sri Lanka's 70th 'Independence Day' outside the Sri Lankan High Commission in London.
7 February 2018
Corbyn's left must seize the advantage in Labour's civil war
Headlines scream about a hard-left takeover of the Labour Party. No wonder. Under Tony Blair, big business found a safe political alternative to the Tories. How they must now long for the return of pro-capitalist, pro-austerity Labour as they watch the Tories' divisions
7 February 2018
GCSE grading game stresses out students - even more than before!
The government has implemented new GCSE rules and with them stress, and with them fear, and with them anxiety.
7 February 2018
Bernie's book shows need for workers' party
Non-fiction: Our Revolution: This book 'Our Revolution' by Bernie Sanders is a bestseller which charts his campaign for the Democratic nomination. He is scrupulous in making it clear it was grassroots activists that made this possible.
7 February 2018
Darkest Hour: Not the usual flattery of brutal Tory Churchill
Watching Gary Oldman as Churchill in 'Darkest Hour' at the Tyneside Cinema, I felt quite emotional. I was angry - if it was left to the Tories in 1940 they would have surrendered to Hitler.
7 February 2018
Letters to the Socialist's editors including NHS beds, Kurdish liberation, sprinklers, Blairites and the 'S' word.
7 February 2018
May's silence is a green light for Chinese repression
PM's visit to China puts business rights before human rights: Theresa May avoided irking her hosts with talk of human rights or the attacks on democratic rights in Hong Kong.
7 February 2018
DLR cleaners and security staff strike
Following a strike on New Year's Eve, RMT members working on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) in London went on strike on 1 and 2 February to force their employer, the outsourcing privateer ISS, to come back to the negotiating table
7 February 2018
7 February 2018
Tens of thousands in London and dozens or hundreds on each of more than 50 other events around the country boldly protested in defence of our NHS.
7 February 2018
Scene set for TUSC conference electoral debate
Last autumn the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) launched a survey of Labour councillors to see if they would back Jeremy Corbyn's anti-austerity stand when setting 2018-19 council budgets and, in those councils going to the polls this year, in the 2018 local elections
7 February 2018
'Occupy to save the town square'
Residents and workers in Walthamstow, east London, are preparing action to stop a 'monster block' phoney regeneration scheme
7 February 2018
Royal Mail forced back under threat of action
The CWU executive committee has agreed a national agreement with Royal Mail Group (RMG) which will now go to members to vote on. Overall, it represents a major climb-down by management and should be viewed as a victory against them.
7 February 2018
Unison national women's conference
This year's Unison national women's conference (NWC) in Liverpool last week saw Socialist Party members playing a key role in initiating and organising the first 'Unison Action' fringe meeting to be held at a self-organised group conference.
8 February 2018
Teachers strike again as anti-academy pressure mounts
Teachers hit back at privatisation with another solid strike
14 February 2018
We can win the fight for the NHS
The situation isn't all doom and gloom. Movements can be, and are being, built around the country to save hospitals
14 February 2018
Stop press: victory - campaign saves NHS rehab ward
The campaign to save the Chatsworth rehab ward in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, has won
14 February 2018
McDonnell says Labour would put services 'irreversibly' in workers' hands
Only mass mobilisation can prevent capitalist sabotage and guarantee workers' democracy: Fight for public ownership under democratic workers' control and management, with compensation to owners only on the basis of proven need
14 February 2018
Rent doubles in a decade: cap rents, build council homes!
A stunning new report reveals the total rent paid in the UK has doubled to £51 billion since 2007
14 February 2018
What we saw: Tory-Blairite EU love-in
Tory and Blairite MPs could combine to rescue big business
14 February 2018
No to profiteering from water crisis! Cape Town is facing its worst drought in almost 100 years
14 February 2018
Brazil: Lula conviction confirmed
Unity in struggle against Temer's attacks - build a new socialist alternative: The objective of this second conviction of Lula - frontrunner in all opinion polls - is to eliminate him from the 2018 presidential elections
14 February 2018
Big political strike against Finnish government's attack on unemployed
Across the country, not only transport workers but construction and manufacturing unions were on strike, with a tenth of Finland's workers - 200,000 - downing tools
14 February 2018
France: rallies in support of oppressed Kurdish people
Turkey's President Erdogan is intent on smashing the aspirations of the Kurdish people for a homeland
14 February 2018
Sadiq Khan's bus drivers' London licence doesn't go far enough
Labour's Sadiq Khan spoke to London bus workers when he stood for London mayor and promised to deliver strikers' pay demands - but we are still waiting
14 February 2018
Woolwich Crossrail walkouts to demand promised bonuses
76 electricians on the Woolwich Crossrail construction site have been taking industrial action because Balfour Beatty has ceased paying the vital 'finishing bonus'
14 February 2018
Threat of action defeats pay cut at Surrey council
Organising works, we won and all members have received their full backdated pay
14 February 2018
After a prolonged battle with Surrey council, the campaign to protect fire services in Staines has forced an important retreat
14 February 2018
Carlisle debate - socialism or social democracy?
Only a programme of nationalising the banks and top monopolies would allow a Corbyn-led Labour government to carry through serious improvements for the working class
14 February 2018
Enjoyable and successful Cardiff Refugee Rights gig
"I was deeply moved by the huge support that we received"
14 February 2018
I'm now a 'manager' and I can barely manage!
I work in a well-known high street chain and I was promoted a little while ago and thought to myself "finally, things might get a bit easier!" How foolish I was!
14 February 2018
In Windsor none of us want to see homeless people on the street
Royal wedding homeless clearance: The Tory leader of the council, Simon Dudley, decided the police needed to get rid of homeless people using the Vagrancy Act of 1824
14 February 2018
Building support for Corbyn's anti-cuts policies in the local elections
TUSC conference 2018: If there is no fight, it means extinction for indispensable services and jobs. The Tories' planned cuts exceed three-quarters of councils' core funding
14 February 2018
Oxfam scandal: we need democratic aid and working class solidarity
For democratic control over aid and emergency assistance - through elected committees of workers, land labourers and poor people
14 February 2018
Uni strike: coordinate public sector fightback
The Socialist Party gives full backing to UCU members striking against plans to scrap their 'defined benefit' pensions
14 February 2018
Haringey protests HDV - but Labour fails to kill it off completely
Labour councillors passed a resolution postponing any decision on the Blairite privatisation scheme
14 February 2018
Czechoslovakia 1968: 'Prague Spring' challenges Stalinism
Frustrated workers and youth took the removal of their hardline Stalinist president as the cue
14 February 2018
Brigadier Priyankara Fernando's cut-throat threat to peaceful protesters outside the Sri Lankan High Commission caused massive outrage
15 February 2018
TUSC statement on sentencing of Derby TUSC agent
Chris Fernandez, the local election agent for eight Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) candidates at the 2016 council elections in Derby, after a two-and-a-half week trial has been sentenced to 15 months imprisonment for charges of electoral fraud
16 February 2018
Haringey council has been in the eye of the storm following the resignation of its Blairite leader.
19 February 2018
Building the campaign against clearances of the working class
Where are Jeremy Corbyn's representatives in Waltham Forest's Labour council? - campaigners will be asking
19 February 2018
Usdaw victory - Socialist Party member Amy Murphy wins presidential election
The many Usdaw members and shop workers who expressed support for Tesco worker Amy and her policies will be delighted by this massive step forward.
20 February 2018
After 80 strike days Mears workers achieve victory
Workers agreed to an average pay rise of 22% and parity of pay across the workforce and in line with others in Manchester
21 February 2018
Tories raid £1bn from NHS facilities budget - unions must act
For the last four years the government has been delving into the NHS maintenance budget to fund everyday running of services
21 February 2018
Blairite mayor faces open election after democratic 'irregularities' - fight for a no-cuts mayor
Hated Newham mayor Robin Wales, the Labour right-winger who's held onto power for 23 years, is finally facing an open election
21 February 2018
Ukip has shed its fifth leader since the 2016 EU referendum
21 February 2018
Newham academies strike continues with three schools to strike together
This is Avenue School's longest strike yet - three days - as the campaign to save Newham schools from 'academy' status heats up
21 February 2018
Chatsworth ward victory shows we can save our NHS
The Chatsworth rehabilitation unit has been saved from closure
21 February 2018
Northern Ireland talks process paralysed
Theresa May's claim that an agreement would be "up and running very soon" humiliatingly came to nothing
21 February 2018
Bosses divided - university pension strikes can win!
Essex vice-chancellor Anthony Forster became the eighth to speak out against devastating cuts to staff pensions
21 February 2018
How can students and young people fight the Tories?
Prime Minister Theresa May has proposed cutting tuition fees for some students - who are clamouring to get involved in the fight on any issue they think they can win
21 February 2018
Leicester Uni makes Tory fee tripler David Willetts chancellor - sack Willetts!
During his time in government, Willetts was a key orchestrator in raising tuition fees from £3,000 to £9,000
21 February 2018
Facebook sides with state repression - reinstate the Tamil Solidarity page
This is an attack on freedom of speech
21 February 2018
South Africa: Ramaphosa is a safe pair of hands for capitalism
ANC president Zuma ousted: Inside two months following his election as ANC leader at the party's December conference, Cyril Ramaphosa has realised his ambition to become the country's president
21 February 2018
Russia: Ali Feruz, journalist and human rights activist, freed from jail
This is, without doubt, a victory for the Hands Off Ali campaign and all who supported him
21 February 2018
Northants council crisis - protesters demand an end to cuts and privatisation
The council has issued a 'Section 114 notice' banning all new expenditure other than on statutory services
21 February 2018
Victory: Pontllanfraith leisure centre saved
Campaigners in Pontllanfraith have forced Caerphilly Council to back down on plans to close the leisure centre
21 February 2018
Labour MP Rebecca Long-Bailey, mayor Paul Dennett and a few councillors tried to persuade the crowd they could be trusted to fight to save the nurseries, but were unable to convince them
21 February 2018
Labour councillors push through savage cuts in Kirklees budget
Every single Labour councillor in Kirklees, Yorkshire, has voted through over £29 million of cuts - with promises of more to come
21 February 2018
May Day, May Day! Celebrate solidarity!
No, we're not in distress! But we do want to celebrate May Day, and we want to see a paper full of May Day greetings that proudly reflects the hard work of our members and workers' solidarity
21 February 2018
Bradford protests against kids' service cuts
Socialist Party members joined a protest in Bradford in response to £13 million of cuts to prevention and early help child services
21 February 2018
Successful Socialist Party Wales conference sets tone for the year ahead
The recent earthquake in South Wales pales in comparison with the shifts in the political landscape described at the Socialist Party Wales conference
21 February 2018
Tremendous determination on show at West Midlands conference
With 71 in attendance from eleven branches or groups, a fantastic West Midlands Socialist Party conference took place on 17 February in Birmingham
21 February 2018
Lively discussion at East Midlands Socialist Party conference
The Socialist Party East Midlands conference detailed tasks ahead but also the lessons of the successful Glenfield and Chatsworth NHS campaigns - led by Socialist Party members
21 February 2018
Nottingham hospital black alert
The continuing winter crisis in our hospitals has resulted in black alert status being declared at a Nottingham hospital for a whole week
21 February 2018
Cardiff Refugee Rights gig success
Cardiff hosted a successful gig and art auction, organised by Young Socialists in conjunction with the Refugee Rights Campaign
21 February 2018
Outrageous sentence for TUSC agent in 'misleading electors' court case
This is part of the Tories' moves against democratic rights, including electoral rights, as a response to the accumulating rage at their never-ending austerity agenda
21 February 2018
German engineering strike puts shorter week on agenda - but could have won more
The bigger question of a shorter working week with no loss in pay is even more valid in today's world of rapid technological change
21 February 2018
Do you have something to say? Letters to the Socialist's editors. Stock market plunge; rights for racehorses
23 February 2018
Lecturers strike around country in defence of pensions
UCU members in 61 universities have started their 14 days of strike action
26 February 2018
Tory Brexit divisions, Corbyn's opportunity
The workers' movement must maintain an independent class opposition to a Tory Brexit, 'soft', 'hard' or 'no deal'. But that is not the position of the Blairite defenders of capitalism within the Labour Party.
26 February 2018
Groundswell of opposition to high-rise development
Walthamstow Saturday market square was buzzing, as around 600 angry demonstrators came together
28 February 2018
Save Our Square occupation: "This land is our land!"
Hundreds signed up to join the Save Our Square campaign in Waltham Forest, east London, on the day
28 February 2018
Mary Jackson: funeral and memorial meeting
150 people attended Mary's funeral, including a delegation from transport union RMT, reflecting the enormous love and respect she was held in by family, friends and comrades
28 February 2018
Socialist Students conference highlights successful work
Over 100 students attended the annual Socialist Students conference, which highlighted the successes of Socialist Students' work and the growth in the popularity of socialist ideas
28 February 2018
How relevant Marx's ideas are in 2018 - 200 years after he was born and 170 years since the publication of the Communist Manifesto
28 February 2018
Three major West Wales hospitals could close
Corbyn and unions must fight Labour right: Until now, Welsh Labour has denied there is a crisis in the Welsh NHS
28 February 2018
Corbyn didn't collaborate with Stalinism - but with Trotskyists against it
Sun 'commie spy' smear: Jeremy Corbyn stands accused of collaborating with Czechoslovak Stalinism - but his backing of a Trotskyist call for workers' democracy shows the opposite
28 February 2018
Gorbachev: Accidental architect of world change
Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet Union's last leader, left a truly historical legacy. Aiming to reform bureaucratic rule he helped unleash forces that led to the collapse of Stalinism
28 February 2018
Stormzy is right to slam Tories for Grenfell
For an independent working class inquiry: Stormzy reminded the world that what happened wasn't just a freak accident - it was a predicted consequence of profiteering
28 February 2018
KFC delivery crisis: make the bosses pay, not the workers!
The headlines make light of the frustrations of regulars missing out on fried chicken - but there is a serious side for workers
28 February 2018
International Women's Day - 8 March 2018: We fight for a world free of inequality and sexism
28 February 2018
Coordinate the struggles: Faced with a fresh series of attacks from the Tories and their friends in big business, workers are striking back up and down the country
28 February 2018
University bosses rocked - strikes can save staff pensions!
"University chiefs split as strikes cause chaos" read the front page of the Times - after just two days of our planned 14-day strike programme!
28 February 2018
Unite victory in EDF meter workers' union recognition fight
The successful battle for the trade union recognition of EDF Energy workers transferred to Morrison Data Services has been hailed as a key victory by general union Unite
28 February 2018
Corbynism shows 'Clause IV' still relevant a hundred years on
A reestablishment of a version of the lost "socialist clause" in Labour's constitution would help the process of transformation, if it was a serious programme rather than an empty symbol
28 February 2018
United States: young people demand change after latest mass shooting
Parkland school massacre: Socialists support some limitations on access to guns as a public health measure. However, this will clearly not solve the problems of poverty, inequality and alienation that underlie violence
28 February 2018
'Anti-austerity' Bristol Labour passes £34 million cuts budget
A legal no-cuts budget has even been urged on the mayor by the elected bodies of his own party - yet he still parrots lies about 'illegality' and claims to be powerless in the face of cuts
28 February 2018
Newham: teaching workers and parents determined to halt academies
The mood at the rally against academisation was electric as 90 people from three striking schools crammed in after being on the picket lines
28 February 2018
Building fund appeal: Behind the scenes at the Socialist Party office
Why do we need a national centre? Let me take you on a tour of the Socialist Party office
28 February 2018
Union-led campaign beats Blairite attacks on homeless
We shamed the council into withdrawing the attack - which apparently were all 'just a mistake' anyway - but they should be ashamed
28 February 2018
Campaigners to save threatened Babington Hospital protested on 23 February at an NHS clinical commissioning group meeting in Derby
28 February 2018
Selling the Socialist in Stoke
People are amazingly generous, especially when you consider Stoke is an area where the manufacturing industry has been destroyed over the last 30 years, first the pits, then the pottery and steel industry
28 February 2018
What's behind the surge in eating disorders?
Many will have been shocked by recent NHS figures showing the doubling over the last six years of hospitalisations due to life-threatening eating disorders
28 February 2018
Do you have something to say? Letters to the Socialist's editors. Blairite councillors attack homeless; universal credit protest; tide is turning on anti-cuts fights
28 February 2018
Socialist anti-war exhibition opens in Kingston
Socialist artist Peter Robson's exhibition 'Unobtania' comes to south London this month, examining the horrors of the wars waged to defend the bosses' profit system
28 February 2018
Corbyn's customs union dividing line: now stand firm for pro-worker Brexit
Editorial of the Socialist: In essence, Corbyn sought to oppose the present pro-capitalist EU Customs Union with the idea of one that would be in the interests of working people
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