The Socialist 22 May 2019
Birmingham home carers’ victory - Strikers push back cuts council
What lies behind the US-China trade war?
Sri Lanka - Ten years after the brutal end of the war
Labour's nationalisation plan: What policies are needed to avert climate catastrophe?
British Steel threatened closure
European elections expose deepening political crisis: Workers need a party of our own
Birmingham home carers victory
Probation workers celebrate case management renationalisation
Fantastic RMT London Underground victory
Woolwich ferry workers begin ten days of strike action
Morrisons workers reject pay offer
Unite young members' conference
4 June - Walk out against Trump! Climate criminal not welcome
Domestic abuse accommodation: Tories shift - but safety is more than a bed
Haringey: Socialists' stance fully vindicated
Anger and frustration at the establishment
Pouring cold water on the Riverside estate
Worcester Tories stonewall action on climate change
Day of action against cuts to special needs education
Opinion: socialists must link climate struggle to power of organised workers
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Labour's nationalisation plan: What policies are needed to avert climate catastrophe?
Nationalise the big six energy companies! (Click to enlarge)
Michael Johnson, Leeds Socialist Party
Jeremy Corbyn has announced a 'Green Industrial Revolution.' The plans include nationalising the gas and electricity supply - taking the National Grid into public ownership.
Labour's 'Bringing Energy Home' also promised that in government they would fit nearly two million homes with solar panels, and give interest-free loans and grants to help a further 750,000 homes install solar panels.
Labour commits to generating at least 60% of the UK's electricity and heat from renewable and low-carbon sources by 2030 in response to the UN's 12-year deadline to avert a global climate catastrophe. While a positive step, there is still more Labour, and particularly Labour councils, could do to tackle climate change now.
Climate emergency
At present, Labour councils are, on the whole, at best, declaring 'climate emergencies' while taking few of the steps they could to make real change.
In some areas, Labour councils are carrying out plans that will lead to increased carbon-dioxide emissions - as is the case where I live in Leeds. Leeds Labour Council has declared a climate emergency, but is expanding Leeds-Bradford Airport.
Instead, councils should invest in and develop public transport to make it cheaper and easier for working-class people to reduce car usage. This would require taking public transport out of the hands of the privatisers.
Homes
Councils should build new, green, carbon-neutral, council homes that can reduce energy consumption. Councils would have to resist rather than implement the cuts brought on by Tory austerity, and use their reserves and borrowing powers in the short term while they mobilise working-class support to win the money back.
The recent climate change movement has seen thousands take to the streets. This has certainly had an impact on Labour announcing these policies.
However, the key to building real action means mobilising the organised working class and campaigning for trade unions to take action.
They should organise around a socialist programme that fights for investment into safe forms of renewable energy, renationalisation of privatised utilities and public transport under democratic workers' control, step-up research on green energy, waste reduction and energy saving and a democratic socialist plan of production that puts people and the environment first.
In this issue
International socialist news and analysis
What lies behind the US-China trade war?
Sri Lanka - Ten years after the brutal end of the war
News
Labour's nationalisation plan: What policies are needed to avert climate catastrophe?
British Steel threatened closure
What we think
European elections expose deepening political crisis: Workers need a party of our own
Workplace news
Birmingham home carers victory
Probation workers celebrate case management renationalisation
Fantastic RMT London Underground victory
Woolwich ferry workers begin ten days of strike action
Morrisons workers reject pay offer
Unite young members' conference
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
4 June - Walk out against Trump! Climate criminal not welcome
Domestic abuse accommodation: Tories shift - but safety is more than a bed
Haringey: Socialists' stance fully vindicated
Anger and frustration at the establishment
Pouring cold water on the Riverside estate
Worcester Tories stonewall action on climate change
Day of action against cuts to special needs education
Opinion
Opinion: socialists must link climate struggle to power of organised workers
Related links:
Starmer moves against Unite - No to the attack on Beckett
United action needed to defeat fire and rehire
Bobby Sands - Nothing but an Unfinished Song
Caerphilly & RCT Socialist Party: The case for nationalisation
Nationalise Tata Steel to save jobs
Fight for our livelihoods... Fight for our lives!
Climate change - Johnson spouts 'greenwash 2.0'
10 years ago - the Fukushima nuclear disaster: "We came close to losing northern Japan"
Scunthorpe steelworks scaffolders: Fifth week of action
Leeds Socialist Party: The May elections - and the need for a new mass workers' party
No trust in billionaire football owners - kick them out and reclaim the game
Bellway must pay! Make our homes safe!
TV review: The Hidden Story of Disabled Britain
What councils can do to protect the environment
Cumbria mine: How can we fight for jobs and stop climate change?