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What we think
Not only Cummings but the whole Tory government must go. Their incompetence and ineptitude in the face of the coronavirus crisis, flowing from their desire to prioritise the profit needs of their big business backers, has cost thousands of lives
Schools
It’s reckless. It’s unsafe. It flies in the face of all advice from scientists and from teachers. The schools must not reopen on Monday 1 June, writes Louise Cuffaro
United action can defeat Tories’ dangerous school plan
In refusing to back down from his plans for primary schools to open more widely in England on 1 June, Johnson has shown complete disregard for public health.
International news
Economic collapse leads to renewed protests across Lebanon
Chinese state’s imposition of draconian law reignites Hong Kong protests
Coronavirus news
Care home workers suffer PPE shortage and job loss fears
My neighbour contacted me the other night. She is a care worker at a home for the elderly. She had seen the Socialist Party posters on my fence
More blunders and profiteering in Tory track-and-trace scheme
The government disastrously abandoned contact tracing on 12 March and delayed the lockdown while Covid-19 spread unchecked
Eerily quiet before second wave – don’t reopen schools!
Coronavirus pandemic news in brief
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is launching a bailout scheme called ‘Project Birch’ to prevent the collapse of key big businesses
BAME Covid-19 deaths
Black and Asian Covid-19 deaths: an indictment of capitalist inequality
The figures for Covid-19 coronavirus deaths broken down by ethnicity caused widespread shock and anger
Workplace news
Strong union response needed against job cuts
Rolls Royce’s plan to cut 9,000 jobs will impact on its UK civil aerospace division
No return to unsafe construction sites
The last five years has seen an average 36 construction worker deaths each year. According to the Office for National Statistics, in just four months of Covid-19 there have been 199 deaths!, writes Andy Bentley, Unite construction sector.
Energy firm plans to make 2,600 redundant
OVO Energy has announced plans to make 2,600 workers redundant, including workers in Cambridgeshire, writes Carl Harper, Socialist Party Cambridgeshire.
Fight P&O’s billionaire bosses’ jobs cut plan
P&O Ferries has announced plans to cut 734 jobs in Dover and 122 jobs in Hull after it reported a severe downturn in demand, writes Eric Segal, Kent Socialist Party.
Hull Trades Council debates workers’ political representation
Tackling the coronavirus threat is the most pressing problem facing working people. Unfortunately, with a few honourable exceptions, we have to take up that fight without the benefit of a combative national leadership in either the trade unions or the Labour Party.
Lessons from history
1920s Britain: A “country nearer Bolshevism than at any time since”
In the sixth article in our series – ‘war, global crises and working-class struggle’ – Socialist Party national committee member Alistair Tice asks: does the picture following the World War One give more pointers to what we can expect today in terms of new economic crises and workers’ struggles?.
Obituary
Mick Cotter 21-9-57 to 20-5-20
It is with great sadness and regret that the Socialist Party has lost a dedicated comrade and friend of many members
Fighting fund
We need readers’ support to fight capitalist crisis
The success of the Socialist Party’s special appeal has resulted in our Fighting Fund £25,000 national target for the present quarter being achieved halfway through the campaign period!
Readers’ opinion
Going viral – Socialist comments and letters
The Covid-19 pandemic is a world social crisis which touches every aspect of life. The iniquities and failings of the capitalist system are being exposed